Blog post written by Denise Stuker, Business Manager at Coopers Group AG
I have worked in the recruitment business for almost a decade and have observed how candidates interact with headhunters in many different ways. It is always good to meet candidates, who are great at connecting with their recruiter. On the other hand, there are also people who may need a little help when it comes to building a robust relationship with their headhunter. This is why I decided to write this blog post, to give you some advice from my personal experience.
1) Be visible
Headhunters will look for you online, and of course you want them to find you, right? So it is a good idea to ensure that your LinkedIn and XING accounts are up to date. At the same time ensure that you are not “too visible”, so check the privacy settings on your personal social media pages.
2) Only apply to relevant jobs
This seems obvious, but we sometimes receive applications that do not match the job posting, even for senior level jobs. Sending off mass applications to irrelevant job postings could damage your reputation. Read each posting through carefully, and think twice before clicking the send button. If you already are in contact with a recruitment agency and they have your CV, call your recruiter to find out if you are a good fit for the role. This is much better than just resending your CV.
3) Keep track of where your CV gets sent
A common problem is that several agencies present the same profile for the same role. This is a worst case scenario and makes you and your agency look unprofessional. It gives the impression that you are not well-organised and you don’t keep track of which positions you have applied to – and it reflects badly on the agency too. So please always keep track of all the jobs you have applied to and write down which agencies you have sent your CV to.
4) Build a relationship
There are two kinds of recruiters: generalists who recruit for all kinds of jobs and specialists who work within a niche market. Coopers belongs to the latter group. Select which type of recruitment agency is best for what you are looking for and then build a relationship with your recruiter.
5) Watch out for unprofessional agencies
I strongly recommend you not to work with agencies who don't tell you where they send your CV or to stop the collaboration with such agencies immediately. This is an unacceptable way of working.
6) Be patient
Please do not simply send in your resume and hope for miracles to happen. Let your recruiter understand your work experience, your career aspirations and your personality, only then will they be able to find a suitable job for you.
7) Manage your expectations
Bear in mind that recruiters meet lots of people throughout their career. Please don’t get offended if they do not immediately remember your full CV. Another important point is not to get bitter if you don't hear from them in a couple of days. Feel free to send a gentle reminder that you are still on the lookout, they will appreciate that. In return it would also be nice of you to inform your recruiter if you have taken a position independently.
I hope these pieces of advice will help you, when you contact headhunters like us. We aim to bring you from where you are now, to where you want to be, so it is worth investing a little time in the relationship with your recruiter!
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