How to Ask a Recruiter for an Interview

Working with a recruiter can be a great way to find your next job. They’ll do all the legwork of searching and setting up interviews for you, making the process much easier. But how do you start working with a recruiter in the first place? In most cases, the recruiter will want to interview you and see if you’re a good fit for their services. They may also set up interviews for you with potential employers, so you'll need to find out all you can about these positions. These are important first steps on your way to an exciting new job.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Getting Interviews with Recruiters

1. Locate the correct number or email address for the recruiter.^[1] Most recruiters post their contact information on their profiles or websites, so this shouldn’t be too hard to find. Just confirm all of that information so you know you’re contacting the right person.^[2]
   
   • If you want to reach out to a specific recruiter that works at a larger agency, you could contact the agency’s general help line and ask for a directory.
   • If you have a hard time finding the right contact information, then this recruiter might not be the best one to work with.
2. Introduce yourself to the recruiter. As with any professional encounter, manners are key. If you’re writing an email, start out with a polite “Dear,” followed by the recruiter’s full name. Then state your own name and your reason for contacting them.^[3]
   
   • A good opening is:
     Dear Mr. Michael Smith,
     My name is Kaitlin Johnson and I am looking for work in the software design field. I was hoping to work with you to help find a job in that industry.
   • Don’t use only the recruiter’s first name in the initial contact. This is too casual since you don’t know them yet.
   • If you're calling on the phone, prepare a few quick sentences to introduce yourself. Say, "Hello, I'm looking for Mr. Michael Smith. I'm a software engineer hoping to work with him in finding a new job."
3. Tell the recruiter your broad set of skills so they know which field you match. Don’t spend time going through your full work history. Recruiters generally only work with people who are a good fit for the companies they work with. Start off by stating your broad experience and skills at the industry level. That way, they’ll know you’re a match for their services.^[4]
   
   • For example, you could say, “I am trained as a physical therapist and looking for my first job. I completed my degree from Iona College and interned at three clinics during my education.”
   • You could also say, “I am a former teacher, but am looking to use my experience in communications and team leadership to transition into the marketing field.”
4. Be excited and enthusiastic about the prospect of working together. Recruiters want enthusiastic clients who will follow-through with interviews and offers. Use language that conveys your enthusiasm. Words like “motivated” “dedicated,” “excited,” and “looking forward to” really show that you’re the type of driven person that a recruiter wants to work with.^[5]
   
   • Remember to keep your language formal and respectful. Don’t say something like “I’m super excited to work with you!” That’s unprofessional. Make it something like “I look forward to partnering with you to find a new career.”
5. Explain any gaps in your resume. Recruiters will want to know why you had long resume gaps, or why you’re currently unemployed. This influences the jobs they can find for you. Be honest, but put a positive spin on any gaps like these. Maybe you lost your job because of the economy, which is understandable. Whatever the reasons, be ready to explain them.^[6]
   
   • A good way to phrase losing your job is “I was a dedicated employee, but unfortunately, I was laid off during the recent economic downturn. Since then, I’ve had a difficult time finding new work.”
   • You may have also been fired from previous jobs because of poor performance. In this case, it might help to say that you used to be more immature and have learned important lessons on hard work since then.
6. State clearly that you’d like an interview. After the introductions are out of the way, get to the point: you want an interview. Don’t be shy about asking directly. The recruiters will appreciate that you’re being respectful of their time by communicating your needs clearly.^[7]
   
   • Say something like, “If you think I am a good match for your clients, I would love to set up an interview with you. Please let me know when we can speak further.”
7. Attach your resume and credentials if you send an email. If the recruiter is interested in working with you, then they’ll definitely want to take a look at your resume. Save time by sending it with your initial contact. That way, they won’t have to write you back to ask for it.^[8]
   
   • Be sure to check your resume beforehand to make sure it’s up-to-date and free of errors or typos.
   • If you’re on the phone with the recruiter, offer to send your resume over as soon as you’re done talking. Remember to follow-through with that offer!
8. Move on if the recruiter doesn’t follow up. Recruiters are busy and they work with a lot of clients, so it’s normal if they don’t get back to you. This isn’t personal. The recruiter probably just thought you weren't a good fit for their services. Feel free to check out other recruiters who will work with you.^[9]
   
   • If you were set on working with a particular recruiter, send a follow-up email to see if they received your first one. Otherwise, move on and contact other recruiters.

