Career Guide Tips

Maybe you’re thinking of looking for a new job opportunity, or maybe you’ve been on a job search for an extended period of time. In either case, you may want to think about using an executive recruiter to help you. There are advantages to using a recruiter that add value to your job search efforts and can help you increase your chances of landing a new position.

The following are seven reasons why you should think about using an executive recruiter to help you win that next job opportunity:

1 – You’ll have access to insider information:

Executive recruiters develop relationships with many different companies, HR professionals, and hiring managers just by the nature of their business. They get to know a company’s people, preferences, reputation, work environment, and culture. This means that you’ll have access to this insider information when you go into an interview situation with the hiring company—an advantage you would not otherwise have if you were approaching a company on your own.

2 – You’ll have less competition:

Because an executive recruiter is representing you, there will be a lot less competition when it comes to getting the attention of those involved in the hiring process. This is especially helpful in a situation where a multitude of candidates have already applied for a position you are competing for.

Your recruiter pushes you forward to present you to the hiring team and highlights the value you’ll add to the company by promoting your successes, skills, and strengths. Being represented by an executive recruiter helps you cut through the competition and increases your chances of landing an interview.

3 – You’ll receive coaching and preparation for your interviews:

When your recruiter presents you to a hiring company, he or she wants you to make the best impression possible. Not every candidate knows how to craft an effective resume, how to prepare for an interview, or is comfortable with interviewing.

Your recruiter acts as your personal coach and prepares you for presentation to the hiring managers. You’ll be coached on things like how to improve your resume so it grabs attention. You’ll role play and go through practice questions to learn how to interview effectively. You’ll also be briefed about the company and the hiring managers and learn what to say and not to say so that you’ll be ready when you do meet with the hiring team.

4 – You’ll have access to non-posted positions:

Some of the best job opportunities are not always posted to the public. Your recruiter has a finger on the pulse of the jobmarket and knows what is going on in various industries. He or she has already made numerous contacts in the field over time and has inside information on the best mid to high level jobs that are available. These are jobs that you would not normally have access to, but with the help of your recruiter, you’ll have an opportunity to apply for quality positions. 

5 – Your recruiter steps you through the entire hiring process:

A professional executive recruiter walks you through the hiring process step-by-step—from finding target positions, the interview process, and all negotiations, to resignation from your old position, and ultimately to help you transition into your new position. He or she will manage all of your communications with hiring managers and/or human resource professionals.

6 – Your recruiter takes care of all negotiations for you:

Most top-performing candidates are very skilled at what they do, but are not necessarily top negotiators when it comes to closing a deal for a job offer. Your professional recruiter uses his or her expertise to handle all of the details involved in moving the negotiations forward and ultimately to an offer. These negotiations can include terms of the job/contracts, benefits, or salary and alleviates a lot of stress for you. It is the role of your recruiter to have the freedom to negotiate these important factors in your best interest.

7 – Your recruiter’s services cost you nothing:

An executive recruiter’s professional services are at no cost to you because the hiring company pays the recruiter based on a mutual agreement negotiated ahead of time.

Usually the recruiter gets compensated once a candidate is hired and remains at the company for an agreed upon period of time. This is why it is in the best interest of your recruiter not to just find any candidate, but to take time to find the one that is the “best” for the position, the company, and you—the candidate!

When you use a quality recruiter to help you in your job search everyone benefits in the end—the hiring managers add value to their company, you land a position where you are content and productive, and the executive recruiter walks away with a professional reputation intact.

By Dave Dart