6 Tips For Working With a Recruiter
When looking for a new job, the process can be extremely overwhelming, difficult and isolating. You don’t know where to focus your time between updating LinkedIn, your resume, applying to roles, networking or something else entirely. You also may have no idea what’s going to be the most effective.
Rather than go at the job search alone, you can partner with a recruiter to help out. Recruiters are paid to place great people into jobs, and they’re often an overlooked resource for job seekers. Now, if a recruiter comes to you and says “if you pay me, I can get you a job” then NO, run for the hills. This is bad business!
SO how do you successfully work with a recruiter?
First, let’s define a few different types of recruiters so you better understand who you’re working with:
In-house: In-house recruiters work at the company they’re filling roles for. They typically sit under the HR department. Depending on the size of the company, recruiters may be split up by vertical (i.e. sales vs. engineering recruiters) or they might only have a couple recruiters working across all of their hiring needs. Here’s an example of an in-house recruiter: Meghan Bancroft, Sr Recruiter at Zoom
Agency: Agency recruiters work to place candidates across various companies that hire them to do so. Companies hire recruiting agencies for many reasons… Maybe they don’t have the internal resources or their in-house recruiters have struggled to find the right candidate. Agency recruiters often work for multiple clients simultaneously. Here’s the thing, no one is more motivated to fill a role than agency recruiters because their personal compensation depends on it. Here’s an example of an agency recruiter: Micah Ray, Recruiter at Oscar
Contractors: Contractor recruiters might work part-time or full-time for a set time period at one company. Often companies will bring in these individuals when they have to quickly fill a ton of roles in a short period of time. Here’s an example of a contract recruiter: Sarah Roeder, Contract Recruiter at Peloton
SO, should you talk to all three types of recruiters? Yes! However, based on their backgrounds, goals, and expertise, some may be more helpful to your specific needs than others.
Alright alright, I’ll talk to them, but how?
Tip 1: If a recruiter reaches out, RESPOND.
If a recruiter reaches out (even if you’re not looking), you should always respond and be polite. When you’re ready to start looking for your next job, these should be some of the first people you reach back out to. Therefore, you want them to like you, right?
Recruiters also have access to market data. Even if they don’t have a role for you right now, they can be a great resource for insights into salary ranges and other helpful points of advice. Recruiters also often understand the entire interview process and they can help you prep at every stage.
Pro tip: Be nice & respond… if you’re not open to new opportunities, politely decline and offer up a recommendation of a friend or past coworker who may be a good fit.
Tip 2: Be deliberate and reach out to recruiters yourself.
If you don’t have a LinkedIn inbox full of messages from recruiters, make a plan to create and nurture recruiter connections yourself. Identify recruiters at companies you’re interested in or search for them through mutual connections. Again, their job is to fill roles so they have incentive in responding to you if you look like a good fit for an open position.
Here’s how you can find a recruiter to befriend:
Use the all filter tool on LinkedIn to find recruiters at the company you are interested in
Look for recruiters who share a similar background to you! For example, maybe someone went to your college
Send a note with your connection request. Here’s an example message: “Hi Caitlyn, I see you went to UCSB - so did I! My background is in data+ engineering and I’m really interested in learning more about Peloton. I know recruiters are on the phone all day, but if you have 15 mins I’d love to connect to learn more about the company + culture. Thanks!”
Follow up! They might not respond to your first message and that’s okay. Showcase your value and follow up
Pro tip: Reach out to 5-10 people per week. There is strength in numbers with this exercise!
Tip 3: The recruiter is the gatekeeper.
The first interview counts and the recruiter’s screening sets the tone for the rest of the process. Remember that recruiters are taking detailed notes, Slack messaging their boss or the hiring manager, and wither telling all the powers that be you were “awesome!” or “okay, but not the perfect fit.” Therefore, practice your narrative and aim to get the recruiter singing your praises after that first intro call.
How? Ask good questions, make sure to hit on the main requirements in the role when sharing your experience, and ask the recruiter what the compensation range is for the role. That’s right - you can ask them instead of vice-versa! More on this in a bit.
Pro-tip: send a follow up note thanking the recruiter for their time and ask them about next steps. You should also ask the recruiter for feedback and any tips to help you be successful throughout the interview process.
Tip 4: Recruiters will help you prep.
The recruiter understands the entire process and their hiring manager’s needs. They also know why people have not received an offer thus far. Therefore, you should leverage their knowledge for all the do’s and don’ts.
Good recruiters will offer you support throughout the interview process. For example, our team at HigherPeople typically offers a coaching call before a case study presentation or a big panel interview.
Some good questions to ask include:
What is the hiring manager looking for at this stage in the process?
Why have other candidates not progressed?
Do you have a rubric or example of what “good” looks like?
What skills/experience do you think I might lack that the hiring manager is looking for?
Can we do a dry run before my case study/presentation?
Pro tip: If you ask a recruiter to help you prep, most will be thrilled and they can provide you with important tips for how to excel at every stage of the process.
Tip 5: Recruiters can help you negotiate your salary!
The recruiter understands the budget for the role, and they will often know where you can and can’t push. The first call with the recruiter sets the stage for the salary conversation throughout the entire process. We recommend asking the recruiter for the range rather than sharing your salary expectations if at all possible. It’s illegal in many states to ask a candidate what they are currently making, so never feel obligated to answer this question. Instead, ask them what the budget is for the role or share the range you’re seeking. If their number is slightly lower than your expectations, you should ask your recruiter if there’s any flexibility.
You can also work with the recruiter to negotiate your full package. Remember everything is negotiable including base salary, vacation days, bonuses, equity, benefits, etc.
Pro-tip: once the recruiter is invested in you and WANTS you to get the job, that’s when you have the most power. Once you have an offer in hand, they want to close the role… even if that means going back to the hiring manager to try to get a little more budget.
Tip 6: You may work with that same recruiter again.
When you’re ready to hire people on your team, guess what?! You’ll likely have to work with the recruiting team. Therefore, remember these relationships matter. Recruiters get a bad wrap, but I’m here to tell you that most of us truly care, are great advocates for our candidates, and want to help you land a job you love! Don’t be afraid to build rapport, ask thoughtful questions, and leverage that relationship time and time again.
The amount of candidates who we’ve placed who reach out for help hiring, salary negotiation support, interview prep, etc. makes me realize that the work we do matters. Build long term relationships with recruiters and realize having them in your corner can help you tremendously.
Pro-tip: treat good talent acquisition people well. It pays off!
