Recruiting is one of the most challenging, rewarding, fulfilling, and exciting of careers. Like most jobs, it requires the right person with the right mix of attitude and aptitude for the role, but if you are that person, then you will not only make a living from being a recruiter, but you will make a career out of it. As with most occupations, it has its frustrations and its difficult days, but in the end, the reward of matching up the candidate to the perfect role and then seeing them go on to a long and happy career is worth as much and sometimes more than the balance in the bank.
Recruiters help develop a successful approach
It is part of a recruiter’s role to help the person looking for work develop a successful approach to finding a new job. In fact, it is one of the most pleasurable aspects of the role because you are helping someone develop and grow as a worker and as a person. Sometimes though, and sadly more often than anyone would like, the candidate seems to be working against the process.
Some common problems are:
- Getting frustrated and wanting faster results. Not to be blunt here, but recruiters are usually working as fast as possible to get you placed. It is in their interest to encourage the employer to make a decision and fill the role. Getting frustrated and trying to hurry it along will simply not work because the time taken from interest to offer is not always in the recruiter’s hands. Keep in touch by all means, but be assured that they will keep you up to date with developments
- Fighting the system for no reason. There is a process to getting a job, and it needs to be followed. The paper trail, the interview, the selection and offer, and so on, all need to happen in their own time. Sometimes this is for legal reasons, and sometimes it is because it is just the best way to do things. Complaining about it, or fighting this process just results in there being no win. Letting it happen and doing your part will get a result.
- Dropping off the radar. The thing with the recruitment process is that it can be all about sudden bursts of activity. One example of this is that arranging an interview may take much longer than expected because of someone being off sick or on holiday. When that resolves, the employer will want to move forward quickly. Nothing is more frustrating that not being able to reach the candidate to arrange the interview. Keeping your lines of communication open and responding quickly is vital to getting the job.
- Knowing better than the recruiter. This one is a real frustration because when your recruiter offers advice and guidance, they are doing it to help you, not to criticise. The best advice is to ‘take the advice’ because your recruiter will know the client and know what you need to do to get the job.
- Unrealistic or impractical expectations. Sometimes you need to build your career before you get the job you want. Let someone guide you and have patience; if you need to build up to that ideal job, your recruiter will tell you what you need to do to get there.
- Taking the first job that comes along. When you are looking for a change in career and wanting to leave your current employer, it is understandable that you will want it to happen quickly, but your recruiter (assuming you have a good one) will be looking to do what is right for you, and that may take time. To find the perfect role and then learn that that candidate has taken an unsuitable job in the meantime can be frustrating, to say the least.
Recruiting is challenging and sometimes difficult
As stated in the opening of this article, recruiting is a challenging and sometimes difficult profession, but recruiters are always working with the candidate’s best interest at heart. The candidate that works with them will invariably be the one who sees the fastest and best results.