5 Things Recruiters Wished Candidates Understood
All Recruiters have been candidates at some point in their lives, submitting their resumes, going through the interview and hiring process etc., but not all candidates have been recruiters. From a Recruiter standpoint there are important points that all candidates should know:
- Recruiters do have empathy for you and what you go through in the interview process, particularly when things are taking a long time to move forward.
- Recruiters often have multiple people interviewing for multiple jobs - we'd all like to have photographic memories, but we unfortunately are sometimes unable to remember who, where, which - so please include specifics in your emails, calls, voice mails when you make contact.
- Recruiters typically post multiple job openings in different venues. If you are applying directly via email for a job posting you should ALWAYS include a resume and some specifics (ie: I saw your job posting on linkedin for a Administrative Assistant in Nashville and wanted to submit my resume for consideration)
- Depending on the industry, a Recruiter may have 10 or more candidates in various stages of interview. A good Recruiter will always try to touch base with all of their candidates regularly to let them know how things are proceeding. If you haven't heard from your recruiter for a week, call or email them requesting an update.
- Keeping appointments is important. If you have been lucky enough to be scheduled for an interview, being punctual is important. Everyone's time is valuable. The best way to be blacklisted from consideration is to not show up for an interview or to be late without notice. This not only puts (you) the candidate in poor standing, it reflects poorly on the recruiter and their company. (this includes being late or not showing for a new job)
Communication plays a key role in the success or failure of the Recruiter / Candidate relationship.