Five Tips for Working with Recruiters
If you’re looking for a new role—especially one that is specialized—you will likely work with a recruiter at some point. It’s true, professional sites such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Indeed.com have made it easier than ever to get relevant jobs sent to your inbox, educate yourself on what benefits those companies are offering and how to best prepare for their interview process.
In reality though, many jobs are never listed online, and while salary and benefits information is out there, its accuracy is often questionable. Further, the interview advice on offer is usually generic at best—certainly not written by someone with a relationship with the hiring manager nor a long history of how a particular company hires its people. This is where professional recruiters like me come in, and I would advise every job seeker to develop a relationship with one. Once you make that decision, there are some things you can do to maximize the connection.
Here are some tips on getting the most out of the relationship.
Ask for help with your resume
The perfect resume is vital, and some people spend hundreds of dollars on professional resume writing services to make theirs stand out—but did you know a recruiter will help you with this for free?
Recruitment professionals understand what hiring managers are looking for and may already have a good relationship with, and knowledge of, the manager you want to get your resume in front of. They can help tailor your resume to effectively present your skills in a way that stands out, and ensure the correct information is listed that calls out your KPIs and milestones from your last jobs.
There are also preferred formats at some companies, and a recruiter that specializes in industries will have more insights on formatting, as well as specific industry jargon.
Engage a specialist recruiter
If you’re embarking on the next step in your career—perhaps for a specialized procurement role—it’s worth looking for a specialist to help. They will understand your current position and the role you are looking for, and therefore how your skills and experience differentiate you.
A specialist in your industry will have access to benchmark data on salaries and benefits, so they’ll help you understand where the company you’re applying to sits and what the role can offer—it’s better to have this knowledge upfront than waste hours applying for a position that might not be as “competitive” as it suggests. Furthermore, recruiters know the market, and if external factors are impacting the market, your recruiter will have insights on that.
Trust your instincts
It’s essential to work with a recruiter who makes you feel comfortable. Like every industry, there are a variety of people out there, and not everyone will align with your interests and personality.
A recruiter should never make you feel pressured or taken advantage of; you should be able to have a direct and honest relationship, and they shouldn’t push you into a role that isn’t right for you. If you feel uncomfortable or something tells you the recruiter doesn’t have good intentions, it is ok to look for a better fit. Let them know the relationship isn’t working or move on.
It is also best practice to work with more than one recruiter at once. Two or three is a good number. Different firms will gain access to different opportunities, and it is not taboo to work with multiple recruiters.
Do your research
It pays to do some research on the person who could potentially have a huge impact on your career, as you will be trusting them with substantial amounts of personal information and time.
Explore details online about your potential recruiter to help you decide whether to work with them, or not, and set up some time with them for a discussion. Key questions should include how long they’ve been working for, especially in their specialist area, as well as questions that will help you get a sense of how much they love what they do. You may also be able to find out about their reputation among other candidates.
A quick LinkedIn or Google search should help you find some information since an experienced recruiter will have built up a public profile. As a specialist procurement recruiter for 15 years, I have numerous professional recommendations from clients and candidates on my LinkedIn profile. I’m also fortunate to have been asked by several professional procurement bodies like the ISM, SIG and Procurious to contribute articles, or appear on podcasts, related to the talent and recruitment side of the procurement function. It is my belief that you should expect this kind of thought leadership and industry reputation from the recruiter you work with.
Consider a boutique agency
A final point many people don’t consider is working with a smaller, boutique recruitment company. While a large brand instills trust through familiarity, the right boutique agency will likely offer you a far more hands-on approach. A boutique will also offer you a more direct relationship with an experienced recruiter (who in turn has long standing relationships with their clients), rather than being passed around a large department of more junior staff that tend to chop and change every few months. Believe me— I’ve worked in both environments over the past 20 years.
Lastly, remember that a smaller company will have a more modest marketing budget. This means very simply that they rely on reputation, word of mouth, and repeat business—so it’s even more vital they don’t let you down. They are personally invested in understanding every employer and job seeker better than anyone else and will stake their reputation on getting it right every time.
There are many reasons working with a recruiter can help your job search, and many ways to maximize that relationship. Despite individual job searches becoming technically easier, there are still ways to utilize your relationship with your recruiter to significantly improve the outcome. For more information on how to land your next procurement role, head over to the blog on the Holyoake Search website.