Five Insightful Questions to Ask a Recruiter
June 8, 2022
Partnering with a recruiter has many benefits, including insight into the local job market, network expansion, and of course, assistance in landing a job. But how do you ensure you are working with the right recruiter? We share five questions to ask the next recruiter who contacts you for a job to assess if they are the best partner for your job search.
Field of Specializations
Asking a recruiter what field they specialize in should be your first question. Specialties can range from IT, accounting and finance, sales, and executive-level, amongst other fields. Make sure that your career goals align with their specialty, as it can assure you that the recruiter has the best knowledge in this field.
Types of Roles
You can also drill down into a recruiter's specialties and discover exactly what type of roles they typically work on. For example, question whether your recruiter focuses on hardware or software roles, then drill into those positions. If you are a mid-level manager and their roles are predominately lower-level management or tech positions, then you might want to continue your search for a recruiting partner.
Average Salary
Once you dig into their specific roles, you can question their consultants' average pay. Again, this will give you insight into what level of positions the recruiter works on and if they coincide with your career goals.
Clientele
When interviewing a recruiter, it's not inappropriate to ask how many clients they are contracted with but don't expect them to start listing names. Understanding how many clients they have gives you a better understanding of their ability to help you find a job. If they are currently working with 50+ clients, you know you have a better chance of landing a role. If they are only partnering with a few clients, your job prospects might not be as plentiful. Working with a well-established firm can help pave the way to landing a new position.
Don't be afraid to ask if they are willing to divulge any big client names that you might recognize. Asking this question can help validate the firm and its abilities.
Negotiations
Will your recruiter negotiate a better deal on your behalf? You won't know unless you ask. Ask the recruiter if they typically negotiate compensation if the client doesn't meet their candidate's needs. Follow up and ask for examples of when they've done this and how they did it. Will you be included in the negotiations? Making sure your recruiter will go to bat for you will help confirm if you have chosen the best recruiting partner out there!
ANALYSTS
At Analysts, an ACS Company, our expert recruiters work diligently to understand their candidates' needs and work even harder to meet those needs. Contact us today to learn how to partner with one of our trusted recruiters.
