When and How to use a Recruiter: Candidates

Navigating the web and the many job sites when you are a job seeker can be confusing, intimidating and often very unhelpful since many companies you apply to, will never acknowledge or reply to you. You are left wondering if you were ghosted, if your CV is undesirable or if you did something wrong in the online process.

There are also times in our professional careers where we fall out of the loop, where we may have been employed for a long time at the same firm and have gotten out of the habit of job searching, interviews, the whole nine yards.

Whether you are a new grad reading this or a senior level, experienced candidate, if you have or do not have a degree. The tech revolution and now the pandemic have made our professional, online presence and profiles essential, that does not mean it isn’t overwhelming though. The options to register your CV, apply via upload, whether to include a photo or not, whether to invest in a premium subscription to LinkedIn — it can all be very anxiety provoking.

This is when a solid Recruiter can be your guardian angel and guide through the whole process. This is when reaching out to a Recruiter can steady the nerves and offer some structure to your search.

As with any service however, knowing how to get the most out of your Recruiter will help you a lot in establishing your relationship with them and the agency and also increase your chances of nailing that job. Understanding the full scope of their services and expertise will help you ask the right questions and ultimately help them to help you.

· Choose your Recruiter wisely, there are a multitude of individuals and companies purporting to be Recruiters, head-hunters, HR experts but many are unlicensed and unqualified. Ask and check your Recruiter’s site and credentials. In Cyprus we are licensed and regulated by the Ministry of Labour, easy to check us out.

· Stay in touch and be communicative but don’t stalk — good recruiters won’t leave you in the dark, it can get very busy though sometimes so if you want to ask for updates, pop them an email, perhaps leave a message.

· Recruiters are born multi-taskers and work several clients and vacancies simultaneously, we cannot remember everyone so do follow your recruiter’s social media pages and subscribe for updates. That way you will receive news of new roles digitally and you can reach out and remind them or inform them that you are available.

· If the Recruiter screens and begins the process of putting you forward for that vacancy then make yourself available for their screening and updates, don’t ghost or assume the Recruiter is your PA.

· If they offer you a prep session or chat, take them up on it. The Recruiter has the vibe and ear of the client, they know exactly what they are looking for and can basically give you the cheat sheet to the interview. No question is a bad question, ask your Recruiter if you are worried about what to wear for the interview or if you are not sure how to explain why you want to leave your current employer.

· Be brutally honest — we develop an ear for b******t since we spend all our days as Recruiters chatting and profiling people. Best to tell us from the get go if you are in fact unemployed and not still at your last job, don’t say you are ok with 25k a year knowing full well you will be shooting for 50k.

· Update your CV and make sure your online profile matches it, the Recruiter has to represent you in your best light, difficult if you have not been consistent online and offline.

Finally, some select HR & Recruitment agencies offer extra, specialised services at an affordable cost so if you do feel like its time to invest in Careers Counselling or you would like a customised, professional session on your LinkedIn profile then look us up, we have that expertise to offer. No need to struggle alone.

Call us from wherever you are in the world for an online session or a no-obligation chat +357 22000174 or +357 96 217187 or pop me an email: katerina@hrinnovate.org.