During your job search, there’s a good chance you’ll be contacted by at least one recruiter. Recruiters are hired by companies to source the best candidates for their open positions. This being said, there are some best practices for working with recruiters that will make the process more efficient and straightforward.
Be honest with the recruiter
The biggest piece of advice for a job seeker working with a recruiter is to be honest with them. Be truthful when discussing your qualifications and background, tell the recruiter the kind of jobs you want or don’t want, your salary requirements, and if you have any personal obligations (think family vacations or interviews set up) that may interfere either with your search/interview schedule or working dates for potential positions. If you go on an interview for a job and realize it’s not what you’re looking for, tell your recruiter, so they can adjust the kind of opportunities they find for you. Honesty can be the biggest time saver for both job seeker and recruiter.
Ask the recruiter questions
If you have questions while working with a recruiter, you can count on them answering honestly. For example, you should ask if the recruiter has a particular specialty, such as healthcare or technology, and how many people they’ve placed recently with your background. They can also give you more information about your qualifications. Although you might think you’re qualified for a given position, they can let you know if you fit the employer’s requirements. Finally, since recruiters work directly with the hiring companies, they have the inside scoop about whether the salary for a position is negotiable or if they won’t budge, saving you time in your job search if you can’t accept a salary below a certain amount.
Don’t go around a recruiter to the employer
It may seem like a good idea to have a recruiter locate a great position for you, then to contact the hiring company directly, however this plan usually backfires. The company hired the recruiter, and if you’re a good match for the position, the recruiter most likely has presented your information to them. If you then apply directly, the company will know that you went behind the recruiters back to apply. This behavior is generally considered unethical, can send a red flag to employers, and can cause problems when determining who gets credit for your candidacy.
If you’re interested in working with a recruiter to discover your next job, you can use SimplyHired.com to find jobs from recruiters. Just perform your search and select “Recruiters Only” under the Recruiters filter.
Remember that the role of recruiters is to find people to fill positions for their clients, so consider recruiters allies in your job hunt. Establishing a trusting relationship with your recruiter can result in a faster job search now, as well as down the line when looking for positions in the future.
Have you worked with a recruiter or found a job through one? Share your experience in the comments.
