Let’s face it, there are a lot of bad recruiters out there.
Because of this, candidates instinctively put up a wall every time they get a call from a recruiter. It’s difficult to blame any candidate for this, as you never know the intent of the recruiter that’s calling you. Aligning yourself with good recruiters will help you get a job when you need it the most. More importantly, recruiters assist in helping you to achieve your long-term career goals.
So, how can you asses that recruiter that’s calling you?
When a recruiter calls a candidate, there are a few things the candidate should be on the lookout to ensure that their best interest is being kept in mind. 99% of recruiters out there are reactive. This means they receive a job order, and immediately start calling candidates to talk about that specific job. As a candidate, it’s great to get this call about a job opportunity. However, it’s important to know that your recruiter is properly representing you. For them to do that, they need to ask you what your career goals are. It’s easy for a recruiter to see your resume and just assume this is a perfect fit for you. Often, a recruiter will say it’s a perfect fit before they even understand your background. As a candidate, it’s important to work with recruiters who are thinking long term; choosing the ones who are playing chess while the others are playing checkers. Work with a recruiter who takes their time to ask the important questions to properly place you. What is important to you in a job? What are your long-term goals? In a perfect world, where do you see yourself in two years?
From the candidate side, when you have a good recruiter, make sure you are being honest with them. Overcommunication is something we really value and appreciate, it makes our job easier to present you in the best possible way. Most importantly, let’s get proactive. Good recruiters will not sit around and wait for the perfect role to come in. Let’s do some leg work together to identify clients in your local area. A lot of good recruiters work nationally and could use some help from the candidate to get a grasp on their local market. When a good relationship is established between recruiters and candidates, everyone wins.
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