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| MEDIA » ARTICLES |
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| Working with Recruiters |
By Bill Holland
June 2011
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I’m a recruiter. I’m in the business of connecting with talent every day on behalf of my clients, searching for the right fit. With over 25 years in this business, I speak from experience when I say there’s a way to work effectively with recruiters. Many people, unfortunately, do not know how to do this.
So I’m going to tell you.
Take the call.
When I say “take the call,” I mean be open to talking to recruiters when they reach out. Obviously you may not be able to talk the instant they call or email. If you can’t talk to them privately and freely right away, schedule a time to get back to them.
The point is, don’t dismiss a recruiter’s call out of hand. Chances are, you have thought about your next move. Even if you’re not actively searching for something new, hear them out. This is about possibilities. You’re not making a commitment, you’re having a conversation.
Taking the call is right for many reasons. Even if this isn’t the right gig for you, the next one might be. So, taking the time to speak with the recruiter and filling them in on where you’re at in your career will serve to build rapport and strengthen your relationship. Alienating yourself is not a good move. Unless the recruiter in question is a known nuisance, take the call.
Keep the first conversation brief.
If the recruiter is calling you about a specific opportunity, keep the initial conversation brief. Don’t let the conversation spool into an interview. Get an overview of the opportunity and find out key details. Have them send you further details so you can review the opportunity and do some research. They might be reluctant, but you should insist. Meeting to interview for opportunity that really isn’t right for you is a waste of everyone’s time, so getting as much information as you can up front is essential.
Use a personal email account.
When exchanging information and corresponding, use a personal (but professional) email account, not your work account. While this may seem obvious, there are people who use their work email freely to conduct unrelated and/ or inappropriate business. Don’t be one of those people.
Don’t make promises.
You may be excited about an opportunity or just really desperate to get out of your current situation. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. And certainly don’t put promises in writing. Keep your email correspondence as perfunctory as possible.
Listen.
Don’t talk too much. Listen to what the recruiter has to say. What can they tell you about the opportunity? About the company? About the market? About future opportunities? Take it all in, but don’t give it all away. Express appropriate interest, but keep your cards close. You may be desperate to leave your current job, but the recruiter doesn’t need to know that. Tell them only what they need to know, otherwise you may lose some bargaining power.
Be honest.
I just mentioned that you should keep your cards close. While that’s true, you should also never lie to a recruiter. It’s a small world and people talk. The truth will always come out, so make sure everything you reveal is accurate and honest.
Meet them on their turf.
Check out their working space to get a sense of their scope and professionalism. Not to suggest that home-based recruiters can’t be great, but there does tend to be more “substance” behind a firm.
Ask the right questions.
Get to know the firm and recruiter you are working with. Do you specialize in this area? How many successful searches have you done? How long have you been in business? Are you retained by your client? How do you find talent? Do you have any testimonials? References?
Recognize you’re not the only one.
While it might be flattering to receive a call from a recruiter, don’t hand in your resignation just yet. Keep in mind they’ve already called a number of other people and will call still more after you hang up. You’re not the only talent out there. But, you might be the right talent, so stay in the game. But don’t assume you’ve won until you get that offer in hand.
Be polite.
If you’re rejecting an offer or an opportunity, don’t be arrogant. You may want to work with this recruiter or company in the future, so don’t burn bridges. Stay courteous and professional, always – even if the opportunity or deal really was the pits.
Have the right resume.
If you’re interested in pursuing an opportunity presented by a recruiter, put your best foot forward. Don’t send some old resume that needs to updated and tweaked. Always have your most current resume on hand and make it a priority to customize it for the specific opportunity.
Connect on LinkedIn.
Most recruiters are on LinkedIn, so be sure to connect. You can see which people and companies they’re connected to. You can also monitor their LinkedIn activity to see how they network.
Talk to them even when you don’t need them.
In fact, this is the best time to talk to them. You’re not desperate, you’re not stressed. You’re simply getting to know what opportunities are out there, and comparing them to what you’ve got today. You’re strengthening your relationship with the recruiter under good circumstances, not dire ones.
Remember they’re your recruiter, not your friend.
While it’s important to be friendly and polite, refrain from being too chummy with your recruiter. This is about your career, not your personal and private life. Keep your conversations appropriate and topical.
Recruiters control a significant part of the hidden job market. You want to tap into that. The only way you can do that is by learning to work effectively with them. So, are you going to take that call?
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