Earlier this week I was writing an article that will appear in an up-coming issue of a market research industry publication. The subject of this particular article was how employers can ensure a return on investment when it comes to recruitment - whether it be through direct hiring channels or through utilising the services of a recruitment agency.
This is certainly a topical piece, however it got me thinking about the flip-side to this "equation" ... how talent can ensure a return on their investment when working with recruiters.
From a candidate's perspective, the recruitment experience can be daunting, stressful, confusing and often unnecessarily complicated. But with the right relationship and respect for (and from) a specialist recruiter, the experience can be effective, efficient and even enjoyable.
How?
In order to get the most out of the recruitment partnership as a candidate, it's in your best interest to co-operate closely with your recruiter of choice. A recruiter can give qualitative information about a candidate to a potential employer so long as they have been given accurate information during interview. A well-prepared candidate should have a detailed and up-to-date résumé that truly reflects who you are and what you have achieved in your previous roles, as well as a personal career objective that would be tailored to the position in question. It also helps a recruiter if you have a succinct and credible personal skills summary (best written in the third person) outlining your strengths and personal extra-curricular accomplishments.
As a candidate, be open and honest with your recruiter in terms of how you really feel about a particular role and the true reasons behind why you want to leave your current position. But more importantly, be up front about where you are at with any other opportunities or offers that may have presented themselves.
So as you would with any other partnership - be it professional or personal - it is important to be honest and communicate your needs as clearly as possible for the recruitment relationship to work best to your advantage.
You will then find that your recruiter works far more actively on your behalf ... and after all, isn't that what you want to happen?
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