How to work with your recruitment consultant
As recruitment consultants, we are here to help candidates secure a job that they love. We work hard to help match you with our extensive client base and find a fit that works for all parties involved. In order to do this as effectively as we have for the past 40 years, we need to work closely with our candidates to ensure they are fully prepared and set-up for success.
The fact remains however, that no matter how brilliant our candidates or how well we have prepared them, the job interview itself is down to the individual! Over our many years of experience we have seen a fair few candidates succumb to avoidable pitfalls, meaning they have missed out on great roles, despite their excellent skills and experience.
As recruiters we can help candidates land the perfect job, but we can’t do that alone. Here’s how you can work with your recruiter to really get the best out of them, fully prepare yourself for the interview – and promote yourself and your skills to your potential employer.
Get to know your recruiter
Recruitment is all about relationships. Any decent recruiter will put value on meeting with you before you begin working together – and if you’re given the opportunity, we strongly recommend you take them up on it. A meeting will enable your recruiter to learn about you and your needs, which will help them find the right role for you – and it’s also a chance for you to ask questions.
If a face-to-face meeting isn’t possible due to social distancing measures then a video meeting is a great alternative. Go along to the meeting armed with questions and be prepared to tell them exactly what you do and don’t want from a future role, an organisation and a package.
Getting to know your recruiter is a valuable relationship; even if you’re in a great job already or this specific hiring opportunity doesn’t work out – they have the resources and insights of an industry professional to help you further down the line should the perfect position arise. You could also gain an advantage by being informed of roles that aren’t publicly advertised.
For tips on what to expect from a first meeting to help you make the most out of it then check out our article: Want to get the best from your recruiter? Go and meet them first.
Spend time on your CV
A well-written CV is essential for helping you stand out above the competition, particularly in a competitive job market. Invest the time in creating the best CV possible, both in terms of layout and content.
CMA’s Associate Director Aran Purewal says: “I’ve seen excellent candidates not secure interviews for their dream jobs not because of their experience and background, but due to how their experience and background was presented on the CV.”
Make it relevant and concise, and focus on achievements. Pay attention to structure, spelling and grammar. And it almost goes without saying, but be honest!
Preparation and research
We cannot over stress the importance of preparation and research ahead of an interview. Working with an experienced recruiter who understands the business can really add value to this part of the process and help you focus your efforts in the right areas.
“When going to an interview research the company’s values on their website as it’ll tell you a lot about the culture of a business.”
– Alasdair Risk, Divisional Manager
Here at CMA we always provide our candidates with background information on the prospective employer ahead of the interview and the key points to be aware of. Our longstanding relationships with many of our clients mean we’re often able to give detailed information about both the company and its dynamics. However, as an interviewee it’s essential that you do your own research on top of this.
Senior Consultant Lindsey Edwards says that the more preparation you do as a candidate, the more confident you will feel and the more genuine your questions will be. “This absolutely makes you stand out and impresses at an interview. Particularly if you go above and beyond by looking at the company website i.e. info from company’s house, LinkedIn, online published articles etc.”
For more job interview tips and help with preparing take a read of our Top 5 Interview Dos and Don’ts.
Communicate with your recruiter
Ask any recruiter what their biggest niggle is and they will probably tell you it’s poor communication from candidates. We like to hear from you! Punctual and consistent communication from all parties is a key part of the recruitment process. It makes our jobs much easier and ultimately helps us to help you find a great job!
Make it easy for us to get hold of you. If you can’t get to the phone because you’re at work then drop us an email when you can or give us a quick call back on your lunch break or in the evening.
A recruiter will usually call you after your job interview to find out how it went – or they will ask you to call them as soon as you can after you are done. The sooner you call, the fresher the interview will be in your mind. We need to hear this feedback as it helps us when we communicate to the client. It means we can convey if you loved it and ensure that your enthusiasm is relayed. Equally if you find it isn’t the role for you, or if you felt it wasn’t a great fit then we want to know. We can also help resolve any questions or misunderstandings which may arise during the interview. Whichever the outcome it’s important for us to know so that we can help the company and you to move forward.
If you follow these tips you can be sure that you will get the most from your relationship with your recruiter, enabling you to land a great new role. As a recruiter, our job is to support candidates find a job they love, and to help our clients find the right fit for their company. After all, the best relationships are made up of teamwork.
Here at CMA we have people and relationships at our core, which is why we like to meet every candidate we work with. If you have any questions about how the recruitment process works then get in touch and a member of our team will be very happy to walk you through the process.