[Edit]Asking about Employer Interviews

1. Can you tell me more about this position? When the recruiter matches you with a job opening, they should be familiar with the job and the company, so find out as much as you can from them. Get a good understanding of the role you'll be filling, as well as the company and company culture so you're prepared for the job interview.^[10]
   
   • Feel free to tell the recruiter if you don't think a job is right for you. They can adjust their search to find something more relevant to you.
   • If the recruiter has only vague ideas about the position, then they may not have done their homework in matching you with this job. Finding a different recruiter who does that work is a better option.
2. How long has the position has been open? This can tip you off to any potential problems with the role or the company. For example, if the job has been open for a year, this could indicate that there are issues with the company's hiring process. You might want to rethink doing the interview in this case.^[11]
   
   • On the other hand, a newer position only a week or so old probably means there are fewer applicants and you'll have less competition.
   • If it's a newer position, be prepared for the interview and hiring process to take a little longer. The company is just starting their search and needs time to vet their candidates.
3. What's your relationship with this company? Good recruiters have lots of industry contacts, so you'll have a better shot at the job if your recruiter has some kind of relationship with the company. Maybe they know the hiring manager, or maybe they work with the company regularly. These are all good signs that the recruiter has done the work to place you at the job.^[12]
   
   • They don't need to know the hiring manager personally, but an answer like "I haven't spoken to this hiring manager, but I've placed candidates with this company before" is an acceptable answer.
   • A recruiter trying to match you with companies that they've never worked with isn't necessarily bad, but watch for patterns. If they do this regularly, then they might not have many industry contacts.
4. Why did the previous person leave this position? This is an important question to learn about the company culture you're joining. If the previous employee just moved on to a new company for no particular reason or got promoted, then this is a good sign that there are no obvious internal problems at the company. But if they quit over a dispute, then you might want to be cautious about this company.^[13]
   
   • This might be a totally new position, which is generally a good sign and indicates that the company is growing.
   • This is also a good way to ask about employee turnover at the company as a whole. High turnover, or lots of employees working there for less than a year, is generally a bad sign.
5. What main skills does this job require? This is how you can assess whether or not a job is relevant for you and prepare for the interview. A good recruiter will match you with jobs that fit into your skillset and experience. If the recruiter is matching you with jobs out of your skillset, then they aren't doing the best job for you.^[14]
   
   • If you're looking for sales jobs, then it's normal for the job to require skills in communications, teamwork, negotiation, and public speaking.
   • On the other hand, if you're looking for a programmer position and your recruiter matches you with a sales job, then this is probably not a good fit for you.
6. What is the interview process like? If the recruiter has contacts within a company, then they should know things like how many rounds of interviews there will be, what the timeframe for hiring is, and who will be interviewing you. Get as much information from the recruiter as possible so you know exactly what to expect for the interview.^[15]
   
   • If the recruiter knows the hiring manager, then they might even be able to tell you some of the questions that might come up in the interview. This is a great advantage.

[Edit]Finding a Recruiter

1. Find a recruiter that works in your field.^[16] Most recruiters specialize in matching candidates within specific industries, so you’ll have more luck with a clear idea of the field you want to work in. Focus your search in that specific industry so you can find the perfect recruiter for you.^[17]
   
   • Be sure your career goals line up with your skills. If you want to be an IT engineer but you have a biology degree, then your skills don’t line up with the industry. A recruiter probably won’t work with you in this case.
   • If you’re working on a career change, then you might have to do some extra work to find out where your skills fit. Be sure to identify any transferable skills you have from your old industry. For example, a teacher has great speaking and communication skills.
2. Look through online recruiter directories. Both individual recruiters and recruiting firms publicize their services. Online directories are some of the best sources for finding recruiters in every industry, so these guides are a great place to start.^[18]
   
   • Recruiter.com is one of the largest recruiting sites online. LiveCareer and SelectRecruiters are also popular ones.
   • It’s best to search these directories by industry. That way, you’ll be able to find people who work in the field you want to enter.
3. Search LinkedIn for recruiter profiles.^[19] Thousands of recruiters and recruiting agencies have a presence on LinkedIn. Set your search settings to “recruiters,” then search for the specific industry you want to work in to see a selection of relevant recruiters.^[20]
   
