How to Lose a Recruiter in 7 Days

In an effort to mix it up a bit, and thanks to chick-flick inspiration from Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” I’ve compiled a list of what not to do when working with a Recruiter. If you follow these daily steps, in one week you’ll jeopardize your relationship with your Recruiter, and the chances of finding the job of your dreams.

Because I spend my days placing people in IT and Marketing jobs in Baltimore and Washington DC, I’ve compiled a list of scenarios that don’t work in your favor, and can cost you a networking connection with a Recruiter. It’s important for Talent (aka, a talented professional who is looking for a job) to know that trust, communication and respect all play a pivotal role in our partnership.

Here are some common mistakes people make that hurt the Talent/Recruiter relationship:

Day 1–Show up to your interview late (and not call ahead of time)

First impressions begin the moment you enter our office. If you’re going to be late – or even not show up at all—how am I going to think you’re professional or taking your job search seriously? At Profiles, it’s our job to speak directly to the hiring managers about our Talents’ professionalism. If you’re late to meet with us, how can we confidently know that you’ll to be on-time and ready to go when you meet with your potential boss?

Day 2–Lie about where you’ve applied or interviewed

This is probably the biggest “no no” when working with a Recruiter, and Talent often don’t realize it only hurts themselves. When you’ve already applied to a company – via their website, or through a friend or Indeed, we cannot represent you for a year. Lying to your Recruiter about whether or not you’ve applied for a job doesn’t help, it only hurts. By us presenting your background, it doesn’t get you any further in the process than when you applied on your own.

Day 3–Don’t call

Like any relationship, communication is key. Recruiters work best when you share with us what’s going on with your current job, your search and what you’re really looking for in your next position. But if you don’t share these things, it makes it hard for us to make that match. And if you don’t call us back, it screams “I’m not interested in working with you, and I don’t respect your time!” If you’re not interested in pursuing a position, it’s okay. Just pick up the phone and tell us. Don’t send an email – it’s about as cool as getting dumped on a post-it note!

Day 4- Believe that you’re the only candidate a Recruiter is working with

Recruiters are in the business to get people jobs, but you have to remember that we’re one cog in the wheel of your search. Candidates have a hard time accepting the fact that Recruiters don’t work for them, but with them. We have your best interest in mind, but we can’t make individually-tailored jobs appear out of thin air. Calling your Recruiter and emailing us every day, asking “why we haven’t placed you yet,” is not exactly a good use of your time during your search. At any given time, we can be working with 80 different candidates on 15 + jobs. We will reach out to you when we find you are an appropriate match to our search. Remember, LinkedIn is your friend.

Day 5- Don’t do your homework for your interviews

If we’re taking the time to get you prepped and ready for the interview, it’s only fair for you to take your time researching the company, the people you’re meeting with and all related industry news. More often than not, Hiring Managers are telling us what they’re looking for, what questions they’ll be asking and what skill-sets are required. It’s like we’re giving you the questions to your test, and all you have to do is find them!

Day 6- Don’t fix your resume

True or false statement: “No two job descriptions are alike.” Hopefully you answered “yes!” and understand that since no two job descriptions are alike, resumes are not all alike. Be willing to tailor your resume based on the particular position you’re applying to. Hiring Managers are looking for a specific type of person, and if you don’t have that spelled out in your resume, it will not be reviewed. Luckily, your friendly Recruiter at Profiles is here to help.

Day 7- Don’t say “thank you”

As mentioned before, Recruiters are in the business to get people jobs. We want to be a resource for you and make the perfect match between our clients and Talent. But you’d be surprised how many candidates don’t know to say “thanks!” Be sure that you’re getting business cards from Hiring Managers and send an immediate thank-you-note. I’m old school and prefer to mail, but in a world of instant gratification– an email will suffice. What’s the best way to say thank you to a Recruiter who got you a job? Refer a friend or colleague!

---

Author Name – Meryl Ratzman
Title – Account Manager
Location – Baltimore, MD
Twitter – @merylratzman
Byline – Meryl has been recruiting for a year with Profiles and has 8+ years in the marketing and creative space. When she’s not recruiting and networking with interactive peeps, she’s eating gummy candy, listening to new indie rock bands or watching bad reality TV.
Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos