Partnering with recruiters

21 tips for working with recruiters

10 minutes

Working with recruiters can significantly help you with your job search strategies. Here are 21 tips to keep in mind when working together with recruiters:

Think of a recruiter as a ‘gatekeeper’.

Recruiters act as the intermediary between their clients (prospective employers) and candidates. If you build a good relationship with your recruiter, they will be your biggest advocate, using their professional status to refer you to key clients.

Do your research!

Search for agencies that have a good reputation in their field by searching their website for awards, their LinkedIn profile for recommendations or friends and colleagues for referrals.

Take advantage of computer databases

Nearly all agencies store resumes and candidate details in an ‘Applicant Tracking System’ that allows these details to be searched.

Make sure your resume contains the keywords that align to your preferred roles. This will ensure your details are easily found by recruiters when they are looking for individuals with particular skillsets.

Follow the instructions on how to apply

Always submit your application as instructed. This will ensure it can be accessed by the recruiter and stored in the agency database.

Follow up

If you are genuinely suitable for a role, follow up with the recruiter with a phone call 1-2 days later. This will ensure you remain front of mind in the recruiter’s busy day, and they will look out for your application.

Making contact

When calling a recruiter for the first time, you need to tell them:

1. Who you are.
2. Why you’re calling.
3. Give them a reason to continue the conversation.

For example. “Hi, my name is Tess, I’m calling about the Sales Manager role advertised on Seek yesterday. I have over 10 years experience in pharmaceutical sales and I’m looking for a new challenge, do you have a few moments to answer my queries about this position?

Be prompt

If a recruiter is interested in your resume, wants to meet with you or needs more information from you, they will want to move quickly. Recruiters are under huge time pressure to deliver, so act promptly to take advantage of opportunities when they arise and avoid missing out.

Understand ‘Expression of Interest’

A job advert that appears vague and is entitled ‘expressions of interest’ usually indicates that the recruiter is searching for candidates for their database and does not have a specific job available.

Introducing yourself to a good recruiter in this way is still beneficial as they are likely to want to introduce you and your skill set to potential employers, however, this process may take longer than if there was an actual job available.

Respect the process

You will often have more hoops to jump through when going through a recruiter – an initial meeting with the recruiter, reference checking and perhaps even skills testing before your details can be submitted to a client. There are good reasons for these steps, so see them through to ensure you can be represented.

Value the recruiters time

Ask them how often you should stay in touch to stay front of mind. Weekly calls aren’t always necessary. If a suitable role comes in, a recruiter will always contact you.

A ‘meet and greet’ is an interview

Don’t be fooled by the recruiter’s informal style – they want to find out whether you are suitable for a position. You should treat every meeting with a recruiter as you would a meeting with a hiring manager. Interviews with recruiters are likely to be quicker and will focus on your skill set as opposed to values or culture fit questions

Detail your previous experience carefully

Recruiters are not always technical experts in your chosen field. This is especially true for generalist recruiters who source candidates across many different role types. You should not assume the recruiter understands what you do, but a good recruiter will take the time to learn. Help them gain a thorough understanding of your skills by explaining your experience in detail.

Recognise when the recruiter could do better

Be wary of a recruiter who wants to forward on your resume without meeting you or who can’t answer your questions about the company. At certain points in the process a recruiter may be unable to disclose the company name. However they should have no trouble describing the culture, salary, working hours and duties. Recruiters who don’t do these things can’t possibly know if the company is a good fit for you.

Utilise the recruiter’s knowledge

A good recruiter with experience in working on behalf of an organisation before, will have valuable insight into the company culture, management style etc. This information will be important when it comes to interview and decision time, so make the most of these insights to support you.

Understand the difference between ‘permanent, temporary and contract’

A permanent job will usually mean a full time role direct with the company. However temporary and contract usually signifies your agreement will be with the recruitment company. This can mean some rights and privileges available to other employees at the location you work at, do not apply to you. You will be paid by the recruitment company and any issues with safety or performance could be directed to the recruiter.

Build a relationship

Your relationship shouldn’t end after the first successful placement or interview. Recruiters will benefit from hearing about your experiences in the industry – it’s likely they will work on similar positions, so stay in touch and let them know when you are looking!

Salary negotiations and offers should come via the recruiter

Recruiters are incentivised to secure the highest salary possible on your behalf and are trained in negotiation techniques. They are also experts in benchmarking salaries.

Be upfront and clear about non-negotiables

Make sure your recruiter understands what really matters to you, for example location or certain benefits. Don’t let yourself be presented with unsuitable opportunities that won’t work for you

If you’re off the job market, tell your recruiter

Let your recruiter focus their efforts on candidates that still need their help, tell them if you’re no longer searching for work.

They may request exclusivity

If you have a niche skill set, a recruiter may request that you don’t approach other recruiters or companies directly. You are under no obligation to do so, however the benefits are a more loyal relationship, a confidential job search, and professional representation of your resume to a select few employers. The downside is that this strategy is only as good as the recruiter is – you might miss opportunities of relevance to you.

Don’t expect help to change your career

If you are looking to enter a new industry or role, you shouldn’t expect a recruiter to help you with this. With the exception of bulk graduate recruitment, companies do not request recruiters to find a candidate with no previous experience. You will have more luck approaching companies directly and demonstrating your enthusiasm.

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