When you want to get out of your current job, you want out fast. Think about it. By the time you recognize chronic stress at work or you mentally check out, your job performance is already hurt. So, when you decide to quit your job, working with a recruiter can offer a shortcut to speed up your escape.
Yet for all the advantages an IT recruiter can offer (job opening alerts, resume/interview pointers, pitches directly to decision-makers), his or her expertise is all the more potent when both sides of the partnership lockstep. Successfully working with a recruiter means meeting the search professional halfway. Here’s what that requires in practice.
The actual partnership between you and your IT recruiter is going to accelerate the process more than anything. Before you start working with a recruiter, ask yourself these questions:
Sometimes, job seekers seem to imagine their job search is a game of high stakes poker. You keep your cards close to the vest and put on a pleasant smile. In that scenario, recruiters are treated like another player in the game, someone to be bested. Yet if you give them your trust, they can advise you on how to get an edge on your competitors. That is why it is important to be open about your work history.
Keeping employment gaps, terminations, and any other details from your recruiter hurts your search and holds you back. When a recruiter is informed about your past, he or she can be proactive about addressing issues and can downplay any of your workplace missteps. Your recruiter can control the narrative you present, but only if they know the whole truth.
Additionally, you want to be direct about the places you will and won’t work. If a recruiter presents a position that doesn’t quite fit your ideal, be vocal about saying no. Honesty now – saves time later. Furthermore, give clear reasons why you are uninterested. Whether you are targeting a specific industry, or seeking a unique position that offers remote work, specify that. Clarity helps your recruiter refine searches and match you to your ideal role.
These days, there isn’t room to do a gradual introduction to an IT recruiter. Candidates at the top of a recruiter’s list make a memorable elevator pitch from square one. You want to hook your recruiter, presenting more than just your day-to-day duties. What have you achieved? What sets you apart? What is your passion? This will allow your recruiter the opportunity to package your pitch to your potential employer.
A successful job search relies on your reflexes. Jobs open and close the way fireflies glow on and off over the course of a humid summer night. You need to be ready to move fast when the time comes to catch one. That’s why when you’re working with a recruiter, both sides need to remain in regular contact.
For starters, be sure that your recruiter is aware of the best way to reach you. It shouldn’t be a mystery whether you prefer emails, phones calls, or texts. Provide the email address or number that you watch like a hawk. Sending recruiters to email accounts or phone numbers you check irregularly only hurts your response time. And when you do receive a message, respond quickly.
Additionally, have any relevant documents ready (resumes, portfolios, updated GitHub accounts, etc.) so you can send them off in a flash.
In the end, the decision of whom to work with is yours, but you should always feel comfortable with your recruiter and know that he or she is committed to finding you a job where your best talents are used and the culture is a natural fit.
Working with a recruiter at IDR gives you that very experience. We maintain a constant line of communication, get to know what you value, and learn how to pitch your expertise and personality in ways that knock employers off their feet. Check out our jobs page or contact one of our recruiters to accelerate your next job search.