If you have been exploring different methods of finding your next career opportunity, you may have been thinking about engaging with recruitment professionals to accelerate your job hunt.
Recruiters who specialise in your field – or even work at a company you are interested in – can put you forward for roles that are appropriate for your goals, skills, and experience. They can also give you advice on what salary to ask for, provide insight into the wider job market, and even help you put your best foot forward at the interview stage.
If you have never engaged with a recruiter before, you might not be sure about how to approach them professionally and respectfully. Here are our top tips for how to engage with recruiters.
Polish up your LinkedIn Profile
Recruiters are constantly seeking out top talent for every vacancy they advertise. The best way to make a great impression on a recruiter before you even speak to them is by ensuring your online presence reflects your professional experience and the role you are looking for.
Take the time to check your LinkedIn profile, as this is a platform recruiters are particularly active on. Update your work history and About section to talk about your key skills and relevant accomplishments.
The more you can impress a recruiter from the off, the more confident they will feel in putting you forward for the positions you are interested in.
Note: You should also ensure your CV is fully up to date, as a recruiter will typically request one to keep on file and to send to prospective employers.
Find the right person
You will typically encounter two different types of recruiters during your job search:
- Internal Recruiters – Individuals who hire specifically for one organisation, either within an individual team or for the whole company.
- External Recruiters – Individuals who work for an agency and are acting as a partner to source talent for a variety of organisations.
Across both internal and external recruiters, you will likely find that each individual has their speciality – for example Finance, Marketing, or Legal. As a result, you should ensure you only open up a conversation with the people who actively work within your market.
If you are interested in an HR position but you reach out to the Finance recruitment specialist, you will more than likely be ignored.
Research the companies you are interested in working for and look at recruitment agencies that specialise in your industry. This way, you have the best chance of finding the information you need to directly contact the right person.
Be clear on what you want
Once you have pinpointed the right person to contact, keep your communication relevant and to the point. Tell them who you are and why you’re getting in touch – either regarding a specific role they are hiring for, or the types of roles you are interested in. Include a summary of your experience and attach your CV for their consideration.
This way, the recruiter knows exactly what you are looking for and the key strengths you have to offer an employer, so they have the best chance of putting you up for suitable roles.
If a recruiter puts you forward for a role you aren’t interested in, you go through the process and then change your mind, they might see you as indecisive and unreliable – which could prevent them from putting you forward for other roles in the future. So always be clear on what you want before you reach out.
Remain polite and professional throughout
Finally, when engaging with recruiters, it is important to be patient. Resist the temptation to repeatedly follow up after an initial conversation, no matter how keen you are for the role. Your recruiter will likely be engaging with multiple candidates and may even be trying to fill several roles at the same time.
You can send a brief follow-up message to hear if you have been shortlisted for a position but trust that they will get back to you regardless of the outcome. If you send countless messages, a recruiter may not be interested in engaging with you further.
It is especially important to be polite if you aren’t chosen for a position. Thank the recruiter for their time and indicate your interest in being put forward for similar roles in the future.
We hope that this blog has helped you understand how to engage with recruiters to help you take the next step in your career journey. If you do your research, are clear on what you want, and conduct yourself professionally, any recruiter will be delighted to work with you!
One of the best ways to attract attention from a recruiter is by sending them a high-quality CV. If you aren’t sure yours is quite up to scratch, we would love to help.
Our team of professional writers will work with you until you are happy that your documents reflect your skills and experience. To find out more, please check out our CV writing packages on our website.