06 Nov What to do when interviewing with a Recruiter

You’ve applied for a job with a recruiter…. They have called you to come in for an interview. Congratulations! This is a huge first step in the direction of getting your dream job.

It’s extremely important to remember – a meeting with a recruiter to discuss roles they have available is just like a meeting with an actual company you’re going to work for.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of this opportunity:

Be nice to the Receptionist

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… Say hello to the receptionist! One thing that I always love is when a candidate walks in and asks for my name. It seems like such a little thing but it goes a long way.

Be on time

BUT NOT TOO EARLY! It’s important to understand that you aren’t necessarily the only person that that particular consultant is meeting with for the day. Turning up to your interview 30 minutes prior to your agreed time because “You’re available” won’t win you any bananas.

On the other side DON’T BE LATE! I don’t care how fantastic you are for the job being recruited for! It makes us wonder how attentive to timeliness you will be both in turning up for work and getting things done.

Be presentable

I can’t tell you the amount of times people come in for an interview in jeans or tracksuit pants because “It’s just a recruiter”.  No we’re not “Just a recruiter.”  We are the middle man who are trying to get to know you to see what companies you’ll be suited to.  We are there to sell you in the best possible way we can. We are there to tell our clients why you should be hired over the next candidate.  Our opinion of you is super important to them.

 Listen

The amount of times a consultant has finished an interview with a candidate and has said to me “They picked up a phone call” or “They pulled out their phone and started looking at emails/ texting/ Facebook….” NO NO NO!  Again this makes us wonder what you’ll be like for a role.  We need to call our client and sell your qualities and behaviour.  We can’t sell you by saying “Yes they tick all the boxes on paper but they were on their phone during our interview.”

Questions

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  The company, the job, the hiring manager, the staff etc.  You’ll get more information from your consultant than from a website because they work with them to help provide great staff!  Your consultant should be able to answer most if not all of your questions easily if they have been given permission to work on a job.

Follow up

It’s always a winner to write a quick thank you email after your interview with the consultant. It doesn’t have to be 10 pages long – just a little note to say thank you for your time.