by : James Furness

We in the recruiting industry have officially entered the busiest time of the year! I am constantly seeing more information on-line and from colleagues that share vital information on how to be successful in my industry. I have taken part in discussions on how to deal with a window shopping client or how to turn a weaker client into a long term partner that will consistently be a part of a recruiter’s success. There are numerous articles and thoughts on how to negotiate fees, close your deals, or how to coach candidates from the initial phone interview to the close of your specific search in order to maximize your send-out to close ratio. There is a wealth of information available to us today that even ten years ago was difficult to obtain. I would highly suggest taking the time to listen to other successful industry leaders because we as recruiters are only as good as those around us.

There is however something that I do not hear a lot of talk about that I believe is absolutely vital to the success of a recruiter. The candidate’s ability to effectively “work with" a recruiter. Many candidates often feel they can fire off an email with an updated resume and the recruiter will then magically take care of everything. The recruiter candidate-relationship is a dynamic one and is a very definitive two way street. We must not be afraid to ask a candidate to be a partner in their own job search and we must make them participate in the process. What are some of the things that we should ask candidates to do and what can a candidate do to help their recruiter help them? Here are three things that will make your player coach very happy.

1. Pick up the phone and call your recruiter! Often times candidates rely too heavily on email. There is no way to build rapport with your recruiter and let’s face it, if you are unwilling to pick up the phone and call your recruiter they are going to be less willing to call their client and pitch your strengths and skill set in a positive light. You always want the recruiter in your corner and building that initial relationship is key. If you are working with a recruiter to secure a new position and the ball is in your court to give him or her call, do so promptly as this will make the recruiter feel their efforts are appreciated. Bottom line create your own urgency! ?
2. Research the company thoroughly during the initial stages of the interview process. Once you have established contact with the recruiter and they have pitched you an opportunity, take some time to perform a web engine search on the company. Go to Google.com and look for information on the company that will empower you to do well on the initial interview and possibly attempt to gain a feel for the company’s culture. Any information you can obtain on your own will greatly increase your chances of a successful interview and ultimately help put you in a position to beat out the competition.
3. Last but certainly not least….Be honest and upfront about your feelings in regards to an opportunity. Recruiters deal with the human element and all of us are known to have a change in heart. If you feel yourself unexcited or really unwilling to move forward in a process you will be doing yourself and the recruiter a favor by just walking away. It is extremely difficult on a recruiter to bring a candidate to offer stage and then have a candidate turn an offer down for a very arbitrary reason. It is OK to pull out of process, but it is not OK to walk away once a recruiter has gotten a reasonable offer that you have agreed would be acceptable and most recruiter’s I know will not ever get their nose burnt twice!

In closing, recruiters can be a very valuable resource, but you must understand their mindset and really get to know the person on the other end of the phone. Good recruiter’s can be an exceptionally valuable resource and can constantly take a pulse of your specific industry vertical. Make sure to advance to the next round of your own personal job search by using your recruiter effectively. It is always good to have one willing to step in and be there when your career has taken a 30 second timeout.?