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How to Effectively Use Recruiters in Your Job Search

So you’ve decided to jump into the job search along with the thousands of others out there.  The job market is clearly flooded with job seekers, and your best bet to stay afloat might be to use a recruiter.  After all, they’re the ones who have solid relationships with the hiring managers and can provide you with the personal connection you need.  But how can you establish yourself as an outstanding person in a sea of both qualified and unqualified candidates?

Don’t worry!  There are a few ways you can stand out from the pack so that you can build a great relationship with the recruiter who can help you on your way to a new career.  Pay close attention, so that you don’t find yourself lost in an ocean of candidates.

#1 Know what your looking for and be prepared!

To get the most out of your initial talks with your recruiter, do some research. Make sure you clearly define what you’re looking for in your next opportunity.  In your preparation consider culture, location, career path, technologies, benefits, compensation and any other key factors in your new role. Try to be realistic without being too picky, and be clear with your recruiter about these preferences.  This is the sure fire way to get exactly what you want out of your next career step, without wasting your valuable time.

#2 First impressions are everything!

The first impression you give your recruiter will be the same impression they pass onto their client when presenting you.  That being said, the best way to ensure an interview with a recruiter’s client is to act as if you were talking to the hiring manager from the very beginning.  Paint a picture in the recruiter’s head of how successfully you can handle an interview.  Wow the recruiter with not only your technical skills, but also your character, to show that you will be a great personality fit with the client.  Treat the recruiter as if they were the hiring manager, and chances are, your next step will be with the hiring managers themselves.  Be prepared, professional, and enthusiastic!

#3 Be honest!

You may be tempted to list every technology you’ve ever worked with to show your breadth of knowledge and to bulk up your resume.  However, if the hiring manager or recruiter doesn’t realize that your experience with some technologies is fairly old, you risk getting yourself into interviews where you feel uncomfortable or even embarrassed because your current expertise is in something completely different.

Your best bet is to be entirely honest about your skills and experience, and really focus on making your personality stand out from the flock.  There will always be a position for your level of expertise, especially when you’re honest about your qualifications.

#4 Utilize their knowledge!

How do you make sure you’re working with the best recruiter?  They should strive to provide you with all their knowledge about the company you’re interviewing with.  If they’re not asking the right questions, listening to your questions, or preparing you well for the interview, get a new recruiter!

The more you know about the company, people, and position, the better your interview will go.  Your recruiter should have a wealth of knowledge from the source, including knowledge of the challenges the hiring manager is facing. Ask them particulars. If they don’t know, they may be able to find out prior to that face-to-face interview. In addition, they will know about the culture, personalities, career path, hot buttons to touch on and what other candidates may have been lacking.

Recruiters interview professionals on a daily basis. They are experts on what to say and, more importantly, what NOT to say. Ask your recruiter to role-play with you on questions that may have stumped you in the past. There is something to be said for saying it out loud with someone who has this experience. Ask them questions on what the best response could be to some of the tricky questions. They will respect you and remember you for it.

#5 Stay in touch!

Even when you make a great connection with a great recruiter, realize that they’re still working with a handful of great candidates, including yourself, at any given time.  Stay in touch!

If you see an opportunity you’re interested in, let your recruiter know before you apply on your own.  Chances are, your recruiter already has a contact at the company and can have a direct conversation about you with the hiring manager rather than simply sending out your resume.

If you have applied, or are applying, to places on your own at the same time as working with a recruiter, let them know what these places are.  This lowers the risk of duplication, which is great because duplication often implies desperation and means an automatic pass from the hiring manager.

#6 End the anxiety!

Recruiters work their magic behind the scenes on a daily basis.  So even if you don’t see everything that’s going on, don’t get anxious!  Your recruiter is working to find the perfect match for you, and perfection can take time, so be patient!  If you’ve done your part by staying in touch and being clear in your preferences, your recruiter will be sure to contact YOU when opportunity knocks.

