What to Look for When Choosing Your Next Recruiter?

What to Look for When Choosing Your Next Recruiter?

Best Recruiter for You

Think of your recruiter as a partner in the job search process. Though we often don’t look at recruiters this way, we should. When you find the right one, you will feel like you’ve found an ally in the next step of your career.

 

Make sure the recruiter with whom you are working has the following:

 

  1. Specialization – You are looking for a job in a specific industry that matches your skills and experience. The recruiter should also specialize in that industry. That person must know your field of focus well, what is is trending, what skill sets should be emphasized, and what companies are growing.They should also have relationships with the right companies. The advantage of working with a specialized recruiter is access to many postings.  Employers will only list through recruiters who know their business and have previously brought them great candidates.
  1. Personality – If you cringe every time the recruiter calls, neither of you will be motivated to work together. While you don’t need to be best friends, the relationship should be more than amicable You won’t only need a recruiter’s services once, but several times over a career. Establishing a relationship is extremely beneficial to long term success.
  1. Communication – Your resume is just a starting point. You need to be able to clearly communicate your skill set, for what you are looking, and what you have to offer. Be sure to outline your non-negotiable requirements and those on which you are willing to compromise. This will assist them in connecting you with companies and positions that meet your criteria. Nothing can be more frustrating than spending time and energy on positions that you would never accept due to salary, location, or culture.
  1. Smooth Process – Find someone from whom you are getting timely responses and valuable feedback. Knowing why interviews did or didn’t go well is essential to maximizing the next opportunity.Be realistic. Don’t expect recruiters to be able to make the process fast and pain free. They have the tough task of working with a wide variety of companies and range of hiring systems. The corporate internal hiring team must make decisions to keep the process moving forward while juggling work, deadlines, and priorities. The recruiter should be responsive, but you must be understanding of the challenges on their side too.
  1. Insight –The goal is to get you hired. Look for a recruiter that can give you unique details concerning companies within your industry. They should provide insight into an employer’s organization and hierarchy; what key skills they are looking for, who is apt to be your allies in the hiring process, and who are the real decision makers. If you feel like you are in the dark and are going into interviews blind, then you aren’t with the right partner.

 

A good recruiter is a valuable connection to have throughout your career. After working together to find the perfect job, stay in touch. Make them part of your LinkedIn network and refer them to other colleagues.

 

Looking for your next IT recruiter? A and A Search and Staffing just might be the perfect partner for your next job search. Reach out to our team now.>>

 

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