Using a recruiter can make all the difference in your job search

Anyone actively looking for a job for any period will have had some experience with recruiters. Good recruiters should be experts in finding the right applicants for the right roles in their respective industries, but finding the ideal recruiter for your situation can be a painstaking and draining process, given the sheer number of them out there. Additionally, like with every profession, some are better than others, so how do you find a recruiter that can actually help you land your ideal role?

Jobseekers may seem to have it easier during the so-called ‘great resignation’ where people are supposedly leaving full-time employment en masse, which should open up a world of possibilities for those starting out in the workforce. However, jobseekers still encounter a lot of frustration when, for example, over 300 people apply for a job in their field on LinkedIn. In this environment, recruiters should be able to offer a solution where they can match you with a prospective employer by presenting you in the best possible light.

 

Where are the best recruiters?

 The first thing you need to know about recruiters is that they are not working for you, the job seeker, per se, but for their client – the organisation that is employing them to find the best two or three candidates for the role they wish to fill. So, if you seek out a specific recruiter who doesn’t have an open role that suits your profile at that moment, you may need to be patient and seek out other recruiters in your field, so they at least have your details the moment a new role comes in.

Finding good and reliable recruiters with a good track record may be challenging, but if you follow a few simple rules, you will improve your chances. These include; networking with industry colleagues using LinkedIn, possibly Facebook, and other social media sites (as long as you can cut through all the white noise), trying online forums and industry-specific publications, and constantly talking to people you know, possibly from past positions who can point you towards recruiters they may have worked with successfully in the past. You can always appreciate the value of word of mouth in these situations.

Additionally, when you apply for jobs posted by recruiters online, you can reach out to those recruiters, introduce yourself and hopefully establish a relationship, even if you may not be qualified for the particular role being advertised or if you’ve already applied unsuccessfully. Much of this will be an iterative process, but the more recruiters know about you and what you’re looking for, the greater your chances of getting a referral to the role that best suits your needs and qualifications. Moreover, the more recruiters you have a relationship with that have you on their books, the better the odds of you getting referred to that ideal role.

 

Decide what you want.

When seeking a recruiter, you must decide if you’re a specialist or a generalist. In other words, if you are seeking specialist roles in a relatively niche field, you should look for recruiters in that field. In contrast, if you’re seeking more generic roles in Public Service or sales, administration, or secretarial work, you’ll be more suited to a recruiter who works across those types of roles. Much of the frustration with recruiters is due to a mismatch or misalignment of intentions and goals, so before you make contact with a specific recruiter, do some research, so you have a better understanding of where their expertise lies.

At the same time, if a recruiter has recommended you for a dozen roles that have required filling out time-consuming applications and forms and you’re yet to get a single interview with a prospective employer, you should stop and question whether that recruiter is the right fit for you.

Finding the right recruiter can, on the other hand, be very beneficial. Good recruiters understand their industries and what the client’s job entails and can tell not just from your resume or LinkedIn profile but from getting to know you either over the phone or in person whether you’re a good fit.

They should then be able to provide you with the best possible coaching and tips to optimise your chances from the initial application stage through to the interview process. They should even be able to offer you some tips on salary negotiation, should that become a factor. Remember, the recruiter is always looking for the best candidate for their client, so they will want to present you in the best possible light.

Finding the ideal recruiter may be a painstaking process. Still, as a jobseeker of the 21^st Century, you have an unprecedented number of tools and outlets at your fingertips. Ultimately, it might just make the difference between finding work you love or languishing in less-than-satisfactory employment.

If you are looking for a new contract or permanent position in Insurance, Superannuation or Funds Management contact us today – we are here to help!