10 Tips on Working with Recruiters

1. Be Professional

“How you work with a recruiter is a direct correlation of how you will work with your boss, colleagues, and vendors. It is a window into who you really are. A good recruiter will always measure this as part of your qualifications and convey his or her impressions to the prospective hiring company.”

–Jeffrey A. Heath The Landstone Group

2. Be Honest

“Be upfront about the extent of your job searching efforts and results. Your recruiter has a vested interest in placing you in a career that could potentially change your life. You will gain nothing from being dishonest with your recruiter.”

–Ed Hamel, Building Products Recruiter Sales Consultants of Dallas

3. Be Forthright

“Tell your recruiter all of your requirements and preferences, for example, in regard to salary or relocation.”

–Gene Powell Management Recruiters of Kannapolis

“When an interview is completed, give us your feedback – good, bad, or indifferent! This is the only way we can facilitate the process. We must talk with you before we get back in touch with the hiring manager. We will want to know what was discussed, how did the manager leave the interview with you, are you interested in the position and do you want to proceed to the next step. If you are not interested in proceeding, we’ll want to know your reasons. This will help us in screening other opportunities for you.”

–Gary Akin Management Recruiters of Champions

4. Be Committed

“Don’t be casual with what you agree to or commit to. Your attention to commitment will not go unnoticed. Know what you want, say what you mean, and do what you say.”

–Ed Hamel, Building Product Recruiter Sales Consultants of Dallas

5. Be Pro-Active

“Get to know whoever specializes in your industry. (Our recruiters work in specialized niches. Be sure you contact the appropriate person! Search for a recruiter in your industry now.) Place a call to them and get familiar with them. Be sure to send them your resume. You don’t even have to be looking for a job right now but it is good for them to have your resume on file. You never know when they might have that ideal job opportunity that might be better than the job you currently have.”

–Stacy Pursell The Pursell Group

6. Be Inquisitive

“You will likely have questions about housing costs, insurance, relocation, etc. Ask your recruiter. We want to make sure all these questions are answered before the interview. ‘Do I want to work here?’ and ‘Do I want to work with these people?’ are the only questions left for the final interview.”

–Gary Akin Management Recruiters of Champions

7. Be Prepared

“Prepare for the interview by reading materials that your recruiter has sent you and by doing research on the company.”

–Gary Akin Management Recruiters of Champions

8. Be Cooperative

“Don’t play games! Regardless of any past experiences you have had with recruiters, take your current recruiter seriously. If you are not comfortable with your recruiter, move on. There are 5,000 recruiters in our network!”

–Ed Hamel, Building Products Recruiter Sales Consultants of Dallas

9. Be Patient

“A smart recruiter knows how frustrating it can be to search for a job. Be patient. We’ve got your best interest in mind, and we’ll call you as soon as we can.”

–Mickey Kampsen Management Recruiters of Thousand Oaks

10. Be Enthusiastic

“I still get excited about a truly marketable candidate. I like to see enthusiasm in the candidate as well.”

–Gene Powell Management Recruiters of Kannapolis