In an ever increasingly competitive candidate market, gaining access to your recruitment consultant can at times be tricky (and often frustrating).
Much can depend on how diligent your recruitment consultant is at communication and their own time management and prioritisation skills. Much can depend on how that recruiter prioritises communication with candidates. With calls, emails and enquiries coming from all directions, jobs to shortlist, clients to speak to and candidates to register………………………..recruiters do have a lot on their plate. However, they have no business or raison d’etre without candidates.
So how can you stand out from the many other candidates they are working with?
Firstly, find yourself a recruiter you feel comfortable with, someone who gets you, someone you feel confident in and who you feel understands where you have come from and where you want to go.
Next establish how each of you likes to communicate. We are all different. Some prefer calls, some prefer emails/WhatsApp/pigeon post. Establish what works best for both parties.
Of great importance (as the world of recruitment really does run at 100mph), get back to your recruiter as quickly as possible when they are trying to reach you. Shortlists can be sent to a client within a few hours of taking a job brief. Those candidates who are able to react quickly will have that conversation, those that don’t often lose out. We do understand (of course) that at times you simply cannot call, you may be in a meeting taking minutes, you may be working on a time sensitive and critical piece of work which needs to be completed. Should that be the case, do try and acknowledge you have seen the contact request and that you will return their call as soon as is possible. This simple communication may make the difference between a recruiter sending the shortlist or waiting that extra hour to speak to you about the opportunity.
Be honest with your feedback and thoughts on opportunities. It’s totally fine to be open, all parties are happier that way and a decent recruiter will acknowledge and understand your feelings and thought process. Your feedback helps us to better finetune the opportunities to discuss with you.
Be flexible (as much as you can), around your availability to attend interviews (virtually or in person). Those that make themselves available (some mountains do need to be moved) will be the ones seen first, getting ahead of the crowd.
Be honest about what other interview activity you have going on. Noone likes surprises, so without giving away company names (we don’t need to know who else you are interviewing with), it helps us to understand timescales and stages, what is standing out and what doesn’t feel quite right.
I could go on, but in summary, if you want to impress your Recruitment Consultant and stand out from your competition…………………be open, be responsive, be communicative and be flexible.
Without candidates, we have no business.
We will work with you to establish trust and respect. We will adapt to work with you as you would prefer. We are here to help you secure that perfect next role.
Let’s do this together!