Initiating and maintaining a recruiter relationship in your industry and job specialization can reap significant dividends over the course of your entire work career. Here are ways to nurture and maintain that recruiter relationship to your lasting benefit.
Why a Specialized Recruiter?
The best recruiters spend every day understanding your specialty career area. They know new trends, industry shifts and emerging job roles. They know what the best next step is for you in your career and what companies make sense…and those career paths and companies that don’t make sense. They often have exclusive access to job openings that aren’t publicly advertised, or even are willing to introduce you to managers or companies that aren’t currently looking but make sense for you to begin to interact with. They can provide insight not available in the job description and offer feedback that you often can’t get on your own. Salary advice and clarity is something they deal with day in and day out, and that experience only helps you in your negotiations.
What to Look for in a Recruiter Relationship
The best recruiters are great communicators and great listeners. As you talk with them their understanding of your skills and goals should generate an involved discussion. They may have ideas you haven’t thought of or can stop you from going on a path that won’t pay off in the long run. A willingness on both sides to talk on a regular basis while being respectful of each other’s time is critical in this professional relationship. Ongoing support will pay off for both of you.
Actively Engage
If you are conducting an active job search, you want to provide your recruiter with all the information they need to represent you well. Not everything you discuss with your recruiter will be shared with the client, but it helps if the recruiter understands the underlying reasons for your goals and aspirations. The best recruiter relationship will help you work through your issues with your current position and whether a new position can resolve them. But remember – keep the relationship professional. Respond promptly and share status changes but avoid oversharing and treating the relationship too casually. You are both professionals, not best friends.
The Don’ts
A good recruiter relationship will not go silent for long periods of time, on both sides. Recruiters should not pressure you to accept roles you are not excited about and they shouldn’t fail to listen, really listen, to your needs and priorities. A good candidate will be respectful of the recruiter’s time and will not overshare or over demand immediate results. They will not withhold relevant information.
The recruiter relationship can assist you in finding entry-level roles; tomorrow they could be helping you fill leadership positions or offering insights into broader industry shifts. Nurture this relationship!
