7 Ways to Make the Most of a Recruiter

In the age of Big Data, the recruiting landscape is constantly evolving with more technological advances than ever before. With this boost of automation, software and speed of methodology, more and more companies are using recruiting agencies to find the best candidate.

The key to working with a recruiter is to understand that their priority is to find the best candidate for the jobs they represent. And the quality of relationships you have matters more now than ever before.

If you have a job in mind that you know was made for you, the burden lies entirely on you to prove why you are the best possible fit.

Give her ample reason for her to call her client and explain: “Look, Barbra is the smartest, most qualified and capable candidate on the market right now.” Here are seven ways to make the most out of your recruiter:

1.Treat her like she’s the hiring manager.

There’s no point in saving a few tricks up your sleeve. When you’re chatting with a recruiter, think of it like the final dress rehearsal for the real interview.

You’ll go much further if you show your recruiter exactly how you would interview with her client.

2. Please…don’t send her an outdated resume or LinkedIn profile.

This is not only one of the most common, annoying unnecessary delays but also amateurish. Even if you’re already employed, if you’re open to hearing about new opportunities, your resume should always be ready to go.

"You might be the perfect fit, but is your resume less than stellar? This still matters," says Jennifer Merz, executive recruiter at CyberCoders. "Organization, clear summaries, descriptive statements and use of key words make it easy for us to see your experience."

Swiftly sending a top-notch resume is a great way to speed up the process.

The same goes for LinkedIn. If you're learning a new piece of software or skills, add it to your LinkedIn profile. Eighty-nine percent of recruiters have hired someone through LinkedIn, according to Herd Wisdom. In their study, which took place in 2012, 10,200,000 people found their job through LinkedIn.

Underestimating the value of LinkedIn is detrimental to your job search.

3. Show her you how much you love the work.

Liking your work matters. By demonstrating that you actually enjoy the job at hand means you’re likely a better fit than your competitor who’s just asking about the salary. The best performing candidates are motivated by more than just a paycheck.

“During a flow state, people are fully absorbed and highly focused; they lose themselves in the activity,” Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychologist at the Claremont Graduate University told the New York Times.

4. Never underestimate the power of a first impression.

The business of recruitment is very fleeting. Candidates come and go. This transitory nature of a recruiter’s day-to-day job amplifies the impact of a first impression.

So, if you mess up by stumbling on your phone interview or show up to your Skype interview in your PJ's, she’ll be sure to remember that when presenting candidates to her client.

5. Stay on her mind.

“Though this opportunity isn’t a good fit, I’ll keep your resume on file for future opportunities.”

Sound familiar?

If you’ve heard this before, don’t rely on her to remember you. It’s easy to forget that recruiters literally have hundreds of candidates on file. So, be proactive. Ask your recruiter what method of communication she prefers--emails vs. phone calls.

Stay on her mind by sending follow-up emails to check-in with her to see if there are any good jobs available for you.

6. Be honest.

Too many candidates fib about their level of expertise on technical aspects of the job, e.g. computer languages.

If you list a bunch of acronyms of computer languages in your resume or LinkedIn profile, you should be able to perform hands-on—not just theoretically. Lying about your skill level is the fastest way to tarnish your professional reputation.

7. Be proactive in addressing any odd skeletons.

If something negative may come up in the interview phase, it’s better to be up front and honest about your situation rather than sweep it under the rug.

Though, it's a fine line to walk.

Be honest and real with your recruiter—but present the situation professionally and follow-it up with reasons why you’re still the perfect candidate. Sandwich the bad news with a reiteration of your two best qualities.

 

 

Infographic snippet from SocialMeep.com.