Super Size Your Search
How to Get the Most Out of Your Recruiter

By Kassie Wilner and Jenn Marcotte

The job market for communications professionals is looking much brighter than it was a year ago, and this is very good news for jobseekers. However, the competition is still fierce, so it is as important as ever for candidates to use every resource available to them to enhance their candidacy. This includes how you build a relationship with your recruiter.

A good recruiter can hold the key to your next job, so it's crucial to make a positive first impression, whether the recruiter contacts you or you contact them directly in reference to an open position. Building a successful recruiter relationship can help you land a new job now or set the stage for a career-long mutually beneficial relationship that may one day lead you to your dream position.

Here are some of the things to keep in mind. Some may seem obvious and others you may never have thought of.

Be Responsive.

• Even if you are happy in your current position, passive job seeking never hurts. Keep in touch, and if we are asking for referrals, think about who you know that would be terrific for the openings - don't just do it for us, do it for your friend/colleague! Don't be afraid to tell us, “This job isn't right for me, but I'd love to hear about relevant positions when they come along.” Let us know your dream job so when it lands on our lap, we can call you right away.
  
• Stay in touch with us regularly. Tell us about promotions, contact information changes, big new business wins. Tell us how you like to be contacted: email? Phone? LinkedIn? All of this helps us keep you top of mind and better informed about your career aspirations.
  
• If we are going to submit you for our client's consideration, get us your revised resume or writing samples in a timely fashion and make yourself available to interview. Disappearing mid-process gives us the impression that you are not interested.
  
• Take advantage of our years of experience reading resumes and welcome our feedback. You don't have to agree with every change we suggest, but realize that our advice is grounded in seeing dozens of resumes each day. We also know what our clients are looking for in a candidate, so we can make recommendations about highlighting skills and experiences that can help your resume stand out.
  
• Provide feedback about your interview right away - good or bad. We can often clarify questions or gray areas.

Be Respectful.

• Treat your call or appointment with a recruiter like a real interview. Show up on time (call if you will be late), dress professionally, do your homework, be diplomatic when discussing issues with clients or colleagues (it's a small world and we may know them) and send a thank you note (a quick email is fine). Make a good impression on us and we will feel positive that you will impress our clients.

Be Honest.

• Just like all human relationships, a relationship with your recruiter should be based on truth. Tell us your accurate salary, actual job titles, why you made job changes and what other opportunities you are pursuing. If you don't feel your salary is where it should be or you've made a wrong move in your career, we can be a resource to help you position your salary ask or tell your story in the best light. We can sense inaccurate information right away.
  
• Provide information. Tell us where your resume has been submitted by other recruiters - having two recruiters submit your resume to the same client doesn't double your changes - it wastes time and could leave the hiring company wondering why your resume is being “shopped around” so much.
  
• Maintain a good public image. To most of you, this sounds obvious but with the popularity of social media websites and Internet search tools, it's important to keep this top of mind when embarking on a search. If we can find information about you online (i.e. your Facebook page or Twitter feed), so can your potential employer.

Here's a story that illustrates the value of a positive candidate-recruiter relationship: Several years ago we met a young woman at a career fair and placed her in her first job in public relations. She left the firm several years later to join another agency and when that position was later eliminated, we had her interviewing with two of our clients by the end of the week, one of which resulted in an offer. This all happened so quickly in large part because she had stayed in touch over the years, even when not job searching, and had made such a lasting, positive impression on us. All this goes to say that if you invest your time in establishing a positive relationship with a recruiter, they'll invest in you!

About Chaloner Associates, Inc.

CELEBRATING OUR 30TH YEAR IN EXECUTIVE SEARCH - Chaloner Associates is a national, executive search firm specializing in communications, marketing, advertising, and interactive recruitment. With offices in Boston and New York, we work with corporate, agency, consulting and non-profit clients in all industries across the US and Canada. Our knowledgeable recruiters, team-based approach, and long-term client and candidate relationships distinguish Chaloner Associates as a leader in talent acquisition since 1979.