Recruiters are usually referred to as “generalists” or “specialists”.
Generalists tend to work on a variety of roles across numerous industries, whereas specialists focus on certain industries and roles e.g accounting, nursing, legal, banking, manufacturing etc.
Depending on what type of role you’re looking for, it’s good to target the right type of recruiter to get the most out of their relevant knowledge and experience.
So, what’s the benefit of using recruiters?
They have access to many roles – some of which may not be advertised.
They know what their client is looking for – not just in terms of technical skills and experience – but also in terms of company fit. This enables them to interview you on that basis and if they don't believe the role is right, they can explain why not. With applications direct to a company, you can get declined, but never know the reasons for the decision.
They review scores of CVs and Resumes each day, so know what makes a good one! They will provide free advice on how to update yours if they think it’s going to help you get the right job and can also offer interview tips based on their client knowledge. If they offer suggestions on adapting your information, it's worth listening to them because they know what works!
They can contact you about future roles once your CV or Resume is on their database. Even if you’re not actively looking, you get to hear about other opportunities that you could use to benchmark against your current job. You may also pick up some handy market or competitor knowledge!
They can get you in front of a company that you may not be able to do directly i.e you have some good skills and experience but they don't match with any current vacancies. A good recruiter who knows their client well, can often influence the company to meet you based on their organisation knowledge and because the client trusts their judgement.
They represent you at all stages of the process, so you don't need to worry about having to contact the company direct for an update. This also takes away the need for you to worry about what salary to ask for or how to negotiate starting dates and other contract queries.
They can become a trusted partner as you progress through your career. At some stage, you may become their client but then you'll become a candidate again, so if you build a good rapport with a recruiter, it's likely you'll maintain that relationship long term. Many recruiters place candidates into roles many times throughout their career, so it's definitely worth finding one you trust and respect and keeping up contact with them on a regular basis.
Now you know the benefits, what's the best way of working with them to get a good outcome? Click here for my guide on how to do that.
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