When looking for your next step on the career ladder, one of the most popular routes to market is using the services of a recruitment consultancy. This avenue gives you access to numerous vacancies, some of which will never be advertised in the open market, brings you up to speed with the current job scene and salary trends and taps into a wealth of recruitment tips, hints and advice. As a “Brucie Bonus”, you don’t even have to hand over any money!
If you’re considering dipping your toe in the job market, take a look at our Top Tips for putting your best foot forward to prospective recruitment partners.
Top Tip 1 – Be Truthful
Whilst every candidate wants to represent themselves in the most positive light, beware the temptation to exaggerate on your CV. A savvy recruiter will quickly unearth any discrepancies and checks will highlight the truth about qualifications, grades and employment dates. Honesty is always the best policy.
Top Tip 2 – It’s Not All About Money
Whilst most of us go to work to earn a living, keep your salary expectations realistic and take advice on current market trends. Recruiters are interested in those individuals who see their role as more than a financial means to an end. If money is the driving force in your job search, this will quickly become apparent to both your recruitment consultant and any interviewer.
Top Tip 3 – No Stalking!
An accepted part of seeking a new role is following up job applications and interviews. It’s always sensible to track your activity and keep up to speed with vacancy prospects. Do beware of following up too much – no one wants to be thought of as obsessive or impatient.
Top Tip 4 – Keep It Focused
Whilst we’re all aware that recruitment is not an exact science, continuously applying for unsuitable positions is a serious NO NO. Spend your time focusing on opportunities that will complement your skills, experience and personality. If you are interested in roles where you don’t fully meet the key criteria, highlight pertinent areas of your CV to demonstrate that you have gone some way to tailoring your application.
Top Tip 5 – Be Realistic
Given that recruitment consultancies receive hundreds of job applications each week, it’s unrealistic to expect every agency you register with to be able to support your search. Don’t take a “thanks but no thanks” email as a personal affront – a judgement has been taken based on your skills and experience, NOT on how nice you are as a person!
Above all, remember that recruitment consultants offer their services without charge to candidates. The good ones will stay in touch, albeit via email marketing, hopefully with links to useful recruitment sites, blogs or news that can offer you constructive advice regarding your job search.
