How to Build Relationships With Recruiters
Recruiters. Some people have described them as the sometimes unseen people in charge of deciding fates. If you are a job applicant or active job seeker, you may think of them as a much-needed help desk when it comes to making job seeking easier. Or maybe you think of them as people from an agency sending you countless adverts for job placements or even calling you on the phone. If you have a public, up-to-date and impressive portfolio, recruiters are likely to contact you first.
You might imagine them sitting behind a desk and strictly going through resumes and applications and placing people in jobs. Yes, recruiters take their jobs seriously because they want to hire the best people for the positions they are recruiting for. Their position gives them influence over an employer’s final decision. A good number of companies engage firms that provide recruitment outsourcing services to recruit staff for them and this means that recruiters have to carry out a thorough search for people who fit the requirements. They carry out their search on social media platforms like LinkedIn or even by sending emails, newsletters and adverts.
Most recruiters work for staffing agencies that offer professional career advice and point clients towards job positions that match their interests and qualifications. Their services also include alerting people about current job opportunities. If you have decided to work with a recruiter, it is important to build a strong relationship with him or her to increase your chances of getting a job. Recruiters want to reach out to job seekers and so building a relationship with them may not be hard as you think. If you decide to work with a recruiter, how do you build a connection with him or her to make sure you get the best out of your experience and achieve the expected results? This article has six trusted tips to help you.
- Ask Questions: Get to know your recruiter. The best and easiest way to know someone is to ask questions. Your recruiter will ask you a lot of questions and so should you too. Ask them questions about their agency, their experience, and their success rate. If possible, set up a face-to-face meeting. Other than building a connection, asking questions will also give you insight and help you determine if a recruiter is the best option for you.
- Communicate Openly and Honestly: Check in with your recruiter from time to time. This will serve as a reminder to them to keep you up to date with current job openings. Do not refuse to pick a recruiter’s call or take all the time in the world before replying to their message. However, do not give them an incessant amount of calls or message them every day to ask if they have found a job for you. Strike a balance when it comes to communication. Also, remember to tell your recruiter when you find a job or when you decide that you do not want their services again. It is more diplomatic to do that or unsubscribe from their email services instead of ignoring them. If you do not want a job offer because you dislike it, tell your recruiter. Do not lie to your recruiter, try to hide things, or exaggerate. Be as plain as you can be. Bear in mind that what you tell them and when you say it will reflect on you and them. If you are thinking of declining an interview, tell them on time so that they can give feedback to the employers. Not keeping the communication lines open will make you look unserious.
- Be Specific: In as much as recruiters can do a lot of things, they cannot read minds. Know what you want and talk to your recruiter about it. Being vague about your preferences will make it difficult for a recruiter to help you. What industry do you want to work in? What cities or geographic locations are you open to working in? Are you open to working only certain hours? What are your salary expectations? Be sure of what you want. This will help a recruiter know your options and narrow down the search to zero in on what is best for you. Assess yourself and your situation to know what works best for you. It also makes a staffing agent’s work efficient and less time-consuming. Do not say that you will be willing to work anywhere just to land a job and then reject offers your recruiter sends your way. Instead of presenting you with a myriad of opportunities and you rejecting all of them because they do not fit into what you have in mind, being straightforward with your recruiter will bring better results.
- Do not expect them to do all the work: While your recruiter is there to guide you, do not expect them to do everything. Prepare your CV and application by yourself. A recruiter can give you helpful tips to make it stand out but he is not going to write it for you. When you do your part, a recruiter will find it easy to represent you to an employer.
- Be Kind and Respectful: Be polite when speaking with your recruiter. Being rude will sour the relationship and chances are that a recruiter will refuse to work with you again if you treat them harshly. Exercise tact and courtesy when communicating, be it when you are checking up on progress or rejecting an offer. Do not call a recruiter to vent or pour your frustration on him/her. Remember, their aim is to help you land a good position. That makes them allies, not adversaries.
- Keep the Relationship: If you have built a strong connection with a recruiter, try keeping it even after you have gotten a job. Someone you know might need their help or even you if there comes a time when you need to consider other job openings or take another path in your career.