How To Work with a Recruiter : 5 Great Tips

Are you contemplating a job change and don’t know where to start? Have you been scanning job boards, but feel like there has to be something for you that isn’t currently advertised? If you answered yes to the questions above, then it may be time to connect with a scout.

Working with a recruiter can make your job search faster and easier. Working with a recruiter has many benefits that candidates may not consider, and some difficulties to search on your own. We’ve put together the top five tips for creating a successful business relationship with a recruiter, helping to ensure you find your next target position.

1. Consider Distributing your C.V. through a Quality CV Distribution Service.

This is how this works. You sign up for this service and your resume is emailed to a large volume of recruiters who specialize in placing candidates from your job and industry. Headhunters will contact you immediately if they are currently working in a position that meets your criteria or if they know of a suitable position. This can often lead to a successful business relationship with one or more recruiters because they connect with you only if they think they can locate you. After all, a contingency Headhunter is not paid until she has started her new job.

2. Google Local Recruiters and do a Little Research to Find Out who Specializes in your Field.

If you work in a niche position, chances are you will find a talent acquisition professional who works exclusively with people just like you. Why not do your due diligence, find them, and stay in touch? You will find that if you can find the Headhunter who works in your niche, you are well on your way to finding the right job.

3. Use the Big Three Social Networks to Connect with Recruiters.

When I say “big three”, I mean LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Being a recruiting specialist, I do not personally know anyone in our business who does not have a profile on these three websites with contact information. As a professional-minded individual, if you don’t have an active profile on these sites, you are losing the boat. Use these websites to search and be found. It is worth taking the time to create a professional profile.

4. Consider Posting your C.V. in an Association Board, rather than in front of a General Table of Great Volume.

All recruiting experts know how to access professional association sites to find professionals in their field. For example, if I am working for a Director of Nursing position in Michigan, I know to check the Nurses Association website every day to see if any new candidates post their resumes. So if you are a nursing director or senior nurse who is qualified to fill a director position, you will receive a call within 24 hours from those recruiters who have suitable positions available for you to consider. When you use the general job boards, what happens is that you will receive calls from recruiters who may or may not have a position that they need to fill urgently. In this case, you spend your time providing formatted resumes, references, and completing preliminary telephone interviews, only to find that it will be included in a database for future consideration. I’m not saying that you never get the chance to interview yourself when you post your resume on major job boards, but I’m saying that if you work in a specialized field that has an Association, that is definitely your best option.

5. Create a List of Companies you want to Work for and Keep it Handy when you Talk to Recruiters.

Did you realize that you have the ability to direct the search for the Headhunter you are working with? It is absolutely true. In fact, if a recruiter who contacts you about your resume doesn’t ask you what your top five target companies are, I would consider connecting with someone who will be working more aggressively on your behalf. Keep in mind that headhunters are paid by the employer, but you are one of the most important pieces of their puzzle of earning a commission check from your client. Many contingency recruiters have trouble seeing beyond their current search stack, and this should tell you that they may not be the best person to work with you.

Working with a recruiter professional can be rewarding for job seekers and provide more job opportunities than any other search method. I suggest considering using a quality resume distribution service, researching your local recruiters’ market, utilizing the “big three” social media, posting your resume on the appropriate Association job board, and providing any Headhunter you choose to work for. With a list of top companies, you want to sign up for a job. By following these five easy steps faithfully, you will connect with quality recruiters who specialize in professional placement in your field and have quality business relationships that will positively affect you for the rest of your career.