1. Do your research
2. Call them
3. Impress them
4. Stay close to them
1. Research, Research & Research
Here it is again in case you missed it in the abridged version earlier and in full in 2.0. This process is about gathering enough information to impress the recruiter so that they feel comfortable impressing the client on your behalf. You need to do a number of things.
- Desk based research – Google, website analysis etc
- Call people you know who know the organisation
- Call people you know who work for the organisation or have in the past
- Call the organisation and do some ‘mystery shopping’
- Visit the site of the office or facilities/services offered by the organisation
2. Call to gain information
The key to any successful assignment is a recruiter taking a full brief from their client. This is information that you as an applicant do not always have access to but you need to know. It is possible to get it from other sources but having this information straight from those who are making the recruitment decisions is invaluable.
You should treat the call to a recruiter as the first, and arguably most powerful, step in your application process. If you can impress them then they are likely to impress the client on your behalf. But...
Do it right: I cannot tell you how many times a potential applicant has called me and said ‘I saw the advert for X, can you tell me about the role?’ without having done any research or giving any thought to their suitability for the role. My automatic response is ‘Have you read the job description on the website?’ or ‘Have you looked at their website?’ Most haven’t and it is embarrassing for them. Worse still, on the basis of that poor conversation, it puts them behind those who, instead of ringing me immediately, did some research first.
See the section below in “Impress them” to see a better opening conversation.
What else should you ask?: Some of the better questions I have received include:
- Is this a newly created role? If not, why did the previous incumbent leave?
- What is the culture of the organisation like?
- What are the aspirations of the company?
- Is there an internal candidate?
And importantly...‘How should I apply and what would you like from me by way of an application?’
Questions like those above separate you from the mundane applicant who asks about money or the same questions everyone else does. They demonstrate you to be intelligent, informed and in tune with what an organisation might want. They are not presumptuous nor are they arrogant. Instead they are sensible and, importantly, they suggest that you know your value and do not want to have your time wasted – they speak of your ‘gravitas’.
3. Impress them
If you do your research and you get this right then you cannot help but impress. It will clearly separate you from your competitors and in turn give the recruiter the power to impress their client on your behalf.
But remember, if you fail to impress or are not ready for the meetings or phone calls ahead then your lack of preparedness may generate a negative referral. This can all but ruin your chance of a successful placement and fear of this is, I suspect, one of the reasons many poor candidates do not do this level of research.
Of course you can only make a strong phone call if you have done your research. Some of the most impressive calls have begun with something like this...
‘Hello my name is Jane Doe. I saw the advert for the Head of Strategy at ABC Rentals recently. I have had a look at their website and have spoken to some of their stakeholders including X Y & Z. I even managed to get an introduction to their Chief Executive from a mutual friend. I understand that one of the issues ABC Rentals might be facing is about the impact that the strong dollar has on their overseas business. If I tell you a little about myself could you tell me a little more about the role and whether you think my skill set matches what you are looking for?’
This is an impressive start to any conversation. Sure it requires some research but it will be worth it for all of the reasons I have mentioned before. Even if you only do half the research required to have this conversation it will still put you above all the other candidates who haven’t done this.
4. Stay close to them
From experience, those who know and have a strong affinity with a recruiter are more likely to be recommended for roles by that recruiter. This happens for a number of reasons not least of which is that the recruiter is unlikely to know the other candidates as well.
Recruiters are human - it may not always seem that way but they are - and because they see and speak to so many people it is possible that they might forget you or your application is ‘lost’ in the midst of a busy period or hectic schedule. You can not afford for this to happen so, for the reasons above, you need to ensure that you stay at the forefront of the mind of the recruiter who is managing your application.
How do you do this? As a candidate you should always look to add value to you application by helping the recruiter. You can do this in a number of ways so during this period make it a priority to:
- try to find leads that you can pass on to the recruiter– this gives you an excuse to call them again.
- continue your research - this gives you more excuses to call when you find out new pieces of information that need clarity or the recruiter might be interested in.
- introduce friends who are looking for new work – introducing them to the recruiter works because it is an opportunity for them to find new clients and new candidates.
- Provide business development leads that the recruiter might be able to develop.
- Try to meet the recruiter personally - this can be tricky and in some cases be seen as ‘too much’ from the recruiter’s perspective but, if possible and appropriate, it is worth meeting them – offering to buy them a coffee helps.
Recruiters trade on reputation and contacts. If you can help them with both they will appreciate it and you will build a bond with them whilst simultaneously demonstrating you are well connected and intelligent. The best way to stay close to them is to pass on relevant information on a regular basis.
Next: Understanding the application process
Remember ‘job hunting is a competitive exercise: you must dare them not to see you’
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