Tips For Working With An External Recruiter

If you have never worked with an external recruiter before there are some things you need to know going into it. But before you jump in, make sure you read our blog Tips for Choosing An External Recruiter.

Here are is one of the most important things to consider:

Recruiters want to set you up to succeed!

Rhonda Suder at TopResume says “Unlike internal recruiters who typically receive a base salary, the majority of external recruiters work on commission, so they are invested in your success and want to set you up to succeed. To do that, they need the facts, including your interests, salary requirements, benefit priorities, and whether or not other recruiters are working on your behalf to submit you to jobs. Also, if they know exactly what you want in terms of job position, they can help you land that job sooner than if they need to scramble around placing you in positions that aren't a good fit”. Ronda Suder is a Writer, Speaker, HR Professional, and Wellness Advocate

Now, here are some helpful tips for working with recruiters:

Keep the recruiter informed

KForce suggests “Meaningful relationships don’t happen without frequent communication. If you seek a lifelong career advocate, attempt to stay in touch with your recruiter. Wherever you are in your job search, it’s essential to maintain a strong relationship”.?

Be Honest and Direct

“If you have interviewed several candidates and do not like them for one reason or another you need to tell the recruiter why. Don’t ignore the recruiter for days or weeks leaving them and the candidates guessing.?

Honesty is the best policy when talking with recruiters, it won’t hurt their feelings if you feel a candidate is lacking a particular skill set you need, and they will let the candidate know they’re not a fit tactfully”(Apollo Technical).

Be Realistic

“HMs should prioritize skills and qualifications, and shouldn’t set unrealistic standards for potential candidates.? Try sitting down at the beginning of each search to decide on 3 must-have skills/personality traits, plus 3-5 “nice to have.” If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at the HM’s current team and consider what core skills have made past candidates who weren’t 100% perfect to begin with a great fit in the long-run” (Avature).

Be flexible

“Having a flexible hiring process is important if you’re hoping to attract the best talent. Remaining too rigid can be off-putting to job seekers. It may even keep would-be candidates from applying for your open position” says Lauren Levine at SparkHire.?

Keep the long-term relationship open

Eric W. at LinkedIn says “Building and managing a long-term relationship with your external recruitment partners is essential to any TA function. You can forecast your hiring requirements, but more often than not, you will need to look at scaling up or down your internal capacity”.In addition, you’ve probably already developed an understanding. The hardest part of the relationship is over, getting to know each other and building trust.?

Be current with hiring trends?

The past few years have changed hiring trends across the country in almost every industry. Remote work schedules, hybrid work schedules, more PTO, better benefits, salary increases, etc. Almost every aspect has changed, and due to the shallow candidate pool, therefore, candidates believe they call the shots. This doesn’t mean you have to give in to every request or demand, but it does mean that you must be open-minded and be sure your company is evolving with the times.? We have guided many of our clients through this unprecedented hiring market with some out-of-the-box ideas.? If you would like to learn more?