There are many misconceptions about recruiters and what they
do. Some people see them as magical, job-finding elves, who are going to solve
all their problems. Others see them as the bottom feeders of the HR world, who will
staff any position for a buck. Regardless of your opinion…we have all the jobs.
You need to learn how to make us work for you.
Understand There Are Different Types of Recruiters
Internal Recruiters – These people work directly for the
company you could be working for. They often have direct access to the hiring
manager and are probably the most well versed in the position requirements and
the corporate culture. They likely also work in other areas of HR, which means
if you’re hired, they will have to work with you. If they determine you are
unpleasant at any point during the recruitment process, they will have to think
very hard about whether you will be submitted to the hiring manager or end up
in the “not qualified” pile.
A Recruiter From an Agency – Depending on the Agency’s
relationship with the company, they could have any level of knowledge about the
position and the company. A good recruiter will do their research and be very
knowledgeable about both of these things. Some companies have no interest in engaging
in the recruitment process, they will outsource it to an agency, and provide
very little information. Regardless of how skilled a recruiter is, they may not
be able to answer your specific technical questions about a position, but they
are still the gatekeeper between you and the hiring manager… so play nice. Also,
the quality of the candidates they put forward are a direct reflection of how
effective they are at recruiting. They’re depending on you to be impressive to
make them look good. When you suck, it’s embarrassing for everyone. Don’t take
your interactions with these people lightly… because they’re not.
How to Talk to Recruiters
You already know that when you apply to a job ad, you should
tailor your resume to that position. You sift through the ad and the company
website and make sure you fit with that company and that position. Many people
are very good at this, but when they don’t have those tools to guide them, they
flop.
Think about how recruiting works. Clients contact agencies,
who specialize in recruiting, to make sure they choose the right candidate. Recruiters
talk to a million people per day. You need to make an impression with your
skills and experience and your personality in order to stay out of the
Applicant Tracking System “Black Hole.” To do this, you need to make sure that
several key messages stick in the recruiters mind:
· Your area
of expertise
We understand that being unemployed is difficult, but you’re
not doing yourself any favours by telling us you can do anything… because you
can’t. When we staff a position, we want to have a perfect fit between the
employee and the employer… We’re not interested in finding you something to
tide you over until the next position comes along.
· Your
marketable skills and relevant work experience
What job would you be perfect for? Which skills make you
perfect for that position, and what relevant, real-world examples can you tell
me about where you exhibited those skills? These are the most important things
to have recruiters remember. Terrible recruiters may not actively ask you for
these specific tidbits of information, so you may need to work them into the
conversation on your own.
· Your name
(or personality… or both)
There is something about you that’s memorable. Find out what
it is. For some people it’s their work experience, personality or even just your laugh. You can go as far as to develop a tagline for
yourself that helps the recruiter remember who you are.
Keep Your Leads Warm
Job hunting is just selling yourself. Keep in touch with
them the same way you would a sales lead. Any recruiter could have an
opportunity for you at any time. Connect with them on LinkedIn. Congratulate
them on new positions (especially if it’s with another recruiting agency), and
find reasons to engage with them on a regular basis.
When the jobs come in, you need to be already known to the
people handing them out and they need to know you well. Before speaking with a
recruiter, picture this scenario…
A new position has come in. Several recruiters are sitting
around a table discussing the qualifications. The lead recruiter asks “does
anyone have any candidates for this position?” If you were successful in your
interaction with the recruiter, they automatically say your name in this
meeting without having to consult the applicant tracking system.
