How a Recruiter Can Help You Find a Job?
Not seeing much progress with your job hunt? Get some assistance from a recruiter.
Here are three important ways that working with a recruiter can help give you an edge over the competition:
They know what’s happening in your industry
“The biggest perk when you’re working with a recruiter is that they are truly entrenched in your specialty,” says career coach Kevin Kermes, of Career Attraction.
Being grounded in a specific industry helps a recruiter expertly navigate its ins and outs. “A recruiter is always in the marketplace,” says Lori Marcus, principal recruiter. “They know who is hiring, restructuring, and firing. They know exactly what’s going on day after day and have a continuous flow of market knowledge to share.”
They know the right people and information
A recruiter has the powerful network of industry leaders that you desire. “Generally, the relationship your recruiter has with the recruiting and human resources departments increases your chances of being interviewed for a position over individuals that responded directly via an employment ad,” says recruiter Mary Ann Henker, of The Henker Group.
Along with having a strong network to work with, “a recruiter might know about preferred positions that are slated to be announced to the public but have not yet been published,” she says. Finally, a recruiter can alert you about “companies that have high turnover rates, dissatisfied staff, or other red flags that you should be mindful of,” she says.
They will give you tips and feedback
“Recruiters can prepare you for the people you’re going to interview with, because we know them already,” says Marcus. “We know their interviewing style and how you should conduct yourself throughout the interview.”
A recruiter will also give you valuable feedback about your interview. “We’re able to give and get feedback and then give it back to the job seeker,” says Marcus. Instead of waiting around and wondering what the company thought of you, a recruiter can relay feedback from the company to you and vice versa. “Your feedback about the company gets the hiring manager excited and reinforces your candidacy,” she says.
And it’s a two-way street
Recruiters may be helpful to your job search but they can be even more helpful if you can assist them. “The biggest complaint I hear from clients is that people aren’t getting calls back from recruiters,” says Kermes. He recommends positioning yourself as a hub in the industry and offering assistance. “Pick up the phone, call the recruiters, and ask how you can leverage your network to help them out,” he says.