What Should You Expect From Your Recruiter?

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice


When contracting the assistance of a professional recruiter, many job seekers presume that they are at the mercy of the recruiter, when in fact, the circumstances are reversed. Your job search efforts should be met with enthusiasm, as recruiters are actively seeking information about your skills and experience to find a good fit for you. You should expect nothing less than the best service when working with a recruiter.

An Empathetic Nature

A professional recruiter typically works with hundreds of candidates actively engaged in the job search. The ability to convey empathy and a genuine understanding of how the job seeker feels is a crucial element of working in this field. Your recruiter should inquire about your preferences in your industry, but make sure you note the type of company culture you prefer too, as well as any challenges you face personally that can affect your job performance. The recruiter should also give off a supportive nature to aid you during the job search. Expect a good recruiter to listen to your challenges and offer suggestions on how to speed up the search and acquire more interviewing opportunities to help you gain employment.

A Respectful Approach

It doesn't matter if a recruiter is overwhelmed by a large number of clients; you deserve respect with each and every interaction. You are essentially a client for your recruiter, which means you should expect to be treated respectfully at all times. It is not too much to ask to expect your recruiter to return your calls, send you tips on enhancing your skills and document your progress during the job search. Unanswered calls, brisk correspondence and clipped conversations do not communicate respect.

Honest Feedback

You are bound to experience rejections when interviewing for positions during your job search. Request honest feedback from your recruiter to help you improve performance during interviews or further develop your skill set. A recruiter should be able to provide you with feedback from potential employers and deliver the information in a respectful manner. It is not helpful if your recruiter stretches the truth about leads that are potential job scams or does not convey negative feedback from their clients. Recruiters should be willing to coach you, help prepare you for interviews and deliver bad news to help you recognize personality traits that could be viewed negatively by potential employers. You need the truth in order to acquire a position that fits your qualifications and offers you long-term success.

Recruiters do work for their own clients and companies, but they ultimately work for the job seekers too. Expect to enhance your job search with a recruiter who displays honesty, empathy and respect every time you communicate. With the right recruiter, you may have doors opening that you least expected that can lead to a fruitful career.


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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Mindy thanks for your comment and it is probably true of some recruiters. Personally, if a recruiter did that to me, I would not be in touch with them anymore and would certainly not recommend them to anyone else. Recruiters typically only get paid if they actually place applicants so it should be in their best interest to find a position for you and get you hired as quickly as possible. I would certainly let them know how I feel before dropping them and moving on.

  • Mindy S.
    Mindy S.

    Hi Nancy ~ I have had 4 phone interviews with recruiters who tell me they are passing on my information and recommending me for an interview with the Hiring Manager. Guess what? Two to 7 days later I have to follow up and then I get a canned email they decided to go with another candidate. Not all recruiters get you an interview even though on the phone they are very positive they will!

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Dwayne, thanks for your comment. I am a bit confused here. Sounds like you had an interview with a company, not with a recruiter. Recruiters are working for you. Recruiters receive job postings from companies and then, based upon your resume, etc., will schedule an interview for you with a company. A recruiter will help you prep for that interview if you wish. I would follow up with the recruiter to find out how you did in the interview; if you need assistance interviewing or if there actually is something missing from your resume. The fact that you got scheduled for the interview, though, tells me that it is not your resume but something in your interviewing skills. If you were overqualified for the position, that company is not going to get back with you. Since they told you that you were overqualified, they are not going to call you this Monday or any Monday. You need to move on. But you need to talk to your recruiter about sending you for interviews if you are blatantly overqualified.

  • Dwayne W.
    Dwayne W.

    Your not alone! After my interview, they told me I was over qualified for the position I applied for. They said I'll get back to you on Monday. I'm still waiting till Monday. It makes you feel like my Resume is missing something. It seems to me that you have to hound them DAILY! I'm learning how to deal with them!

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for your comments. @Mindy it is unfortunate that you have encountered such terrible recruiters. I assure you that there are recruiters out there who do care and who do want to find a position for you. They do not get paid until/unless a position is filled so it boggles the mind why they won't return calls or emails. @James most of us have experienced what you are going through now. It's almost as if they recruiters sees one skill that you possess that fits something in their job posting, they get in touch. I agree that they should only call you for jobs that fit what you are qualified for. I get those all of the time, too. I just delete them and move on.

  • Mindy S.
    Mindy S.

    I have worked with at least 6 recruiters in the New York City area. They do not return phone calls nor respond to emails. I find jobs on their sites I am qualified for with same skill set required and nothing happens. I have a business colleague who is experiencing the same thing and not with the same recruitment firms. They work for their corporate clients, not the people seeking jobs!

  • JAMES BROWN
    JAMES BROWN

    Understand the positions that they're recruiting for. If my resume doesn't mention network engineer don't call me or email me telling me I'd be a GREAT fit!

  • Paul Spuria
    Paul Spuria

    do their job?

  • Gail R.
    Gail R.

    Honesty

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