Revealed: The Secret to Getting a Recruiter to Work Harder for You
Having a talented, knowledgeable and well-connected recruiter aggressively working on your behalf could help you find a great, new job opportunity. A good recruiter can provide you access to some of the best jobs on the market, sell you to the company so that you can get a job offer, and negotiate a stronger total-compensation package for you.
Here’s the secret to getting a recruiter to work harder for you.
How do recruiters or headhunters work?
Recruiters are generally paid a fee by the hiring company. They only get paid if they place a candidate with the company. Because of the recruiting industry’s financial structure, recruiters are motivated to work on your behalf. There is no second-place trophy if they don’t land you the job!
A recruiter’s commission is also typically a percentage of your salary, so if you get a better offer, they will earn a larger fee.
As you might imagine, recruiters are generally motivated to help you get the job. However, the recruiter needs to feel very positive about your chances of success. They need to feel that all their time and effort will be worthwhile as if you don’t get the job, they don’t get paid for any of the work they did on your behalf. After all, you don’t pay the recruiter or headhunter.
How do you motivate a recruiter to work harder for you?
Recruiters are already motivated to work on your behalf. They will prepare, motivate and hold your hand through the rough patches and the entire job interview process.
However, these are five things that you can do to motivate a recruiter to work harder for you.
1. Make it easy for the recruiter to sell you.
You want to ensure that you present yourself in a way that the recruiter becomes your biggest fan and champion. A recruiter will be your advocate, but it helps if they truly believe you are engaged in the job process and will accept a job offer if you earn one.
Have a call with the recruiter so that they know you personally and professionally. Working with a recruiter is a two-way relationship, and you both need to feel confident in each other. Plus, it’s human nature to work harder for people you like and respect.
2. Sell yourself to the recruiter.
Be prepared with a three to five-minute interview pitch. Be able to describe your current responsibilities clearly and concisely. The skills and responsibilities you highlight should be relevant to the types of jobs that you want to interview for and eventually accept.
Again, you want to make it easy for the recruiter to pitch your experience and candidacy to different hiring managers.
3. Maintain an open line of communication with the recruiter.
Be honest and direct with the recruiter throughout the job interview process. Speak candidly and transparently about your current situation and what you are seeking. You want to be on the same page as your recruiter.
Provide the recruiter with a clear picture of your situation and advise them of any changes. They need to hear what you are looking for concerning title, company culture, benefits, growth opportunities, salary requirements and everything else that factors into your decision about accepting a new job.
After any job interview, offer feedback. Ask the recruiter if they have constructive criticism from the company to help you fine-tune your approach for the next round.
Remember: The more your recruiter knows, the better they can effectively deal with any roadblocks. Help them push the process forward for you.
4. Approach every communication with tact.
It’s not just your reputation on the line during the job interview process. A recruiter is recommending you for an open position to their clients. They want to be confident that you will shine and won’t embarrass them or yourself.
Demonstrate good judgment. Don’t be rude in your communications, and prepare for each job interview.
5. Be patient.
Job interviews take a long time. It could take months and require meeting a handful to a dozen people before the company decides to extend a job offer.
Recognize that it isn’t the recruiter’s fault. The recruiter wants you to get a job offer as soon as possible. They are motivated financially to move you along the process and share feedback and information as soon as they receive it.
The bottom line
Take the time to convince your recruiter that you have the right background, expertise, education and interpersonal skills for the job. A recruiter or headhunter will be your strongest advocate and can dramatically increase your chances of landing a dream job or pay package.
This article was written by Jack Kelly for Forbes and was lightly edited and published with permission.