You’re browsing through Seek. There seem to be hundreds of jobs but every advert you click on says ‘our client’. It can be disheartening especially when multiple recruiters are clearly advertising the same role.
Here are a few examples of how a recruiter can make your job search easier.
Knowing what to apply for – We all have different requirements when it comes to selecting a company to work for. This will be a combination of things such as location, salary, parking, flexibility, and work type. Whilst some companies will promote these things within their adverts, others won’t. A good recruiter will usually have a thorough understanding of the firm they are recruiting for and will be able to guide you towards the roles that best suit your skills and your needs.
The jobs and firms that you simply hadn’t considered – Many job seekers approach me with a very clear idea of what they want and have kind of got a dose of “career tunnel vision”. A recruiter can help broaden out these aspirations and in many instances, present options that you didn’t know existed or might not have thought achievable in that next career move.
Passive roles – A lot of companies will passively look for good people. This means they are not actively advertising but if somebody came along with the right skillset and personality, they would still likely hire. Recruiters will usually have a good idea about the culture of a firm and the personality of the directors and can often find you opportunities with companies that you wouldn’t know were hiring.
Waiting on a reply – You finally read a job description that you think is perfect for you and you submit your application. You wait and wait. You check your email ten times a day…nothing. There is no number to call. Should you call? You wait a little longer….still nothing. It can be hard to know what will look pushy and what will come across as genuine interest when applying directly for a role.
When working with a recruiter you are able to pick up the phone to us without looking pushy and we can give you a realistic timeframe on when you can expect to hear back about a specific application.
No feedback on why you were unsuccessful – You hit refresh again and BOOM, you get your reply.
“Thank you for your interest in the position of …….. We have had high numbers of applicants for the position and unfortunately, we will not be proceeding with your application.”
You read the job description again, you meet all the requirements and are left bewildered as to why you haven’t made it to the first round of interviews.
It is in the best interest of a recruiter to get you an interview and, if a firm doesn’t want to interview our candidate, we will always find out why. We are able to pass this on to you which can then help you with your next application.
One point of contact – Job hunting can be time-consuming. Coupled with a full-time job, kids to look after and/or social life, it can be hard to keep track of everything. Using a recruiter means all the information is one place. You don’t need to call multiple people to set up interviews, search through old emails to see if you have previously applied somewhere, your recruiter has all this covered for you.
Selecting a good cultural fit – We talk to Directors, Managers and employees of firms all day every day. We know what image a Director wants to portray (this will often be reflected in their adverts) but we also know what their employees say it’s like working there. We hear the good, the bad and the ugly. A good recruiter will steer you away from somewhere they know you won’t enjoy.
Interview tips/advice – It can be quite daunting going to an interview and meeting people for the first time. In most cases, you won’t be the first person the company has interviewed through your recruiter. This means a recruiter will often know the personality of the interviewer, the type of questions likely to be asked and have other useful tips on things like where to park.
Tailored cover letters –When a recruiter puts you forward for a position, they will often produce a cover sheet for your resume. This will replace the cover letter you would write when applying for a role directly. The recruiter will usually have discussed the position in great detail with the employer and will have met you to discuss your experience in detail. This leaves the recruiter in a great position to tailor a cover sheet that gives you the best chance possible at being considered for the role.
Negotiating – For some people, negotiating comes naturally and is just part and parcel of securing a new role. For others, however, it can seem quite daunting, and in some cases, they won’t even attempt it. A recruiter is highly experienced in this and will do it on 90% of their placements. As a recruiter will know the current salary trends, they are usually well equipped to advise an employer that they are offering below current market trends. Likewise, they can advise an applicant if their salary expectations are unrealistic.
Aftercare – Contrary to what most would think, a recruiter won’t just take their commission and run. It is in their best interest to make sure you are successful in your new role as it will likely lead to repeat business from the company and referrals from yourself. Regular check-ins with Directors and the applicant are normal and if things have gotten off to a rocky start, the recruiter can quite often be the middleman to help smooth things over. If we provide a good service to an applicant, they will be more likely to refer people from their network or in time come back to us the next time they are looking.
Career coach – A recruiter’s role is not just simply finding somebody to fill their next role. We offer additional services such as salary guides, resume and interview advice, tailored coaching, career planning and market advice.
The next time you are considering a career change, get in touch with the team at Tyler Wren to discuss how we can help you in your job search.
Ben Holloway | bholloway@tylerwren.co.nz | 03 244 0258