As a multi-billion-dollar industry, recruiting has both good and bad players. Fortunately, there are easy ways to identify recruiters who genuinely want to help candidates and companies find the perfect match. A good recruiter can unlock exclusive opportunities that wouldn’t be possible through the traditional hiring or application processes. Whether you’re hiring or seeking a job, here’s what to look for.
Good communication
Good recruiters are good listeners. As the intermediary between companies and candidates, it’s essential that they balance the needs of both parties. A skilled recruiter will deliver candidates or career opportunities that are aligned with your specifications.
Frequent communication is another trait of a high-quality recruiting partner. If you need candidates, they will give you regular progress updates and send you strong matches as soon as they find them. If you’ve been identified as a front-running candidate, the best recruiters will be in touch with you every step of the way, coordinating interviews and following up, negotiating your salary and benefits, and ensuring you have everything you need for your first day on the job.
Specialized knowledge
Specialized recruiters like ours are uniquely qualified to help fill positions in select industries like aerospace and human resources. To pinpoint search criteria before seeking out candidates, a good recruiter has a detailed consultation with the company that is hiring. If a recruiter reaches out to you with a job opportunity but they can’t have an in-depth conversation about the requirements, consider this a red flag.
If a recruiter can have a detailed conversation with you about the requirements for an opportunity, it’s more likely to be a good fit. This goes beyond the job description and includes things like culture and benefits. Don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions to assess the recruiter’s familiarity with the position and the company that’s hiring. A skilled recruiter will give you thorough answers so you can rest assured you’re in good hands.
Advocating for you
Recruiters work on behalf of companies, but a good recruiter also wants what’s best for candidates. If you’re a candidate and they try to push you to accept an offer that doesn’t meet your specified needs, they don’t have your best interest in mind. If you’re a hiring manager, thoroughly reviewing each candidate a recruiter sends to you can help ensure you don’t fall victim to rushed practices as well.
Good recruiters negotiate effectively with both parties to ensure a strong match is made. If a candidate’s needs don’t align with what a company is able to offer, the recruiter will seek out a new candidate to ensure everyone is set up for success. For candidates who aren’t selected for a position, recruiters may keep their information on file for potential future opportunities.
Maintaining confidentiality
At SRG Stillwater, we take confidentiality very seriously. If you work with a recruiter, it’s important to clarify early on if this is a requirement for your job search or hiring search. If a recruiter can’t guarantee confidentiality, there are others who can.
We always obtain candidates’ consent before sharing their resumes or personal information. When necessary, we scrub resumes of all personal information before passing them along to hiring managers. When referring to confidential companies during conversations with candidates, we use information like industry, years in business, and achievements instead of using their names or specific locations.
Giving you feedback
If you’re a candidate, a good recruiter will do more than tell you that an opportunity didn’t work out. They will outline the specific reason(s) why a company chose not to move forward with your application. If you’re hiring for your company, a good recruiter will keep you informed about what is and isn’t working with your search. These are exclusive advantages of the recruiting process that you won’t get through other avenues.
Guaranteeing success
A subpar recruiter tries to make a placement as quickly as possible to get their commission, with little regard to candidate quality. A high-quality recruiter stands behind every candidate they send to a company.
At SRG Stillwater, we guarantee the success of our candidates. Should the unexpected happen and a candidate ends up leaving soon after they are hired, we will find someone equally qualified for the role at no cost to the company.
Let’s connect
Don’t hesitate to contact or call our team at 651-383-2020 with any questions about the recruiting process. If you’re ready to hire or find the next step in your career, we’re here to help make it happen.