Employment recruiters can be a job seekers dream...if you know how to get the most of the relationship. There is a lot to be gained from them if only you know how to work together for ultimately the same goal. Learn how an employment recruiter can help you get interviews and move one step closer to getting the job of your choice.

How to Work Effectively With Recruiters

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T / find out what it means to me” is a line made famous by Aretha Franklin, and one that recruiters have adopted as their mantra. This is probably because there is a love-hate relationship between candidates and recruiters. Specifically, candidates love what recruiters can do for them, but at the same time, aren’t fond of the fact that they need their services.

One can hardly blame candidates, since over the years recruiters have been branded as uncaring, money-hungry vultures who have their eyes set only on the bottom line. Whether there is a grain of truth to that belief or not, I can’t say for sure. However, what I do know is that recruiters have been, and will continue to be, a viable resource for candidates. For this reason, recruiters shouldn’t be dismissed, but instead appreciated for the role they play in the career services industry.

Many recruiters suggest that job seekers don’t fully understand what a recruiter’s function is in the job search process, and that this is where the lack of respect originates. In an effort to educate job seekers, below are some pointers that recruiters want every job seeker to know.

Respect what recruiters do. Although recruiters don’t work for you, the good ones will work with you. With a hiring company in mind, a recruiter will make recommendations on how you should change your resume, the way you interview and/or the way you dress. If this is the case, heed his or her advice. Recruiters have insider information on the specifications the hiring organization is searching for, and the clues they provide are based on that knowledge.

Respect what recruiters can’t do for you. The recruiter’s allegiance is to the hiring organization. Therefore, he or she is going to spend his/her time and resources on scouting a candidate that fits the hiring organization’s specifications, not on finding you a job. That’s why it is important to realize that recruiters are just one source of getting interviews. Your job search plan should include other methods of gaining employment such as networking, answering want ads and responding to Internet postings.

Respect the interview with a recruiter. Save your war stories for your local bartender. When you contact recruiters, be discriminating about the type of information you provide. A meeting with a recruiter is an interview. Don’t allow the informality of the conversation to convince you otherwise. During a meeting with a recruiter you will be judged on your performance; therefore, be professional at all times.

Respect a recruiter’s time. When a recruiter has recommended you for a position, that means he or she has invested time in your career; therefore, respect their time, return their phone calls, and provide them feedback on the company after any interview. Recruiters are especially interested in knowing your interest level, your thoughts about the interviewer, the rundown of the interview process, and the next step agreed to by you and the company.

Respect a recruiter’s reputation. Recruiters aren’t just out to fill a job order. Their credibility is dependent on the caliber of candidates they send on interviews. As a result, recruiters look for candidates who know what they want, present themselves professionally, and are out to win job offers.

When working with a recruiter, a partnership is formed; and in order for the relationship to be successful, there must be a mutual respect between the two of you. Recruiters want to work with candidates who want to work with them, not candidates who are having difficulty finding a job and want to be rescued. If you can effectively convey to a recruiter that you have a sincere interest in working with him or her, you’ll find yourself in turn treated with respect.

About The Author

Recognized as a career expert, Linda Matias brings a wealth of experience to the career services field. She has been sought out for her knowledge of the employment market, outplacement, job search strategies, interview preparation, and resume writing, quoted a number of times in The Wall Street Journal, New York Newsday, Newsweek, and HR-esource.com. She is President of CareerStrides and the National Resume Writers’ Association. Visit her website at www.careerstrides.com or email her at linda@careerstrides.com.

There are so many steps in getting a job that sometimes people forget about things that employers may check in a pre-employment screening. It's not just verifying your resume but also many activites that have nothing to do with your career background at all. Check out this article about pre-employment screenings and see if you've got everything covered.

Pre-Employment Screening

A pre employment screening usually involves some basic investigation. The most important and common screening is for the authentication of the data in the resume. Many applicants have fake job experiences in their resumes. This might make the resume look attractive but might prove to be harmful to the applicant if the results turn up that the resume has been falsified. Many people expect the employers to take the resume at face value. Of course, a good resume does provide a good impression but if it is falsified, there could be no chance that the employer would consider the candidate.

Basic verification of the resume includes checking the education records such as if the schools and colleges mentioned do exist and if the candidate has indeed enrolled. This can be available in the school or college records, but the investigator will have access to these only if the investigation is indeed legal and authentic.

Past employment details are also verified and must comply with the details provided at the time of the interview. Referrals will be called and checked for authenticity. The exact reasons for quitting previous jobs also carry a lot of weight. It is very important to check for the applicant’s worker’s compensation history. If the candidate seems to have too many of these cases against the past employers, it is better to make sure the candidate is not in a position to sue the new company also.

Other screenings include the verification of the social security number, driving history, and motor vehicle history. This is most important if the post is for that of a driver or someone in charge of the vehicles in the company.

Another screening that is almost a must is the criminal history. This ensures a safe environment to the employees if the newest employee does not have a registered criminal background. This will also rule out the possibility of theft or other problems with the company.

The applicant is also checked out for drug history. This might affect the work of the candidate, as well as make the other employees uncomfortable to work with someone on drugs. The applicant is also checked for sexual abuse in the state or nation sexual offenders registry. This might prove to be very unsafe especially when the candidate will be working in an environment consisting of women and children.

Last, but not least is the verification of the medical and credit history. This is especially important when the company provides the medical insurance and a corporate credit card. There are a number of chances of misusing these if the candidate’s history regarding such as these are not properly verified.

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