Yes. The Recruiter Interview is a Real Interview
The job market for procurement pros has opened up significantly since the beginning of the year, and that’s a great thing. With the number of calls and emails that people are getting about prospective job opportunities on the rise though, and the shift in power balance moving firmly in their direction, we are seeing a few bad habits starting to creep back in. Case in point, the all too frequent misconception that the recruiter interview is not actually a ‘real’ interview at all. To be clear, it is.
No, you won’t be working for (or even with) us if you get the job, and we probably won’t have the answers to your most technical questions, but an important part of our role is to perform an initial screen, and candidates should be prepared to answer preliminary questions. Plus, first impressions count and it’s good to have us in your corner, especially as you get into the latter stages of the interview process.
An article in Forbes that lists 10 questions recruiters love to ask candidates explains, “Because the strength of a recruiter’s relationship with a client is directly tied to his or her ability to find the right candidate for a role, good recruiters invest time in vetting prospective candidates by asking screening questions to get a sense of their qualifications and interviewing skills. Therefore, if you want to stand out as a promising candidate, you’ll want to be ready to answer some common questions so you can come across as polished and professional.”
It is important to remember that recruiters have a direct line to the hiring manager (and potentially a relationship that goes back several years), and when recruiters ask questions, they will be sharing your answers with them. Clients hire recruiters to assess and evaluate people and find the ones that fit the job and fit into the company, so it’s expected recruiters want to know about a candidate’s background, experiences, and expectations. That preliminary discussion should be viewed as part of the interview process.
People typically understand the value of a good first impression (seven seconds) but sometimes don’t realize the initial discussion with a recruiter is a component of that. To clarify, we don’t expect people to do a ton of research before they accept a call with us, but a cursory 10 minutes of researching the company goes a long way. And yes, you should absolutely expect the same level of preparation from us as well — this is a two-way street.
Additionally, candidates should ensure they have an elevator pitch ready to go for preliminary discussions with recruiters. An elevator pitch can be as simple as a brief introduction of yourself, what you have done, and can go as far as explaining what you are hoping to do and finishing off with information about what you would like to see as a next step. ‘Brief’ being the operative word. If we ask you to quickly introduce yourself, we don’t want a 10-15 minute recap of your entire career (it happens a lot).
Besides, before getting into details of the role, this short, succinct summary of who you are, what you’re known for and what your goals are, can help frame the discussion and assure you look professional and serious. It also helps us zero in on what’s important to you. Understanding the recruiter’s role and how you can leverage them to help you is another resource that can be utilized. Treating the first screening call as part of a strategy and a real interview is not just respectful to the recruiter or the company; it can give you an advantage over the competition.
If you’re looking for some extra resources and an edge on your preliminary interview, check out this list of questions we put together you can ask your recruiter. Study up, and make a great impression on your first screening call.