If you’re thinking about a job change, there’s a decent possibility you’ll work with executive headhunters or executive recruiters. These experts are gateways to opportunities since they evaluate talent to recommend to their clients (i.e. the companies with employment opportunities). In your quest for the job of your dreams, consider these eight tips to attract executive recruiters.
1. Boost your visibility
One of the most effective ways of being recognised and identified as talented is by participating actively in your professional association, speaking at conferences, publishing white papers, and updating your LinkedIn profile. Speaking and publishing are great ways to establish your expertise, and recruiters like people at the top of their game. Anything you can do to get your name out there, short of making a fool of yourself, can help.
2. Extensive networking with consistency
Suppose your resume is not up-to-date, highly optimised, or written in a compelling way that demonstrates your skills, experience, and value proposition. In that case, you could take advantage of new opportunities and connections. Prepare your documents in advance to create the right first impression. Make sure not to make the recruiter wait while you redraft or send a good resume.
3. Get your resume and profile in order before contacting a recruiter
Suppose your resume is not up-to-date, highly optimised, or written in a compelling way that demonstrates your skills, experience, and value proposition. In that case, you could take advantage of new opportunities and connections. Don’t make the recruiter wait while you redraft or send an inadequate resume. Prepare your documents in advance to create the right first impression. You can use a Free online resume builder to create a perfect resume in minutes. Creating a fantastic and professional resume before contacting a recruiter is easy. You can check out a few platforms, such as Zety, Canva, Novoresume, and Resume.io, to see and apply for jobs today!
4. Get referred
Executive Search recruiters like to locate you. They rarely encounter uninvited applicants. Find out from your colleagues who the top recruiters are for your industry and ask them for a referral or see whether you can use their names in introducing yourself to the recruiter. They will likely provide you with the names of any companies they have worked with in the past, even if they decline to provide you with personal references.
5. Recognise executive headhunters
In a job search, it might seem like a natural thing to do. However, the most effective way to get noticed is to talk to an executive recruitment consultants who helped you earlier in your career. They handle many jobs and use a database, advertising, and networking to fill them up. It’s essential to keep in touch with them, even if you don’t find a job that fits your skill set immediately. As a result, if you’re known to them and are already in good standing, you’re more likely to be at the top of the list when something aligned with your background comes up.
6. Use a search firm for your recruitment
An intelligent way to build a relationship with an executive search firm is to use them for recruiting in your current role.
The most robust professional relationships are those that benefit both sides. When hiring new staff, contact the search firm that’s relevant to your career development: they’ll take your call. When they find a job in the future, they’ll be more likely to contact you if you already know them.
7. Understand that you are not their client
A recruiter works specifically for the hiring organisation and not the candidate. As such, while recruiters can keep you in mind for when a role matching your skillset crosses their desk, they need to be paid to actively find you a new position. Misunderstanding the relationship between the recruiter, the candidate, and the client (the hiring organisation) will create a negative first impression and harm your networking success.
8. Maintain long-term relationships
Even if the search firm doesn’t have a position that’s a good fit for you immediately, there’s always a chance that something will open up. Developing a solid relationship with recruiters can help ensure that you’re at the top of the list if something better suited for your skills becomes available. When speaking with recruiters, always respond promptly, respectfully and enthusiastically. Answer questions honestly and demonstrate your industry knowledge whenever a chance presents itself. Treat executive recruiters in a way that showcases your competence and professionalism; a position with your name written all over it may open up soon.