How to Build a Successful Relationship With a Recruiter

May 27, 2014 Written By Jaime Grimes

As a consultant, you want to know about the latest, best jobs to match your skill set, and our recruiters want to fill those jobs as quickly as possible with great candidates. So our Consultant Advisor Lindsey Gray offers three tips in the video below on how you can build a successful relationship with a recruiter and ultimately, get hired faster.

Check in with your recruiter
Recruiters appreciate when consultants check in with them to just update them on their job status, how they’re feeling about the facility in their current job, what they’re thinking of doing next or where they want to go next. But since recruiters and consultants both are crazy-busy, it helps if consultants ask their recruiters how often they’d prefer to hear from them, and what contact method they’d prefer – phone call or email.

Provide updated references – without being asked
Recruiters sometimes need references to help clients decide between a couple of final candidates for a job, so it’s important that recruiters have references ready to go when a candidate is ready to interview.

It’s so helpful when consultants send their references, along with their updated resume, after each completed assignment, and when they do, they’ve already ensured their references’ contact information, title and contact preferences are up to date.

Be honest, always
The biggest piece of advice I can offer is to be honest with your recruiter. Tell the truth about your skills, background, salary requirements, the kind of jobs you’re looking for, what contract length you’d prefer and your schedule, along with any personal obligations you have that may interfere with the timing of interviews or positions we have open. Recruiters love honesty, and it really saves both recruiters and consultants a lot of time.

Remember that a recruiter’s role is to find consultants to fill open positions, so establishing a trusting, successful relationship with your recruiter can help you find a job faster now, as well as years into the future.