Insights From a Recruiter
This post is pretty low-hanging fruit, to use as my first post. My current job is as a Recruiter at a large staffing agency, so I spend my days interviewing people and trying to help them get into roles. Many of the candidates I interview complain to me that the job search has changed drastically over the years. Admittedly, I’ve only been a professional for a couple of years, so I have not been able to see the full evolution, but since I am in the industry I do have some insight.
Here are some quick tips to working with a recruiter!
Have an Updated Resume
This is perhaps my biggest pet peeve. If you are on the job hunt your resume NEEDS to be up to date. I do not want to go into all the nuances of a resume (maybe that is for another post), but there are a couple of things that are important. For a resume to be considered up to date, that means that your current job status must accurately be reflected. That means it is vital to have the correct end date. Whether you left your role a week ago or 10 years ago, you should not have “present” listed next to that role.
Be Honest
Look, the truth is that a recruiter will ask you where you are applying. Depending on what company you are working with, it is likely that your recruiter might work with that company. That means that they cannot double submit you to a position if you have already applied. So if you are actively applying or working with other agencies they should know. This does not mean that you have to tell them every company, job title, and pay rate; but you should say what types of roles, positions or industries you are considering.
Know What You Want
Building off of the previous note, it is important that you know what you want. Prior to any discussion, you should know what your restrictions are in relation to commute, companies, roles, job titles, and pay. Although it might seem helpful to say that you are open to anything, that is a HUGE red flag to recruiters. Even if you are flexible (which is great), you should still have some basic parameters.
Be Ready to Talk About Your Background
Now this one may seem obvious, but so many people expect that on their first talk with a recruiter they will be offered a role. Although it is possible that I might have a role that would interest you, I have to have some idea about your background and experience. Expect that you will talk about your recent work experience for 15-20 minutes. Although I (and other recruiters) have looked over your resume, there is much more to your work experience than that 1-2 pages. This is also a good time for us to see how you interview.
Know the Agency
Not all agencies are worth working with. There are many small boutiques out there and they are likely to come across your resume the same way that any larger organization would. But when you get an email or phone call, take the couple of minutes to Google to agency’s name. This basic understanding will help you determine if they are a good resource for you depending on where (geographically), and what (industry or type of work) they focus on. Although staffing agencies, in general, often get a bad wrap, there are some that are more notorious than others.
Don’t Yell at the Recruiter
This tip holds a special place in my heart, as I am often on the receiving end of nasty phone calls, emails and in person visits. It is important to understand that at the end of the day we are all at the mercy of the market. Therefore, if companies are not hiring or if they are only hiring in specialized roles then you will likely not be contacted by an agency (unless you have that niche expertise). With that being said, if you do not hear back from a recruiter in a couple of days/weeks (unless otherwise stated), you should definitely shoot them an email or give them a call to check in. And this likely goes without saying, but if you do let your emotions get the best of you, then you will effectively be blacklisted in that office. No one wants to work with someone who could fly off the handle at any point. We do understand the stress of being out of a job, that is what we deal with everyday, in both our personal and professional lives.
Conclusion
This post is not meant to offend anyone, and I created it purely to help candidates understand some of the basic tips for working with a recruiter. Job hunting as a whole is a huge topic with many different avenues and areas to consider. But these basics remain constant and can be applied to your job search even if you chose not to work with a staffing agency.
Life Won't Wait 
