What to Do When a Recruiter Calls
If you Google "What To Do When a Recruiter Calls" you might be surprised to read articles from the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Fortune magazine recommending that you absolutely take the call. However, you should proceed with caution.
If you're at work, let the Recruiter know that you can't talk right now and see if there's a convenient day and time for you to have a conversation outside of work hours. Get the individual's name and their company name. Make sure you check them out before you engage with them again. Things to look for:
- Is their company based in the US or overseas? If you are interested in US-based jobs, you really should work with US-based Recruiters
- Do their company specialize in your field or are they general Recruiters?
- Does the individual Recruiter have a background in your field?
- What kind of recommendations does the Recruiter have? What have others individuals said about him/her?
- Is the Recruiter just fishing or are they willing to be fully transparent about a specific opportunity?
If a Recruiter contacts you via a LinkedIn Message or InMail, it's always worthwhile to send a response other than just clicking the "Not Interested" button. Here's what I'd recommend:
- Reply to the Recruiter with your own response. That could be, "Thanks for your message, Bill but I am currently interviewing for an internal promotion" or "Thanks for your message, Bill but some very good things are happening at my current company and I am committed to them for at least the next six months" or "Thanks for your message, Bill. I'd like to learn more about the opportunity. Can you send more details to my private email address? It's [email protected]
Why should you take a Recruiters call or respond to a message? The best Recruiters in your field are always worth having a relationship with. They know of great opportunities that may never be advertised because the search is confidential. If they're are experienced in your industry and have a great reputation and recommendations, they probably know a lot more about companies than you do. They can tell you about the compensation levels and benefits. They can tell you honestly about the environment and the boss you'd be working for. The best of the best will take a serious interest in your career and help you develop professionally. In the case of Logitalent, we always say that the relationship begins AFTER we've placed a candidate because we are an ongoing resource. We've done all the leg work and determined which are the best companies to work for.
The bottom line is to take the call and to respond to the Recruiters message. You may not need them now but they can be an awesome asset in the future.