Three Things You Should Never Say to a Recruiter

A job recruiter can open doors for you and give you career opportunities you might otherwise never even know about. However, too many job seekers sabotage themselves when these opportunities come along. Don't put your foot in your mouth when dealing with a job recruiter. Instead, avoid these three verbal missteps.

Do Not Lie

Don't lie or exaggerate on your resume. Don't fudge the facts in your cover letter or pretend you know someone you've barely met. Don't lie in the room. The one basic rule when dealing with a job recruiter — or in any part of your job search for that matter — is not to lie. Job recruiters will do some research to confirm what you say on your resume. If they find you've lied about why you left a job, what degrees you actually hold or what your responsibilities were in your last position, you're off their list forever. Not only that, but recruiters and hiring managers talk to one another. One lie to one job recruiter and you could find doors slamming all over town, putting an effective end to your job opportunities.

Do Not Say "No"

In a tight market, companies are looking for people who are ready to roll up their shirt sleeves and do whatever is needed to move business forward. Don't give a job recruiter a list of duties you refuse to do, and don't say "No" when the recruiter asks if you're willing to do certain tasks. Remember, while you're saying "No," another job seeker is saying "Yes" to the same question. Which one do you think the job recruiter is more likely to favor?

By the same token, don't push a recruiter away if he doesn't bring you exactly what you want. Job recruiters can only offer you positions that are available today. Tomorrow, however, that perfect position may become available. When that happens, the job recruiter is likely to think of you first if you have been receptive to anything he's proposed in the past. Keep the doors open to job recruiters, and let their vast networks work for you.

Do Not Say Too Much

Don't waste the recruiter's time either in person or on paper. Keep your cover letters short and to the point, and do the same with all your other correspondence with your job recruiter. Don't push yourself on the recruiter. Insisting repeatedly that you be submitted to a certain company or calling the recruiter daily just to check in can seem desperate. That's not a message you want to send to a person whose job it is to represent you to employers.

Stay professional at all times when working with a job recruiter. Remember that the recruiter doesn't work for you; he works for the companies who have positions to fill. If you tell the truth to recruiters, work with them in a positive manner and avoid being too pushy or desperate, you should be able to get job recruiters to take you seriously, and they should be happy to recommend you for open positions.

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