This article is designed to help you with working with recruiters. There are a lot of recruiting firms out there telling you they are the best, the foremost and my personal favorite… the experts. How do you know who to work with? I hope that the tips that I give you in this article will help you to choose whether you want to work with a recruiter and how to choose one or more that are right for you.
Why work with a Recruiter?
Using a recruiter can be a great advantage to a job seeker. Recruiters are your advocates at the client companies – hospitals, labs, biotech companies etc. They often have a direct relationship with the hiring authority and can get your resume and information in front of the decision maker quicker than if you were to just send your resume or apply at a company website.
Recruiters are usually aware of most of the positions advertised and a lot of positions that are unadvertised. It can be a real timesaver for you to have someone else get the ball rolling for you in the initial application process.
How to choose a Recruiter
Is your recruiter experienced? Many people who call themselves professional recruiters are no more than glorified telemarketers who are just trying to play a matching game with resumes and job openings. Several years ago, these types of recruiters were found primarily in other industries like information technology. With the growing need for lab professionals, they have moved over into healthcare recruiting. That is why it is imperative that if you use a recruiter, you know who you are dealing with. Remember the recruiter you choose will probably be helping you select the next job you take.
Questions to ask when you are selecting a Recruiter
Don’t be fooled by fancy websites and grandiose claims. The actual recruiter at the firm who you are talking to is the one who matters.
- Find out how long they have been a recruiter.
- How long have they been recruiting in your area of expertise.
- Ask for a reference on them from someone they have placed.
- Have they taken the time to establish rapport and credibility with you?
- Do you feel comfortable with this person?
- Do you feel they have your best interests at heart?
- Does it seem like they know what they are doing?
What should your Recruiter be doing for you?
What they should be doing
- The recruiter should be your advocate. They should be promoting you and your assets to the employer.
- The recruiter should provide you with interview coaching,
- The recruiter should help you with salary negotiation.
- The recruiter should be responsive to you.
How do you know they are doing it?
- Did they take the time in your interview to find out about you, what you want to do why you want to do it, what makes you special?
- Did they provide you with inside information about the client and let you know what to expect and how to handle questions during the interview?
- Did your recruiter give you an idea of what the pay rate is for the position and pledge to get you the best salary possible?
- Do they return your calls and e-mails, keep you posted on what is going on at the client, and provide you with feedback as to why you didn’t get the job?
Dos and Don’ts
Do work with a recruiter who you have been referred to by a friend.
Do work with a recruiter who is experienced recruiting in your area of expertise.
Don’t work with a recruiter who tells you to work exclusively with them – you are not the only jobseeker they are working with, so it is unfair for them to limit your exposure to jobs.
Do work with multiple recruiters. Not everyone has the same jobs, but be sure to keep track of who is sending your resume where and where you have sent it yourself.
It is important that you keep track of the jobs yourself so that your resume is sent only once to a client. You have a LESSER not BETTER chance of getting hired if an employer receives your resume more than once. Also bear in mind there are unscrupulous recruiters who if you tell them where you have applied or another recruiter has sent your resume they will view this as a job lead and will be happy to contact that employer with other candidates of their own…competition for you!
Do insist that the recruiter tells you what employer and what job they are sending your resume to before they send it. You have shared your personal and professional information with them, and they owe it to you to tell you who they are sharing it with. Also bear in mind some unscrupulous recruiters just collect resumes and send them to employers and only contact you if the client expresses an interest. How would you like your resume to be accidentally sent to a sister lab or hospital or to your own boss! I have heard many horror stories like this.
Don’t let a recruiter push you into a job you don’t really want in a place you don’t want to be. This about your career not their commission check!
Characteristics of Great Recruiters!
Responsive – When you contact them, they respond back within 24 hours.
Enthusiastic – A great recruiter is excited about you and your job search.
Caring - They are there to help you regardless of whether the job is with them.
Responsible –To a great recruiter your career is as important to them as it is to you.
Upbeat – A great recruiter is upbeat and honest about your prospects.
Informed- They know what is going on in the field you work in.
Tenacious- A great recruiter is committed to helping you land in the right place.
Experience – They understand what you do and are great at what they do.
Respectful – A great recruiter respects your needs and isn’t just in it for the money.
I hope this article will help you in your decision to work with a recruiter and ultimately find the right job for you.
Written by: Pam M. Barker
Pam Barker
President/Senior Recruiting Specialist-Histology
RELIA Solutions
Specialists in Allied Healthcare Recruiting
5703 Red Bug Lake Road #330
Winter Springs, FL 32708-4969
Phone: (407)657-2027
Cell: (407)353-5070
FAX: (407)678-2788
E-mail: relia1@earthlink.net
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