For the Love of Recruiters: How to Best Partner with a Recruiter for your 2022 Job Search

Job Search
Written By Meg Applegate

Nine Tips to Make a Recruiter Fall For You (From the Experts Themselves)

The ONE. It’s the age-old dating question: Is there one person we are destined to love? It’s Valentines’ week and no matter where you stand, the Hallmark holiday is about celebrating love: From your affection at the moment to your ride-or-die for life. 

But in a job search, multiple partners at the same time are a must. There isn’t just one person who will mobilize your career advancement. It takes a village. From mentors and coaches to sponsors and resume writers, to company insiders and decision-makers - It takes a network. And this Valentine’s holiday, let’s show our love to one beloved job search partner: The recruiter.

Photo by Luke Porter on Unsplash

THE INS & OUTS

There are many different types of recruiters, but to keep it simple, the role typically falls into two buckets: Internal and External.

Internal Recruiters 

Also known as inhouse or corporate recruiters are just that, recruiters who are employed by the company they represent. Internal recruiters can recruit through the talent life cycle for the entire organization or if large enough, just a pocket of it. 

External Recruiters 

Coined an agency (or outside) recruiter, this type of recruiter isn't employed by the company looking to fill the open role. An external recruiter has multiple clients with diverse jobs to fill. They often specialize in a particular industry, role, job level or even geographic area.

While internal recruiters are typically salaried, external recruiters are compensated through some sort of commission or draw (plus a base salary). 

SWIPE RIGHT

Like any relationship, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. If you are behind your screen fumbling over your words in a reach out, unsure on how to keep contact or maintain a connection, I got you. I took my burning relational questions to nine recruiters to uncover what works to cultivate a real connection with a recruiter. It’s time to build meaningful relationships, instead of settling for that momentary, one-message fling. 

I posed these three questions:

  • What's the best way for job seekers to interact with you? 

  • What do you need from a job seeker to best help him/her? 

  • How do you feel the love as a recruiter? (i.e. what can a job seeker do to value you and your time?)

Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels

TO THE EXPERTS

In their own words

I love it when job seekers reach out in interesting ways. Someone recently DM'd me in response to a post I did on Linkedin with a quick compliment on the post that quickly moved to their search and what they're looking for, asking if I'd be open to a chat. That's perfect! Just sending a connection request- not so good.  

What I need most from a job seeker is open communication. These days it's easy to have multiple conversations with companies happening in parallel, so the more I understand where those other opportunities are, the more I can help move things along.

What do I need to feel valued? Simply being nice goes a long way, but more specifically it's about being responsive and honest. In so many ways, I'm essentially partnering with the job seeker, so the more committed they are to the relationship, the better results they'll see! 

As a recruiter, I live and breathe on LinkedIn! This is the first place I start searching for candidates when working on roles. To help us “find” you – make sure your profile is updated and customized to what you’re looking to do next and what your expertise is. In particular, make sure your Skills and Experience section are detailed and that you have clear job titles in both the Experience and Headline. (And make sure you turn on that "Open to Work" setting, but you can keep it at "recruiters only" if you'd like!)

I welcome when candidates reach out to me! That said, I get a lot of messages. To make my life a bit easier and help YOU stand out, make sure when you reach out, you mention the types of roles you’re looking for and include your resume – rather than just saying “I’m looking for remote roles, let me know if you have any.”

Don’t be afraid to check back in with me! I might have missed your message or, maybe we have spoken, and it was 3 months ago and you want to circle back. It’s a candidate’s market, so if you’re awesome, I’m eager to connect. 

I’ve maintained connections with professionals for over a decade. Many who have become friends, some of whom I have placed twice. Once a recruiter starts to understand your search criteria, they can keep you top of mind for when opportunities evolve (You know, that rumored “hidden job market” that you’ve heard so much about?). Here’s what you can do to start cultivating meaningful relationships with recruiters:

  • Communication: Set up expectations for feedback, debriefing, and decisions on offers. This means both showing up when you say you will.

  • Honesty: Your comfort to be fully transparent may evolve with trust, but don’t hold back on what drives you. If a job isn’t for you, that’s cool!  Don’t say yes to appease the recruiter.

  • Clarity: Express the criteria of what growth looks like for you: Title, salary, mission. These details can help a recruiter laser focus on your interests.

  • Value: You can’t be all in for the “take.” Reciprocate the give, like referring colleagues in the job market or sharing market intel. 

  • Nurture: We all get caught up in our day-to-day lives. Stay on their radar by setting a calendar reminder every 3-4 months to reconnect.

Reputable recruiters will be there for every step of your career, even if they aren’t the resource for each stepping stone.

The thing is that recruiters are a pretty diverse bunch so preferred media/vectors for me are disliked by others, and the reverse is of course also true. Almost all of us are on LinkedIn, and that’s how most job seekers will find us. My recommendation is:

  • Research the recruiter. Is this someone who recruits internally or externally? Is there reason to believe that they recruit for your skill set? If the answers to this are both yes, great; otherwise, you did not find a recruiter who can help you. I have never worked in pharma, yet job seekers constantly ask me for help finding work in that industry.

  •  Don’t be a stranger. If anyone you know can introduce you, ask that person to do so.  If yes: invite the recruiter to connect and explain you are in a job search, have [skillset], and would like to have a conversation. If there are any points of commonality (e.g., alma mater, former employer, etc.), cite them. Give reasons why they want to talk with you, just as you would with any message to a complete stranger.

There isn’t a recruiter alive who doesn’t hear from job seekers, but quite often, if we do not recruit talent in a given profession, industry, or location, we will not be able to help that person. A small number of recruiters recruit internationally. Literally every day I receive such inquiries from people I cannot help. So a clear target that is achievable is essential for me.

  • Ed Han, Talent Acquisition Geek, Job-Hunt.org Contributor, and JobSeeker Ally

The best way for you as a candidate to interact with me is to apply for a current position I have posted. Why? Because it allows me to review your resume and compare it to the specific job requirements. I’ll either reach out to you for an initial phone screen or send you an email message indicating that you don’t appear to meet the job qualifications. (When someone contacts me out of the blue, they rarely articulate their skills, experience, and background.)

So, it’s incredibly important that your resume reflects your professional skills, experience, and background. (A well-written resume that is readable, well-formatted, and concise is one of the most effective ways to make yourself stand out from other job seekers.)

Throughout the recruiting process, I appreciate job seekers who are open and communicative with me. I realize that candidates seeking new opportunities usually juggle multiple opportunities at the same time; keeping me in the loop is always important. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.

I want to be your best advocate as a recruiter to help you find the best opportunity that fits your overall career goals. The first thing that I look for is a resume that is on point. Help me see why you are the best fit for my job based on your skills and experience. Make sure it's readable and lets me "see you doing the job" with your bullet points. Tell me a story through your bullet points. What was the situation or task you were responsible for, what action did you take, and what were the results?

Know your core requirements - as your advocate, I want to know your salary expectations. Do your research and know what you are worth based on your skills and experience. Know if you prefer remote, hybrid, or in-office environments. Know what things you can negotiate. This helps me as I talk to hiring managers about your candidacy. 

As a recruiter, I want to see you have a professional online presence. Is your LinkedIn updated? Do you have a professional photo? Can I get a picture of who you are and your skills by reading your LinkedIn profile? If it's not up to date, I may not see how you are qualified for a job if I don't see that relevant experience on your LinkedIn profile. 

Finally, know what your motivation is for finding a new job. Is it better work-life balance, more growth opportunities, taking on new challenges, or maybe you're looking for a start up and want to get in on the ground floor? Knowing those things help me know if an opportunity you are interviewing for is ultimately going to match those things that you value and are important to you. 

  • Angie Carlen, Corporate Recruiter at ThriveDX (formerly HackerU)

The strongest candidates are those who are intentional and respectful with every interaction. I prefer hearing from candidates over email or via a personal reference.

When I first hear from a candidate, they can show me they value my time and feedback by understanding their skills/experience and the high-level job duties for the role they are seeking. I can better assist a candidate who has identified the job they want, has researched the qualifications and can articulate why we should hire them.

This understanding of what is needed in the role should also be reflected in their resume. The candidate’s resume should be crafted toward a specific job including any necessary qualifications or skills from the job ad.  I may not always be the recruiter for the role they are seeking, but a well-prepared resume allows for a smooth and easy referral. 

I appreciate when a job seeker has done their due diligence before reaching out to me. They go to my LinkedIn profile, see where I am working and what field I specialize in as a recruiter. Then, they send a thoughtful note on why they reached out to me and checked my company's website to see if any openings would fit them (and include the job ID, too).

I also like when instead of asking for something right away, they send me a message saying they saw a post I posted or something they can relate to on my profile first and then mentions they are looking for a job. 

Too many people are super vague when reaching out to me and never tell me what they are actually looking for in terms of positions, industries, etc. My pet peeve? It is when I get a message that says “Hi, please check out my profile and let me know if I would be a good fit for any of your openings.” This type of message will automatically get ignored. Do the work/research before reaching out and save time!

  • Caitlin Outen, Executive Recruiter, YouMap Job Coach & Certified LinkedIn Profile Expert at Caitlin May Consulting

To stand out and have the best luck with recruiters, focused communication is key. Following up after applying for a role is great, but to be honest, recruiters’ inboxes are usually full of unread inmails. We wish we could read every one, but often don't have the time. I recommend following up by email if possible and keeping it short and sweet. Be direct about the role you’re interested in, why you're a good fit, and why you'd like to work for that company. Don't just inmail recruiters asking if they have anything that is a fit, and don’t apply to every role you see. A targeted, thoughtful approach will always yield the best results. 

We can best help you if we know your top skills, what you're looking for, and what type of environment & culture you thrive in. A tailored resume and authentic LinkedIn profile go a long way! It also doesn’t hurt to add a sentence or two explaining why you’re interested in the role if the application has space for it. 

Once you get connected, be transparent about what you're looking for and honest about the skills you possess. The interview process should go two ways, and we love when candidates come prepared with research on the company & questions for us!

Photo by Liza Summer from Pexels

THE SHORT OF IT

There are some themes that emerge from their collective responses. Do you see them? I did. So, if you are looking for the Cliff Notes version of how to make a recruiter fall for you, this is it:

Reach out with clarity (and purpose)

Basically: Know your job target and what type of recruiter you are reaching out to. Don’t go into a relationship blind or with a message that says “think of me for anything you’ve got.” Articulate where you want to leverage your skills and mention the type of role(s) you are interested in pursuing.

Don’t be afraid to follow up

Recruiters get A LOT of messages and emails. And let’s be honest, life and work just get plain busy…for all of us. So don’t give up on a relationship after one reach out. Send a focused, “short and sweet” follow-up with understanding of the busy.

Be responsive (and open) in your communication

No one likes a one-sided relationship. Share what drives you and your values in terms of your career growth.

Share a targeted resume

This is no time to be generic. Do your research. Align your career narrative with the key skills and pain points of the position you are after.

Kindness and honesty go far

No jerks allowed. Put kindness, empathy and honesty first. The golden rule applies here.

You’ve got the special sauce and skills. Once you have career clarity, it’s your move. Go show the love.

Meg Applegate
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