Developing Good Rapport With Your Recruiter

Have you been contacted by an executive recruiter? Are you trying to make contact with a professional recruiter as part of your job search? In either case, it is important to develop and maintain a good rapport with the recruiter.

Do your research first

You should do your own research to find out about the recruitment firm in question. Look for information about how they prefer to receive resumes, confidentiality rules, and which fields or professions the firm generally represents. It does not do you any good to send your resume to a recruitment firm that specializes in engineering, for example, if your field is sales or marketing.

You should also understand how each recruitment firm is paid. Contingency firms are paid only when they fill a position, and they typically deal in mid to lower level positions for which there are many qualified candidates. Firms that work on a retained basis, however, are compensated regardless of whether or not a position is filled. These firms generally focus on very high-level executive positions, especially those within highly competitive industries where it is most common to hire someone who has been lured away from an existing job.

Don't wait until you're job hunting

The time to make contact with and build rapport with professional recruiters is before you need their assistance. In other words, do not wait until you have been downsized, laid off or otherwise are in a pinch to find a job. Make a point of contacting recruiters for the purpose of becoming a resource to help them. Perhaps you can be a networking contact who provides referrals to qualified candidates for positions they are seeking to fill. When you help a recruiter and do not expect anything in return, he or she is more likely to remember and appreciate you over the long term, and help you when the times comes when you need their assistance with a job search.

Do your part

The best professional recruiters cannot get you interviews if your resume is not polished, your qualifications are not appropriate, or there is little demand for workers in your field or profession. You have to do your part in the job search process by creating a resume that really shines, and working to improve your qualifications if they are weak.

When it comes time to interview, you also have the primary responsibility for the outcome. The recruiter cannot do the interview for you, nor can he or she repair the damage if your interview does not go well. Your best solution is to view the recruiter as an assistant in your job search process rather than the person responsible for getting you a job.

Click here to go to the next recruiter article - The Recruiter And The Hiring Company