There are a lot of ways to get the attention of a recruiter. Unfortunately, some of these ways are negative, and I have borne witness to them over the years.
However, for the purposes of this article, we’re only going to focus on the positive ways that you can get the attention of a recruiter. And I’m going to start with the best way to do just that:
Assist them with an existing search.
You might be asking yourself exactly how you would accomplish such a thing. After all, you’re not a recruiter. However, you might be able to help more than you know.
Hypothetically, let’s say that a recruiter contacts you about an opportunity, but you’re not interested in the opportunity or qualified for it. However, instead of simply saying good-bye and hanging up the phone, you point them in the direction of somebody who IS interested and/or qualified.
Even if the person that you recommend to the recruiter is not hired for the position, the recruiter will remember that you helped them. As a result, they will think of you first when a great opportunity comes along that could be a good fit for you.
While that’s the best way, there are other (positive) ways to get a recruiter’s attention, including the following three:
#1—Call before sending your resume.
Recruiters receive resumes all day long, but a well-placed and concise phone call will help you (and your resume) to be more memorable. Keep the call short, though, and if you get the recruiter’s voicemail, be sure to leave a compelling message.
#2—Be a superstar.
The bottom line is that top talent is sought after. If you’re a superstar in your chosen field, then your accomplishments will attract attention, and invariably that attention will include recruiters.
#3—Act with integrity.
Not everybody can be a superstar, of course, but everybody can act with integrity at all times. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Not everybody acts with integrity at all times, so that makes it easier for you stand out by doing so.
In short, if you make every interaction you have with a recruiter upfront, positive, and truthful, then you stand a much better chance of being memorable and in a great position to be informed about new employment opportunities that are a fit for you.
And as for negative ways to get a recruiter’s attention? Well, that’s a topic for another time and another blog post.
We help support careers in one of two ways: 1. By helping to find the right opportunity when the time is right, and 2. By helping to recruit top talent for the critical needs of organizations. If this is something you would like to explore further, please send an email to stacy@thevetrecruiter.com.