You find your work interesting, your co-workers are nice, and you are happy at your current job; you may think there is no reason to meet with a recruiter. However, unless you will be spending the rest of your career at your current company, you may want to start building a relationship with a recruiter in order to be prepared for your next career move when the time comes.
Here are 6 ways working with a recruiter can benefit your career:
LEVERAGE THEIR CONNECTIONS
Great recruiters are good at their job largely due to the connections they wield in their industry. Not only will the recruiter know the hiring manager, they often have an extended relationship with them and know exactly what sort of candidate that manager is looking for. This means that when the recruiter contacts you with a job opening, they won’t be wasting your time with a position that is too junior for you or that you are unqualified for. They are pitching the job to you because they think you will not only thrive in the position but will fit in well with the company.
THEY KNOW THE MARKET
Recruiters know of current job opportunities in a variety of companies, and since they have the connections of working closely with the hiring manager of those companies they know exactly what that company is looking for. Moreover, they can let you know what openings are out there without you wasting anytime browsing for potential jobs. Equally important is that a reputable recruiter won’t send your resume to any company without first getting your consent that you agree so you still have the final say of where your resume is sent without having to do a lot of work.
LONG-TERM CAREER SUPPORT
Good recruiters want to develop a long-term relationship with you and help you with your future career progression. By establishing a relationship with a recruiter you will be able to stay up to date on the current job market and will be able to learn about confidential opportunities should you ever decide to switch jobs.
Even if your recruiter doesn’t have any jobs right now that truly excite you, or you are truly satisfied with your current position, you might need their service in the future. By letting the recruiter get to know you now they will be able to keep an eye out for positions that may actually be of interest to you in the future.
KNOW YOUR VALUE
Great recruiters know their industry well and will have great insight into how the current job market is. Knowing this they will be able to tell you if your job is in demand, and can let you know if you are currently being underpaid. Moreover, recruiters are experienced in salary negotiation so they are more likely to negotiate a better salary than if you were negotiating by yourself, and since they know your value they will be able to secure an appropriate salary for you.
INTERVIEW PREPARATION
Like anything, if you want to be good at it you have to practice - the more you do it the better you will get at it. If you’ve been in your current job for a while now, you are probably out of practice on your interview skills. Even if you are not considering switching jobs, this skill will certainly be useful when you do start job hunting. Thankfully, a good recruiter will gladly offer interview preparation before any interviews to allow you to practice how to sell yourself in a low-pressure environment.
YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN THE JOBS!
You may not initially be interested in changing jobs, but it never hurts to see what kind of opportunities are out there. Yes, you may be content in your current job, but you could be even happier in a new job, one that can present a new challenge for you to face.
Finally, don’t let your busy schedule get in the way of pushing your career forward. A 20-minute conversation with a recruiter has the potential to turn into a great long-term contact, and may even help you in your next career move.
TAKEAWAYS
• Recruiters will have great connections within their industry, and usually, know the hiring managers at a lot of companies making them great people to get to know.
• A recruiter will be very informed on the current job market and can help you make a more informed decision on whether it is time to switch jobs or not.
• Meeting with a recruiter now will help build a long-term relationship between the both of you, so when you are ready to change jobs you will have someone already available to help you.
• Though you don’t think you are looking to switch jobs, you might just learn about a job that really interests you!
