The Best Ways To Work With A Search Firm / Recruiter

Qualified search consultants have access to many employment opportunities and decision makers. The following nine quick tips will help you put your best foot forward and maximize your chances of building a successful relationship with a search consultant in your job search.

1. Tell Them What You Want:

When first meeting with a search consultant, do your best to clearly describe the ideal position for you. This includes advising them of particular employers in whom you have an innterest. When a consultant has a clear understanding of what makes you happy, they can expeditiously provide you with the right career opportunities.

If you’re unsure of what you want, make sure you let them know as well as they may have some out-of- the box opportunities for you. However, remember that their job is to fill a position with an employer not to help you sort out your desires for free. For that, you need change coaching.

2. Advise Them Of Your Own Search Efforts:

To ensure that the search consultant does not contact employers whom you have already contacted, remember to have a list of  employers and persons at each employer, you have spoken with about job opportunities. This includes informing the search consultant if you have already applied online.

3. Provide Them With References, Writing Samples, Transcripts and Addendums Where Appropriate: 

Be prepared to provide the search consultant with a list of references, transcripts, writing samples or samples of your work.  If an employer requests these materials from them (a common occurrence), it will reflect well on the consultant and you as a candidate.

4. Be Accessible

Opportunities happen quickly and can easily be lost if a recruiter can't locate you quickly. Like it or not, employers expect immediate responses from interested candidates. Return the recruiter’s phone calls, emails and texts promptly. Again,  it will reflect well on you and them.

5. When Scheduling Interviews, Be Accommodating

If an employer is interested in interviewing you, do all you can to accommodate the employer's preferred interview times. Don’t worry about coming across as too unavailable. Flexibility sends a positive message.

6. Debrief Them Immediately After Each Interview

This tip is so important. After interviewing with an employer, contact the consultant immediately and give them your feedback on how the interview went. After each interview, the employer is waiting to hear from the consultant and therefore the consultant needs to know what you thought. If the employer has questions or concerns about your interview or candidacy, the consultant is able to sell you effectively and end-run any potential objections.

7. Be Open To New Opportunities 

The "ideal job" doesn't always look like it at first blush. If you are contacted by a recruiter, take the time to listen. Don’t immediately say that you’re not looking. If Covid-19, taught us anything, a contingency plan and knowing your options are good things.  In fact on many occasions, I’ve found that once presented with an impressive candidate, an employer is often willing to amend a job description in order to make a good hire. At a minimum, you will begin to build a relationship with the recruiter which is never a bad thing.

8. Remember They Aren’t Career Coaches

A recruiter’s job is not to write your resume, figure out what to do with the rest of your life or regularly coach you. That’s a coach’s job. Be respectful of a recruiter’s time. They will genuinely appreciate it and it will foster your professional relationship with them exponentially.

9. Stay In Front Of Them Appropriately.

Learn the art of staying in front of someone without being a pest. Calling a recruiter regularly asking them, “What have you got for me” will not win you any favors. Instead, briefly keep them informed of your job search, send them articles of interest or even leads that you think might be of help to them. Trust me, that approach will be rewarded.

The common theme in all of the above is building a long term, mutually beneficial relationship with a search consultant. Your efforts will be noted and your chances of landing that perfect position will increase exponentially.