Working With Recruiters During Your Job Search

Working With a Recruiter – and Getting Them to Notice You on LinkedIn

Recruiters can be some of the most useful advocates during your job search. They coach candidates, help them with their resumes, assist with salary discussions, and advise them what to wear for their interview. Also, with access to jobs that aren’t otherwise posted and vast experience in their industries, they’ll give you that extra push to succeed. So, how do you find the right recruiter to work with?

There are several ways to begin a relationship with a recruiter: apply to a job posted by one, a recruiter finds you from a resume database, or meet a recruiter through networking in person or online.

LinkedIn, with close to a million recruiters and headhunters worldwide, is an excellent tool for proactively searching and connecting with them. Having an impressive and optimized profile is a great start, but to really maximize your job search efforts, try the following tips.

Turn on the “Open to new opportunities” feature. Recruiters will be more likely to reach out if you do.

Complete your profile. Ideally, your profile should be as complete as your resume and a recruiter would only need to take a quick glance to see if they’re interested in learning more about you and your needs.

Make your headline pop. It’s one of the first things people see on LinkedIn, and what hooks someone into clicking on your profile. Make sure you customize it. Use it to let a bit of you shine through: what value do you bring to a company? What makes you good at what you do?

Use a good headshot. It takes only a few minutes to go outside and have a friend, relative, or self-timer take a good picture of you with nature in the background. And you don’t need a DSLR to take a good picture – smartphones can produce great photos that are certainly professional enough for LinkedIn. So, invest in your profile and get a new, high-quality photo up.

The start of a beautiful friendship

When you connect with a recruiter, it usually begins with a preliminary conversation to gauge your interest in a position. If you find it appealing, this meeting will be followed by discussions explaining the job in more detail, salary expectations, and interview availability. Think of a recruiter as someone who has an ‘in’ with the client, who knows exactly what the client wants, and knows how to present you in the best possible light.

Recruiters save you time in your job search. THEIR full-time job is to find YOU your next full-time position. Their networks are huge, and they have access to databases that allow employers to find you more easily. They have the tools needed to help you land your dream job.

Sometimes, recruiters might not be able to immediately assist you – for example, if you’re in an industry they’re less experienced with. But if you’ve built a good relationship with them, they might know other recruiters in your field of expertise that you can connect with or even a hiring manager they can introduce you to.

About System One

System One specializes in delivering integrated services and human capital management solutions within six strategic pillars: critical infrastructure, life sciences, legal, creative & digital, government, and technology. For more than 40 years, it built its reputation on exceptional talent, flexible delivery, and full accountability. System One is based in Pittsburgh, PA.