Recruiters Are Like Sharks

If you know me and anything about my recruiting philosophies, you know that I believe in candor, that I’m passionate about finding the right candidate for the job, and I’m a huge advocate for candidate experience - it’s why I started this newsletter.

Because companies are treating candidates poorly more than ever today.

Like you’re disposable.

And it’s important for you to know how to set yourself up in the best possible light to land the job you want.

I’m going to confirm what you may or may not already suspect…

Recruiters are sharks for red flags.

We sniff them out, and when they catch the slightest scent, we’re blinded to the rest of the conversation, no matter how appetizing it may have been otherwise.

You will meet recruiters who are strong advocates for you, recruiters who know what they’re talking about, and care less about filling the role just to fill it and more about who they fill it with.

When it happens, LATCH ON.

Because it won’t happen often.

Often you’re going to meet with someone who is overworked, overwhelmed, and distracted.

Often the person in control of your fate will not give you much to work with.

So…how do you control the outcome when you have zero control of the person who just so happens to be in control of the job opportunity itself?

Recruiters are your gatekeepers.

Your interview process is dictated by how the recruiter feels about you: The speed at which they move you through the process, the red and green flags that they write down, the gut feeling that they get about picturing you in the role.

They’ll fight for you or they’ll ghost you.

But regardless of the kind of recruiter you’re working with, you have the ability to influence them.

If you don’t happen to like the recruiter you’re speaking with, or you feel they’re standoffish, or know nothing about the role you’re interviewing for, you’ll need to put on an academy award-winning performance if you want the job.

And here’s how to do it…

Mirroring the interviewer is your new superpower.

Energy: the recruiter sets the stage for your interview. They set the tone. Your best move right out the gate is to mirror their tone. If they’re full of energy and excitement, that’s your green light to match them if it suits you.

If they’re all business and dive right into their line of questioning, refrain from cracking jokes and trying to lighten the mood.

Always be yourself, but take those first three seconds of the interview to recognize how their day might be going, what kind of mood they’re in, and what kind of personality they have.

Here’s a great tool to use before your interviews to give you a leg up in how to best communicate with your recruiter.

Tone: Tone here is different from the tone you’re matching above. The tone that you need to always pay attention to is your own.

Your reactions.

The way you ask and answer questions.

I’ll never forget a candidate I spoke with two weeks into the COVID lockdown. We were all living in new territory, and I had my three-year-old a few feet away on this candidate screening. I let him know immediately, apologized for any background noise and asked him to bear with me. He was “fine with it”.

This candidate was condescending in his tone, presumptuous in his questioning, and self-important throughout the conversation.

Was he capable of doing the role? Based on his experience, he could have done the job, sure. I had stronger candidates in play at the time.

Did I move him forward to the hiring manager?

No, I did not.

When he received an email explaining that we were moving forward with other candidates, he wrote an email directly to the hiring manager throwing me under the bus. He said that I didn’t ask him a single question, and I had my “three-year-old in tow”.

The hiring manager forwarded me the email and said “I’ll never hire this candidate”.

Why? Because he was condescending, presumptuous and self-important.

Watch your tone.

Questions - Make a connection with the recruiter by asking about their experiences. If they’re not giving you rapport or small-talk to work with, this is your chance!

When they say at the end of the call, “what questions do you have for me?”, it’s your opportunity to break through the hard surface.

Here are some examples:

And finally, when you have a window at the end of the interview, work in this question:

“What can I do for you to make your job easier”?

It may seem like a strange question to ask, but think about it from the recruiter’s lens - first off, no one asks it. It’s highly possible they’ve NEVER been offered this kind of support.

If you’ve got a Fort-Knox-Recruiter, this question will break through their barriers because you are offering to help them. To make their job easier.

To send them your availability for the next two weeks to get interviews pre-scheduled. To prepare references ahead of time, anticipating that you’ll make it through the final stage of the interview process.

After asking this question, your recruiter will feel accountable to you - they’ll be more likely to follow up with you promptly purely because you offered help.

Remember the goal: to land the job.

In order to reach that goal you need a second interview.

That’s all for this week.
Happy Hunting!

PS: There is a fine line between urgency and desperation. Recruiters sniff this out. Be yourself, and be prepared with your “why”.

Candidates often bash recruiters for asking things like “why do you want to work here” right away. You should have reasons as to why you applied - it’s a valid question when you understand where it’s coming from.

Why did you apply? Did the company’s values stand out to you? Did you see they just got a round of funding and that prompted you to research deeper? It’s not a question of your commitment, it’s a question about your genuine interest.

How to Work With Me:

🚀 Learn: guides and courses for any stage of the job hunt that you’re in:

• Job Search: Strategize Your Job Search

  • Approach your job search systematically and strategically. Say goodbye to applying to submitting hundreds of applications 👋

• Interviewing: IMPROView

  • Learn to be unforgettable in interviews to land the job you want.

• Offer Negotiations: Culture Shock: Salary Negotiations

  • Check out this☝🏼 newsletter about negotiating your salary, and learn strategies to get recruiters to fight for you.

👩🏽‍💻1:1 coaching: I’ll work with you on interview prep, job search strategy, and interview role play. Book time with me here. 

⭐️ Audits: Tired of applying to jobs and want hiring teams to come to you? Grab your LinkedIn Audit here. 

❤️ Ashley

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