How to Get the Most Out of Working with Agency Recruiters

If you’ve never worked with a recruiter, you may wonder how we operate and what the process is like for us. Today I want to go through the ins and outs of working with an agency recruiter and getting the most out of the experience.

As an agency recruiter, it’s my job to get the best talent for my third-party client. In other words, I head hunt talent on behalf of the client for several reasons and connect the talent to the client.

Transparency & Communication

You may wonder why we ask you about salary expectations, flexibility, deal-breakers and location. It’s plainly that we’re on your side! I want you to have the very best chance of getting an interview with my client, and the more transparent you can be, the better. I don’t want to call you in future with a role where your commute is too long or the salary is too low. I want to advocate for you as best I can!

You may have experienced being ghosted by recruiters (I certainly have) but keep in mind why that may be. We have a lot of things to juggle such as several roles, candidates and clients, business development and time sheets.

We also get ghosted by clients or roles get pulled, filled or cancelled, and while I will always try to let you know the result of your application, it can all be a bit busy! So don’t be afraid to follow up with recruiters and ask for transparency in return.

Move Quickly

Be ready to move quickly. This is more relevant in temp and contract recruitment, but even clients with permanent roles can come back with interview slots quickly.

Nobody is expecting you to be available to be at an onsite interview tomorrow at 6am, but again being transparent about interview availability is key. This comes back to communication and being able to take a quick call or answering emails etc.

Be Realistic

I cannot guarantee you will get a job that you interview for. I would love it if you did, but that’s not always the case! I also can’t guarantee that you will get feedback or constant updates, especially when the client is slow. Trust me, we are fighting on the other side to get feedback for you.

Having said that, don’t be afraid to follow up with a call or email to ask for an update.

Relationships

Unfortunately, I can’t place everyone I speak to into roles, especially since there’s usually only one role open. However, that doesn't mean that there won’t be an even better opportunity in future. I always recommend connecting on LinkedIn, keeping that up to date, and dropping a quick message to keep in touch. Even when you do get another role, there could be something in a few months or years’ time that would be a fit for you, so it’s always worth staying in touch with your network!

Whether you’re actively looking or just exploring new opportunities, recruiters can help you navigate your job-hunting experience, give you feedback on your CV and guide you through interviews. Don’t be afraid to reach out, your new role may be closer than you think!