Just like banks eager to give you a loan when you don’t need or want one, recruiters typically call when you are least interested in looking for a new job. But scorning those calls may be at your own long-term peril.
Typically, the opening gambit goes something like this: “Hi, I’m from X company, and I’m looking to hire a worker for Y company. People have told me that you might be a great fit for the role.” If the recruiter wants to be more subtle, he or she may instead ask if you would like to “nominate” anyone for the position, hoping that you’ll offer up your own interest in being considered.
These experiences can be flattering, but don’t let them go to your head right away. They’re both far cries from actual job offers. They are more like shiny new objects intended to get your attention.
Once you signal interest, be prepared for the flattery to turn into an extensive interview. The recruiter will want to know all about you. He or she needs to know not only if you have what it takes to be seriously considered by the client company, but also if you are the kind of candidate who can be controlled throughout the process.
Remember that recruiters only get their full commission if they can deliver a candidate who is hired, takes the job, and stays there for specific period, typically 90 days. If you don’t have what the employer seeks in a stellar candidate, or if the recruiter doesn’t think you will actually accept the job if it is offered, the conversation won’t last too long.
[See: The 25 Best Jobs That Don’t Require a College Degree.]
Play passive.
So what kind of candidates do recruiters value most? They’re always worried you may be interviewing at places that would compete for your talent with their client. You are far less valued if your resume is available on job boards or even on LinkedIn with an advertisement that you are “open to new opportunities.” If you want recruiters to value you, make them think you’re a passive candidate, one who is open to new opportunities but not actively seeking them.
Convey your pain.
Recruiters are always worried that you might be wasting their time. They’re afraid that even if they put your resume forward and sell your value to their client company, you won’t pull the trigger and leave your job for the new opportunity if it is offered to you. They want to know that you are hurting in some way in your current situation because that is the best impetus for your being willing to make a significant career move.
Recruiters love working with highly competent professionals whose jobs are in jeopardy through no fault of their own. Be candid with your recruiter about your current painful situation. Perhaps your company is being reorganized and your whole department is shrinking. Maybe your company is faring badly in the marketplace and may go belly up. Or perhaps you’re being told that in order to keep your job, you’ll have to accept an unwanted relocation.
[See: 8 Careers for Creative People.]
Be flexible.
Recruiters value flexibility on the part of candidates. Sometimes they’ll give you an assignment, like editing your resume by a deadline, just to test to see how amenable you are to fulfilling their needs. They know that if you won’t adjust your schedule to take a call or an interview, you likely won’t take the job if it is offered, and they therefore will be less likely to act as your advocate. Remember that they are constantly in the middle of many moving parts including complex scheduling requirements.
Whatever you can do to respect the recruiter and the process that he or she has set up will be appreciated. If you can’t conform to a particular calendar request for an interview or other requests for information, make sure to explain the circumstances and demonstrate that they are out of your control. Flexibility on your part will go a long way to amassing goodwill and demonstrating your desire for favorable consideration.
[See: What You Need to Know About Getting a Security Clearance.]
Recommend good candidates.
Of course, not every opportunity waved in front of you is the right one for you. Recruiters keep extensive databases of candidates and potential candidates with whom they interact. You’ll go far in building a relationship that may benefit you at some unknown point in the future when you help a recruiter identify people who would be a good fit for the role he or she seeks to fill.
Bear in mind that when you help your friends and colleagues advance their careers, you are helping them as much as the recruiter with whom you are sharing their contact information. It can become a win-win-win situation for you, your colleague(s), the recruiter and the company with a position to fill.
Recruiting is, ultimately, a relationship business. The recruiter’s job is to bring people together with great opportunities and find great talent for their client companies. When you take the time to build those relationships, you’ll find that they pay off handsomely in the end.
Happy hunting!
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