All good recruiters want to help their clients by finding the best available person for the job, but you have to remember that, as a candidate, you aren't paying for their services—the (hiring) client is. To get and keep their interest, and ultimately be presented to the client, you have to help your recruiter.
Here are some widely held guidelines on the steps between contacting a recruiter and getting offered a job:
1. A good resume and cover letter are the first essential step. Tips on doing a good cover letter are available, but it often doesn't accompany the resume when sent on to hiring managers. Therefore, the cover letter gets a recruiter's interest, but the resume and recruiter's presentation are what will "sell you" to the client. Every detail matters.
2. Once you've sent your information, you should get a response. Usually the "No" responses come quicker than the "Yes" responses because the recruiter is combing through many applications. People who don't fit are simplest to contact quickly. People who do fit are collected and typically get a phone call or E-mail asking for more information upon which to make a decision. This may take up to (or longer than) a week, but if you don't get a response within 5 working days, follow up with an E-mail or phone call.
3. Respond quickly when contacted by a recruiter. They're working as hard as they can to fill positions, and a slow response is viewed as a lack of interest. You also force them to contact more people while waiting for your response, which could cost you your chance at a great job. Many qualified people never get presented because other candidates were more qualified or showed more interest/cooperation. This is not a time to play poker or hard-to-get.
4. Respond honestly to questions asked of you, but realize they are focused on whether or not you are someone who should be presented to the client. Be especially honest about your income expectations and any geographic limitations. Most clients want recruiters to only present 3 to 6 finalists...people who are all qualified, interested, and would accept the position if offered. Efficient and straightforward interviewing will help earn recruiters' respect.
5. Give the recruiter all the ammunition possible to get excited about you. Remember that EVERYONE being considered has the same basic job title, experience, education, etc., as you do. Duties and responsibilities are typically very similar, so accomplishments are often what separate the top candidates from the rest. This is the difference YOU made with previous or current employers. Be prepared to give details, not a vague "I increased sales" or "lowed costs". Tell them the problem, how you solved it, and what their results were. If necessary, offer to revise your resume so it better addresses what the recruiter's client is looking for.
6. Be patient. Once you're told that you will be submitted to the client for consideration, you and the recruiter have to wait for feedback and action on the part of the client. Even under ideal conditions, a job vacancy requires others to do more work than normal, which further delays how quickly they can move. Be assured that the recruiter will do everything possible to get a decision and an interview as quickly as possible. At this point, following up with the recruiter only uses up valuable time and can even get them irritated with you. If anything changes, they will contact you immediately. If anything changes on your side, let the recruiter know. Contacting the client directly is suicide and will not help you at all.
7. When the recruiter tells you that you've been selected for a phone or face-to-face meeting with the client, be open to advice and counsel. The recruiter knows the client and perhaps even the people you'll meet. The recruiter also has experience learned from hundreds or thousands of interviews and can provide you with invaluable tips and advice.
8. Prepare for the interview. Do your homework on the company. Prepare your questions and presentation. The recruiter can help, but you want to outclass the competition for this position, and everyone else being considered is trying to outclass you. Review key client demands with your recruiter, who can guide you.
9. Whenever you meet with a client, by phone or face-to-face, provide feedback and updates to the recruiter as soon as the meeting ends. This is your opportunity to let the recruiter help you by resolving any issues when they next talk to their client. No one likes surprises that affect their livelihood.
10. Have a well-thought-out negotiation strategy. The offer may be made by the client or through the recruiter, and it should be within the range discussed with you previously. Asking for more at this final stage creates the risk of being passed over for the next best candidate, so be very careful that you're prepared to lose the job if what you're asking for is not agreed to. Revising an official offer is not easily done. Being hard-to-get at this stage rarely works: no one wants to hire a "reluctant bride." They want someone who's equally excited about entering into this marriage.
Remember that the recruiter only succeeds if they find, recruit, and help their client hire the best available person. The right person will positively impact their client, and the recruiter's future business with that client. They won't endanger that by trying to do anything other than what is best for ALL the parties concerned.
By Steve Kendall
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