Q & A With a Recruiter

No matter where you are in your career, working with a recruiting firm is often a foreign process to job seekers, but it can really help improve your chances of landing a job. In this blog, we’re interviewing Robyn Wassman, the Director of Recruiting for Peoplr, to find out what the deal is with recruiters and how to prepare to work with one.



What should a job seeker do before coming to a recruiting firm for help?
The first thing you want to do is make sure you approach the right kind of recruiter. Many recruiters only work in certain industries or only have temporary/contract jobs available. Do your research before you pick a firm to contact and make sure you’re targeting the right one for your needs. You’ll also want to update your resume and streamline your skills and accomplishments.

Is there anything job seekers can do to get noticed by a recruiter?
When writing your resume, use keywords that are common in job descriptions for roles you’re interested in, and keep your formatting simple, tidy, and consistent. You can also change your LinkedIn status to “Open to New Opportunities” so that recruiters and hiring managers will be more likely to find you when they do a search for someone in your area with certain skills. Most recruiters rely heavily on LinkedIn, so updating your profile is a great way to get noticed. Pay special attention to your job title, responsibilities, and skills. These are key areas that recruiters focus on when they search for candidates.

I’ve applied to a job, but the recruiter isn’t getting back to me. Why is this?
Most likely, it’s because you’re not a fit. If you are, you’ll almost always get an email or call back. While this isn’t a great practice from a customer service standpoint, you’re not their customer. Recruiters work for their client, not for the job seeker. They often receive hundreds of applications and are responsible for filling roles with a high sense of urgency. This is why many recruiters are not very responsive if you don’t check one of the boxes they need. Contrary to common belief, recruiters aren’t sitting at their desk thinking about how they can find a job that’s a fit for you. At Peoplr, our recruiters will close the loop with you if you've begun the interview process, but if you apply to a job that you're not qualified for, you probably won't get a response back from any recruiter.

I have an interview with a recruiter! Is the process the same as a regular interview?
Yes and no. Many job seekers do themselves a disservice by behaving informally or unprofessionally during the recruiting process. You should dress and prepare as you would for an interview with a hiring manager. Remember, the recruiter is the gate-keeper and you need to get through the gate! Wear a suit, do your research on the company, and ask smart questions. The recruiting process may look different depending on the role and the company. You can usually count on pre-hire assessments, a phone interview or an in-person interview, and sometimes a background screen before you ever make it to the client. It’s important to remain professional, communicative, and timely through the process. The good news is that once you make it through all of the hoops with your recruiter and you’ve made it over to the client, the hiring process is usually about 80% complete. This means you have a pretty strong chance of landing the job!

Good Luck!