About the Author

About Ashley Ellis, LLC: Ashley Ellis specializes in placing Information Technology Professionals on a permanent, contract and contract-to-hire basis in Chicago, IL and the Chicago suburbs. With a knowledgeable staff of IT focused Recruiters, client companies and IT professionals are brought together in harmony to form a fulfilling relationship. Ashley Ellis, LLC • P. 630-262-0082 • [email protected] • www.ashleyellis.com

Do I have to have a fax number on a business card?

I am a doctoral candidate and currently completing my pre-doctoral internship. I am having some business cards printed up to help with networking and my job search.

No you do not have to have your fax number on your card. But you were sayign you aren't in a place long enough to receive a fax? If you really need to be able to receive faxes, there is a company called pfax (packetel)..They will receive faxes for you and send them to your e-mail..I have to have it..I must be able to receive faxes anywhere I go..Hope this helps!! By the way..my business card only has my office and cell phone.

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Your negative attitude just cost you your dream job!

You’ve lost count of how many places you have applied. You have not received any call-backs and you have rejection letters piling up. This would affect anyone’s attitude. It is normal to feel a little defeated and unsuccessful, but harboring feelings of resentment and rejection is seriously hurting your chances of success.

Why a negative attitude isn’t worth it

A negative attitude affects more than you may think and it may come across so subtly that you are not even aware of it. Your energy level, confidence, and passion are all affected. All of these are attributes that a potential employer is looking for. The people that get hired are the ones with drive and passion, who, through their words and actions, demonstrate enthusiasm. If your attitude shows that you don’t believe in yourself, then why would a potential employer believe in you?

A negative attitude may not always be obvious. One hiring manager pointed out that in interviews most candidates often start out very positive. The problem is that towards the middle or end of an interview, candidates slowly become more negative depending on the type of questions being asked. Their body language and facial expressions change, even if they are trying to remain positive in their words. The interviewer quickly senses that their true nature may well include a quick temper, lack of patience, or even depressive tendencies. A negative attitude is damaging and cancerous, and you may not even realize you’re falling into its trap.

Turning that frown upside down

So how do you turn that negative attitude into a positive one to ensure your success?

1. Be thankful in the face of adversity
If your negative attitude stems from getting recently laid off, realize that this brief stint of unemployment – compared to the 30-40 years you’ll spend working in your life – is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Looking back years from now, you will be thankful for the opportunity to grow in a new direction. So be thankful now, and let it show in your attitude.

2. Take a personal assessment
Ask friends and family if they detect a negative attitude in you. Make a list of all your strengths and accomplishments. Understand that your weaknesses can be improved upon, and bad past experiences and rejections can serve as learning experiences. All of this will help you focus on the positive.

3. Release some endorphins
Releasing endorphins in your brain can go a long way in turning negatives into positives. How do you release them? Regular exercise, no matter how brief, will do the trick.

4. Give, and you shall receive
Volunteering helps a person network, looks good on a resume, helps you focus on others and forget stress, may lead to a long-term opportunity, and, of course, helps a bigger cause. Give a little time, and your attitude will soon become positive.

5. Be goal-oriented
Put together a plan and a system of goals. Following a weekly/monthly plan and seeing on paper how much you’re doing will give you a sense of accomplishment. Accomplishments will create positive feelings and confidence; plus, when you actually write your goals down, the more likely you are to achieve them.

In conclusion

Practicing these techniques often can help turn you into a consistently positive person, building your confidence and happiness. The happier and more confident you are, the more likely you are to snatch up that dream job and be more successful.

A job search requires you to “sell” yourself, and a negative attitude is just an obstruction to the real you. Even if you have a bad day, remember all the positive selling points you have. People, even you, prefer to be around positive people, so keep up those positive vibes, and you’ll begin to attract the kind of people that will help you excel in interviews and find you your dream job. There are many things in life we cannot control, but fortunately, your attitude is not one of them!

About the Author

Niki is a Search Executive at Ashley Ellis. Ashley Ellis specializes in placing Information Technology Professionals on a permanent, contract and contract-to-hire basis in Chicago, IL and the Chicago suburbs. With a knowledgeable staff of IT focused Recruiters, client companies and IT professionals are brought together in harmony to form a fulfilling relationship. Ashley Ellis, LLC • P. 630-262-0082 • [email protected] • www.ashleyellis.com

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