The relationship between a job seeker and a recruiter needs to be a close one. Think of it this way-your recruiter is going to find you a job that you will work at five days a week, and help negotiate the amount you will be compensated for this work. You wouldn’t want to leave this huge responsibility up to someone who barely knows you.
In order to find you the jobs you are looking for, that you have a realistic chance of getting hired to, and that compensate you enough to live the life you want, you need to have an open line of dialogue with your recruiter. One of the most common causes of breakdown in the recruitment process is a lack of communication between recruiter and applicant. Follow these tips to ensure that your staffing agency knows everything they need to know about you
Meet Face to Face
Face to face meetings tend to produce more relevant conversation and honest disclosure than phone or email discussions. Meeting directly can be prohibitive if your recruiter is not located where you are, but it may be possible to make provisions. Even if it is just once, try hard to meet with your recruiter in person.
Be Engaged in the Process
Make sure your recruiter asks you questions in a systematic way so that they can get a complete picture of your wants, needs, and abilities. If there is any area you feel has been missed, offer up some supplemental information. Also, try to get to know your recruiter. The more you connect as equals, the better they can serve you.
Set a Schedule for Updates
It is important to touch base with your recruiter regularly, but daily or even weekly may be excessive and annoying for both of you. Agree how often you will get updates and what these updates will include, and then stick to the schedule.
Establish a Preferred Method of Communication
Do you prefer to communicate by phone or email? How would you feel about getting a text message? If you and your recruiter can agree on a method of communication, you can keep in touch more effectively.
Finally, it is important to occasionally talk with your recruiter about how your relationship is going. Be explicit about what is working and what is not. There may be unspoken issues that are seriously affecting your job search. Consult with The Squires Group to learn more about improving the recruitment process.
