Why recruitment consultants are a jobseeker’s best friend

Continuing my series about how to get a job, today I’m looking at the role of external recruiters and why building a mutually beneficial relationship with them can help your job search.

Whatever job title they use – recruitment consultant, recruiter, talent acquisition specialist or headhunter – what they all have in common is access to job vacancies, some of which won’t be advertised elsewhere.

They’re also an invaluable source of information and advice about the job market, industry insights and trends, market rates and networking opportunities.

They can also offer help and advice about your job search approach, how to improve your CV and online profile and interview preparation.

So, it makes sense to connect and build a relationship with them that works alongside the other job search channels you’re using.

Here are 8 suggestions for building this relationship:

1.  Think specialist

Most recruiters specialise in a specific area or sector, like technology, HR, engineering, healthcare etc.

So think about your own specialism. For example, are you in marketing, procurement or life sciences? Then research recruiters who operate in your field.

Although it takes time to do this, it’s better than casting a wide net in the hope that you’ll hit the right recruiter’s desk eventually. This untargeted approach wastes your and the recruiter’s time.

2.  How to find them

Do an internet search.

You could also use social media like Linkedin’s search function to access the right recruiters.

Ask for referrals from your network. Or attend networking or industry events to find recruiters who operate in your field and geographical location.

3.  Contact them directly

The lifeblood of a recruiter’s business is quality candidates. The better the candidate, the better their chance of placing them and making a fee. So they welcome approaches from good candidates.

Send them a tailored CV relevant to the jobs you’re interested in and the types of positions they handle.

Remember to include keywords relevant to your skills and experience, which enable recruiters to quickly and easily find your details when they have a job to fill.

And then keep in touch. Let them know how your job search is going. Have you gained any new qualifications or taken a temporary or voluntary job while job searching? Remind them what you have to offer – your USP.

4.  Connect via social media

Contact them via LinkedIn and other platforms.

But be brief and specific about what you say.

Recruiters are busy, so keep it simple. In a few sentences tell them who you are, what your key skills/expertise are, what you can offer an employer and what you’d like in return.

5.  Build a relationship

Relationships take time and trust so put effort into getting to know the recruiters and how they operate. 

Ask to connect on Linkedin which will give you access to their posts, connections and interactions.

But don’t chase too quickly if your request isn’t accepted right away – they may not see your connection request for many days.  

Follow them. Interact with their posts, by liking and commenting.  Make your comments meaningful by moving a discussion forward, offering an alternative point of view or providing a new insight.

Commenting is preferable to simply liking posts as it lets the recruiter understand more about you, what you have to offer and what you stand for.

6.  Give something back

In addition to engaging with their social media, consider other ways to build a relationship. For example, could you provide referrals to companies you’ve worked for in the past, or recommend other quality candidates?

Attending webinars or in-person events the recruiter hosts is another way of getting to know each other and showing that you’re investing in the relationship.

7.  Ask for help

Recruiters want to help you get a job.

Ask for advice about things like your job search approach and whether your CV or online profile needs to be improved.

And get interview preparation support too.

A recruiter’s expertise and industry insight are invaluable. So use it.

8.  Monitor the number and quality of opportunities

As you work with different recruiters, review how things are going.

How many quality opportunities have they offered you? What kind of support have they given you? Is it a two-way relationship that’s working for you?

Over time work out the recruiters who are giving you more of what you need. Foster these relationships and drop those that aren’t serving you well.

At the start of your job search, you won’t know where your next job will come from. So it makes sense to utilise a number of different job search resources.

Identifying and approaching external and internal recruiters is a key part of this.

While many job vacancies are advertised, some are not. Focussing on developing a mutually beneficial partnership with external recruiters can give you access to more of the right type of jobs, as well as advice and support to help you land your next job.

My next post in this series will be looking at how to target and make connections with employers you’d like to work for.