WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORKING WITH A RECRUITER
Working with a recruiter changes the flow of your application process. It is a different process to when you apply for a role directly with a client. It certainly has its perks, but not all recruiters are equal. Whether you’re working with us to score your next role, or have submitted your details to another agency, equipping yourself with the knowledge of how to successfully work with a recruitment agency is what will truly set you up for success.
First things first, how is the process different?
You will meet with the recruiter before you meet with the client.
Recruiters will submit your resume and will omit your contact details - these are shared at a later stage.
Recruiters go into bat for you - when your resume is submitted, we do the hard work to outline to the client why you are a strong fit for the role (it’s not just a resume submission).
Recruiters will ensure your salary hits the sweet spot. This doesn’t mean we will max out the salary for you. It means we will ensure the salary you ask for is a strong REM based on your experience. Asking for the right salary is a big part of what scores you the job in the end.
We will follow up for feedback and share with you consistently through the process. We will let you know even when there’s no update yet and will confirm the stage the role is at as you progress. Hot tip: if you’re working with a recruiter who doesn’t let you know if your profile has been put forward or isn’t sharing openly or consistently where your application is at, you’re not working with the right recruiter.
We handle the negotiations for you. You only speak directly to the client during interviews and the rest is on us!
So what do you really need to know to ensure you are setting yourself up for success with your recruiter of choice?
In short, the effectiveness of your relationship with your recruiter depends on how transparent you are. The more transparency, the better we can help you and line you up for a role that truly fits. Open communication at every stage is important. We are not here to judge (but we will give you feedback and honest thoughts along the way!)
Our goal is to be an extension of you. Part of our job is to represent you in the best and most authentic light to our clients. We are going to explain to them why you should get the role.
1. Be honest in terms of salary. To first note; a salary guide is provided to us for each role we work on. This is exactly that… ‘a guide’.’ Some people will be motivated by a salary increase, others are happy to remain at the same and some will consider a decrease. We will assist in benchmarking you at the right salary to ensure you achieve your monetary goals and that you are viewed favourably by the client. Salary will be discussed very early on in our process - this is because if salary doesn’t align, we want to protect your time, our time and the client’s time. We negotiate the final salary for you. Being honest in what you are seeking and outlining whether this is a leading motivator in your job search is best. If you are comfortable with sharing your current salary, we can help benchmark what your next move should look like. We are market experts in our field and have an intimate understanding of where you should sit in the industry. We want to make your salary conversation a comfortable one. Be transparent so that we can partner together to get you the salary you are truly worthy of.
P.s Wondering why salary is not always advertised? Because a salary considers a range of things such as experience, internal budgets, existing staff salaries and additional role benefits that make up an overall package. This is why companies generally prefer to discuss salary post application. Salary is a huge part of the process, but it’s not everyone’s leading motivator. Some are after, brand, location, flexibility, growth, culture… And for the company, culture fit, role tenure and seniority, aspirational brand mix, personal connection amongst other things can also encourage a company to increase their budget. After considering these factories, salaries often become flexible.
2. Be transparent about who has your cv and where you have applied. Recruiters ask this question to avoid double up applications. We are not trying to compete with other agencies or discourage your application elsewhere. We cannot submit a duplicate application, regardless of how the company secured your CV (your direct application, a friend referral, another agency submitted you etc). This means if you have applied direct to a role via an advertisement, if you have reached out to anyone working at a business in general, not just for an active role, or if another recruiter is representing for you a role, we can’t submit your application. This is due to the fees and terms of service involved in recruiting. If a brand holds your information directly, they will naturally reach out to you rather than paying us to do so. If an agency has sent your CV first, they hold the right to represent you, not us. There are no negative effects of your honesty. However if you are dishonest, this can reflect poorly on all parties involved. Having your CV submitted via multiple avenues does not equal a higher chance of progression.
3. Submitting your CV to a recruiter does not mean your cv is then automatically submitted for the role. We need to screen you and discuss your suitability before disclosing who the role is for and then, most importantly, get your permission to submit and represent you for the role. It should be extremely clear and transparent if a recruiter has submitted your details to their client. If a recruiter has not asked your permission before submitting you, we say red flag 🚩
4. Discuss openly why you’re looking to change roles. You can absolutely tell us if you have worked for a nightmare of a Manager! We will workshop how to best word this information during your interview process, as we all know speaking negatively about a former employee in a company interview doesn’t reflect well. Your candid honesty here will help us. Whether it’s culture, salary or money, promotional opportunity, company changes… no matter the reason, share openly. We say this because we don’t want to place you in a new company where you’ll have the same experience. We pride ourselves on knowing our clients cultures well, so when we know your motivation to move, we can do our best work (and help you workshop how to communicate this moving forward).
5. Upcoming leave required. We all deserve a break! It’s always best to be upfront regarding time off you may need/already have booked. We will guide you when is the best time to disclose this within your application process. So please let us know. If very soon, it may be best to delay a start date which is part of our role in negotiating your contract. If an employer is not overly pleased with this request, let’s workshop.
Whether you’re working with another agency to secure your next role, or you’re considering working with us, we hope you’re feeling inspired to get that little bit more candid with your recruiter of choice. Openness always leads to the best results.
With love,
Leah x