   • If you’re looking for marketing work, set your preferences to “recruiters” and type “marketing and public relations” into the search bar.
   • If you’re looking for recruiters on LinkedIn, be sure to set your profile to show that you’re looking for a job. Otherwise, the recruiter might pass you over.
4. Ask friends or personal contacts if they’ve ever worked with a recruiter. Word of mouth is a great way to know if a recruiter is reliable. Check your friends, family, and your professional network to see if anyone knows or has worked with a good recruiter. If so, then get their contact information so you can reach out.^[21]
   
   • If someone does know a recruiter, see if they’ll introduce you. This can be a great way to get your foot in the door.
5. Set your job search profiles to say you’re looking for recruiters. You might also be able to get the recruiters to come to you. If you have profiles on sites like LinkedIn or Indeed, set them to show that you’re seeking work and want to find recruiters.^[22] That way, recruiters checking out candidates will know that you’re someone they can reach out to.^[23]
   
   • Be sure to investigate any recruiters that contact you. Search online for reviews or testimonials to weed out anyone who might be unscrupulous.
6. Investigate the companies that the recruiters you find work with.^[24] Do a bit more digging once you find a recruiter that works in your industry. Check out the companies that they’ve worked with in the past to get an idea of the kinds of jobs they might find for you. If these are companies you’re interested in working for, then even better!^[25]
   
   • For example, if you want to work in IT, then a recruiter who has worked with Apple and Google would be a great match for you.
   • If you have trouble finding a recruiter’s credentials, then it’s probably best to skip working with them. You don’t want to work with any scammers.

[Edit]Tips

• Always follow-through with what you say you’ll do with a recruiter. If you say you’ll call at a certain time, be sure to do that. Otherwise, you’ll seem unreliable.
• There’s nothing wrong with reaching out to multiple recruiters at the same time. Feel free to work with as many as you want. However, it is good practice to let the recruiters know that you’re working with others.^[26]

[Edit]References

1. ↑ [v160977_b01]. 4 October 2018.
2. ↑ https://www.macslist.org/career-happiness/working-recruiter-get-job-beginners-guide
3. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2018/05/21/how-do-i-find-a-recruiter-to-help-me-with-my-job-search/?sh=1d13ff0b5f24
4. ↑ https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-ways-to-rock-the-intro-call-with-a-recruiter
5. ↑ https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-ways-to-rock-the-intro-call-with-a-recruiter
6. ↑ https://www.livecareer.com/resources/jobs/search/15-recruiter-tips
7. ↑ https://www.macslist.org/career-happiness/working-recruiter-get-job-beginners-guide
8. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2018/05/21/how-do-i-find-a-recruiter-to-help-me-with-my-job-search/?sh=1d13ff0b5f24
9. ↑ https://www.topresume.com/career-advice/the-dos-and-donts-of-recruiter-communication
10. ↑ https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/questions-to-ask-a-recruiter-v2/
11. ↑ https://careersidekick.com/5-good-questions-to-ask-a-recruiter/
12. ↑ https://careersidekick.com/5-good-questions-to-ask-a-recruiter/
13. ↑ https://careersidekick.com/5-good-questions-to-ask-a-recruiter/
14. ↑ https://www.inhersight.com/blog/interview/questions-to-ask-recruiters
15. ↑ https://www.inhersight.com/blog/interview/questions-to-ask-recruiters
16. ↑ [v160977_b01]. 4 October 2018.
17. ↑ https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-find-a-recruiter-2063689
18. ↑ https://guides.wsj.com/careers/how-to-work-with-executive-recruiters/how-to-find-recruiters-in-your-niche/
19. ↑ [v160977_b01]. 4 October 2018.
20. ↑ https://guides.wsj.com/careers/how-to-work-with-executive-recruiters/how-to-find-recruiters-in-your-niche/
21. ↑ https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-find-a-recruiter-2063689
22. ↑ [v160977_b01]. 4 October 2018.
23. ↑ https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-find-a-recruiter-2063689
24. ↑ [v160977_b01]. 4 October 2018.
25. ↑ https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-find-a-recruiter-2063689
26. ↑ https://www.topresume.com/career-advice/5-tips-for-effectively-working-with-a-recruiter