Tips for Interviewing With a Recruiter

In any sports league, there’s preseason and then there are the games that matter. The players tend to go through the motions on the preseason schedule, saving themselves for the games that actually count in the standings.

People often treat an interview with a recruiter like a preseason game. They assume that since the recruiter gets paid to find you a job, the meeting with them becomes a perfunctory obligation, just another step in the process for signing up with the staffing agency.

But an interview with a recruiter provides an important opportunity. It helps you direct the course of future placements, giving you a chance to lay out your preferences and your pet peeves.

For the recruiter, the interview offers an occasion to get to know you. They can also provide meaningful feedback that can help with your long-term career development.

A meeting with a recruiter can represent an important step in landing a meaningful position with a quality company. The recruiter’s goal is to put you in a position where you can leverage your skills and advance your career. The interview is your chance to help them do it.

Don’t Think, “It’s Just a Recruiter”

Treat the meeting like it’s an interview with an employer. Impressing your recruiter will help your cause. It will increase their confidence and allow them to put you up for plum assignments.

Making the right impression involves simple things like dressing appropriately and putting on your interview “game face.” Show the recruiter how you’ll present yourself in the workplace. It gives them a better reading on you and builds a strong foundation for a symbiotic professional relationship.

An interview with a recruiter also represents good practice. The meeting has less inherent pressure than appearing before a prospective employer, giving you kind of a “dress rehearsal” for the more intense interviews you’ll have to face.

Be Prepared

To get the most out of your meeting with the recruiter, do as much homework as possible. Craft questions you’d like to ask and anticipate the kinds of information the recruiter will want.

This will lead to a more meaningful conversation. The recruiter will get a fuller picture of your goals and your skill level. And you’ll have a deeper understanding of the process and what you can do to facilitate a placement.

Think About Your Long-Term Objectives

Your obvious goal when meeting with a recruiter is to find a job. You might even be at the point where your goal is to find ANY job. But when talking to your recruiter, have some longer-term goals in mind as well.

A recruiter can help facilitate your general career development. By sharing your extended aspirations, you can steer the process toward a more meaningful placement.

Understand the Recruiter’s Goals

Your recruiter has dreams too. Their plans to retire in Bermuda someday don’t really play a role here but understanding their professional motivations can help develop a more mutually beneficial relationship.

With that in mind, ask questions. Find out how the recruiter makes money and what you can do to make their jobs easier. By figuring out how to help them, you facilitate their ability to help you.

Working with a first-rate recruiter makes the process easy. The highly trained professionals at SmartTalent will make you feel at ease and lead you down the path to career fulfillment.

Contact SmartTalent today to find out more.