The Recruiter/Candidate Relationship

Posted on 18/03/2017 by Breeanna Noske

There are many important people in one’s life. Your partner.. Your mother.. Your best friend.. Your Recruiter.. Yes, that’s right, your Recruitment Consultant! Your experience with your recruitment consultant should be a relationship. It’s a partnership and a two-way street, similar to a romantic partnership. In fact, let’s explore the similarities between your relationship with your husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend and your relationship with your Entrée Recruitment Consultant.

For recruiters, the process of receiving and reading applications is kind of like using a dating website.

The decision to swipe left or right to a potential romantic suitor is based upon a number of considerations: What do we seem to have in common? How could our lives fit together? Where could I see this going? Recruiters ask similar questions of themselves when reading a resume. What does this applicant’s experience have in common with the requirements of the role? How could this candidate’s needs fit in with the requirements of the job based on the location and hours? What skills does this candidate possess that could be useful for future roles that may arise? These questions all help a Recruitment Consultant decide which direction to swipe!

Think of an interview with a recruitment agency as a first date.

Your Recruitment Consultant will obviously want to find out everything there is to know about your work history, your skills and your career goals. But what may surprise you is that they will also want to find out everything there is to know about you as a person; your family, where you’re from, how you’ve ended up where you are today, your hobbies, your likes and your dislikes. It all forms part of understanding what type of job you desire, what type of job you will suit and how we can perfectly match you to our clients. Building a personal relationship during the interview and thereafter is so important. Even if you don’t end up finding work through your Entrée Consultant, the rapport you build can ensure that if your needs change down the track you have somebody you can approach who will have a smiley face and be willing to re-engage you.

What’s the first thing you do when something exciting happens in your day? You call your partner!

So when something exciting happens within your job search, call your Recruiter!  Registered with another recruitment agency? Landed an interview from a job application? Been approached by a company with an opportunity? Let us know. There’s no reason to think that you can’t share this information with your Consultant. Other opportunities will not hinder your chances of being approached with opportunities by a recruitment agency. It’s important we know what you have in the pipeline, so we can manage client expectations and know where we all stand. As with a romantic relationship, honesty is the best policy. We promise we will share in your excitement with any opportunity you have on the horizon!

And then it finally happens: The proposal!

The best part of a Recruiter’s profession is making a job offer to a candidate on behalf of a client. And just like with a marriage proposal, you should consider your answer carefully. Voice any doubts or concerns immediately and your Recruitment Consultant can talk you through the decision. Acceptance of a temporary OR permanent job offer is a commitment, just like the acceptance of an engagement ring, and needs to be carefully considered. And to avoid your Recruiter awkwardly waiting on one knee for your response, voice these concerns prior to the point of offer! Your Consultant will not at all be offended and would prefer to have this conversation early. Sans hesitations, of course if you are certain the role is the perfect match, then you can answer “YES, YES, A THOUSAND TIMES YES!” and crack the champagne.

The only exception to the similarities? Breakups!

One of the best parts about a candidate/Consultant relationship is that, unlike romantic endeavours, it can’t end in heartbreak. If a job opportunity presented to you by your Recruiter does not eventuate, there’s no “one-strike-and-you’re-out” policy. Your Consultant will still present you with further opportunities to consider if they arise. And if you end up finding work through another avenue, your Recruiter will not feel scorned – no heartbreak here! We will congratulate you, wish you all the best, and be more than happy to hear from you in future if your situation changes.