by Brad Sonday, CEO of Summit Executive Recruiters
Recruiters are a critical part of any career search. They have the relationships with the companies and will make your career search much easier and more fun. The key is to learn how to effectively interact with executive recruiters to get the most from the relationship.
Pick your recruiter carefully:
Don’t work with a recruiter who rushes you. Making the right career move is crucial to your ongoing success both with your target company and beyond. You do not want too many career transitions on your resume so it is vital that you know the target company before your resume is submitted. Ask your recruiter to provide with as much information as possible about the target company so you can make the right choice.
Ask your recruiter to provide you with information about their company and them personally. How long has your recruiter been recruiting? How long has their company been in business?
The best recruiters don’t work to maintain quotas, but are matchmakers. They are energized by making placements to improve the life of the candidate and providing their clients with top talent.
Generally, the fees are paid on your behalf by the target company, but be sure to ask your recruiter at the beginning of your relationship to be sure.
When you have the right recruiter:
Always remember your recruiter is your best friend throughout the process. It is in their interest to place the right people with the right companies to ensure their ongoing success. They want you to secure the position.
Treat them professionally at all times. The recruiter is interviewing you even after you have been presented to the target company. If you don’t return phone calls or you act unprofessionally, they will eliminate you. A bad hire is just as detrimental to the recruiter as it is to the target company. They will protect themselves and their clients first.
Keep the recruiter informed every time you have contact with the target company. They know the people that you are contacting with and understand the hot buttons and the turn offs of the hiring managers. They will provide you will critical insight for successful interviews.
Never lie about your history. Recruiters can deal with unfortunate circumstances in your past and package it appropriately for you. They cannot help you if you withhold information or are simply dishonest. Once you are eliminated from a process for dishonesty you will never be able to work with that recruiting firm again. Your resume will also be flagged with the target company and you will never be able to secure employment with them.
Be yourself. If you have to change who you are to secure a position, you will not be happy there no matter how much you are being paid.
After the hire:
Keep in touch with your recruiter. They love to hear about your successes. They will pass your excitement on to the key managers in the company. They can also counsel you difficult times if they arise. Additionally, these are volatile times and even the largest companies have workforce reductions and operating shifts. You never know when you will need to call upon the services of your recruiter again.
Pass the name of your recruiter to your friends. Networking is important and if you are bolstering a recruiter’s network, they will always give you the best available opportunities.
Summit Executive Recruiters was founded in October of 2000 with the vision of uniting highly qualified candidates with exceptional organizations that are leaders in their respective industries. Summit Executive Recruiters has become an integral extention of several of the premier organizations in the United States and Canada by consistently securing top talent to propel them to greater success and accomplishments within today’s highly competitive business world.
