Job Seeker and Job Recruiter Partnership

Let’s face it, finding a job is not the easiest task, especially when you’re going through the process alone. While there are some elements of a search that are up to you, it can be a good idea to get a little bit of help along the way. That bit of extra assistance can come in the form of working with a job recruiter.

Job recruiters work directly with human resources and clients in a variety of industries to locate talent for open employment positions. Recruiters also work with job candidates to assess skills and match job candidates with open positions. Unlike a passive online search involving the submission of applications and resumes and a wait-and-see approach, working with a recruiter is active. One of a recruiter’s main roles is to be constantly seeking out new candidates.

Make an Introduction
While you can choose to wait for a recruiter to “discover” your Linkedin profile, it’s also okay to reach out to a recruiter and let them know you’re interested in working with them. Different recruiters specialize in different industries, so it’s beneficial to research several before making an initial contact. Once you identify two or three who you might like to work with, introduce yourself via a professional email and let the recruiter know about the kind of work you’re looking for.

Building Rapport with a Recruiter
When it comes to working with recruiters, job seekers have their preferred forms of contact. While these preferences will differ slightly from person to person, traditional methods like phone calls, in-person/face-to-face and email are still the most preferred, according to Americanstaffing.net.

• Phone call – 72%
• In-person/face-to-face – 72%
• Email – 71%
• Account on a website – 36%
• Text message – 24%
• Video conference – 20%
• Social media message – 15%

Once you and a recruiter establish a preferred method of contact, make sure to always respond to calls and messages from them quickly. Responding in a timely manner is not only courteous and professional but it lets a recruiter know if the job is of interest or not. Even if you’re not interested in a role, take the time to respond to the them. Job seekers who do not do this will quickly find a recruiter no longer wants to work with them. Embracing the give-and-take of the job search in real time helps teach both parties about identifying the best possible fit for a candidate and a company.