As you move forward in your career, there’s a good chance that you will be working with a recruiter – either an internal specialist or external search firm. If it’s your first time working with a recruiter, it can be intimidating. My recent interactions with a number of recruiters both as a client and a candidate have been positive. As a client, they kept the process moving forward and provided in-depth analysis on the potential strengths and weaknesses of candidates we were interviewing. As a candidate, not only did they provide valuable information about the role and organization, but they also kept the lines of communication open throughout the long, heavily-vetted process – significantly alleviating the stress that follows any application. Having been on both sides of the hiring and application process in recent years, here are five ways to succeed when collaborating with a recruiter.
Gather information about hopes and dreams (of the employer)
Recruiters are great for getting the inside scoop on what the organization is looking for. Rather than relying on a one page job description, you can really dig into the details. Ask them about the corporate culture, future plans for the role, the type of person they are looking for or the strengths or weaknesses of your predecessor. Asking your fair share of questions in the initial screening interviews will not only allow you to demonstrate your interest/commitment to the role, but also provide you with crucial information that you can use later during your panel interview(s).
Be as honest about your intentions and experience
Don’t waste their or your time if you aren’t interested. Earlier in my career I had a call from a recruiter about an interesting public affairs role for a local civic institution. I was mildly interested in the role and flattered that they’d consider me. But I also knew I’d be going on paternity leave in a few months. The timing wasn’t very good and I ended up mentioning my willingness to proceed but only if there would be compensation to offset my paternity leave plans. Well, that was the end of that. By being up-front with my limitations it saved everyone a great deal of trouble down the line. It also spared me from a significant amount of work I’d have to undertake to properly show up for the interviews should I have proceeded.
Get feedback!
Recruiters can be gold mines for feedback. In the early stages of the recruitment processes, you can ask the recruiter what transferable skills and experience you have that are attractive and where there are gaps in what they are looking for. During later stages, particularly after your interview(s), you can plomb them for feedback on your performance, allowing you to quickly identify not only the gaps in your interview performance, but areas of your experience that could benefit from additional professional development. Getting the perspective of someone whose job is based on searching out and evaluating a great fit in your professional area is very valuable. Make use of it.
Prepare for the interviews
This sort of goes without saying – but you’d be surprised by how many candidates just show up and wing it. We’ve already written about some tips for preparing for your interview. However, one specific tactic we didn’t get into was our recommendation to prepare a matrix before you get into your first interview. An interview matrix identifies the 5-6 core areas (identified in your conversations with the recruiter) that are crucial for the applicant to possess in order to succeed. In my case, for a recent media relations director role I applied for, I broke my matrix into five areas including strategic communications, issues management, leadership, government/executive communications and media relations/proactive communications. For each core area, I brainstormed two specific examples. Each example included a note on the principles that guided me, actions taken (by me) and results. The two page document sat in front of me when I went into my interview and was an invaluable resource when I was queried about both past experience and scenario based questions.
Expect Probing Questions
During the process with a recruiter you are likely to get probing questions. Some of them can be uncomfortable and put you in an awkward position. The one that caught me off guard was past salary. I worried about disclosing this given that it would divulge information that could be later used to bargain me down in negotiation. At the same time, I worried about not be forthright and appearing evasive. After speaking with Nathan Wawruck, an expert recruiter and VP at Robert Half Technologies, I learned that there is no requirement to disclose past salary – but boy does it feel awkward and evasive to not talk about this. For those poker players out there, here’s Nathan’s for dealing with these inquiries:
It is good to have a holistic view of your total compensation. This includes all the factors such as salary, bonus, pension, vacation days, flex time, educational allowances, etc, etc.
I recommend to list up your current total package including all those points, so you’ll be well prepared to discuss the future package.
Base salary becomes a component of the overall discussion, and ideally you can talk through all the points at once, before making a commitment on any single point (including base salary).
For your future salary, it is generally fair to negotiate a raise, especially if there is a larger scope of responsibility/more experience required/larger team, etc. The basis of compensation should always be on the scope of the position, not a person’s previous salary. It can be like comparing apples and oranges. (note: sometimes recruiters get a bit mixed up on this point — I think it is often more due to their own ego/curiosity/need for control, rather than a genuine need to know)
Once you understand all the factors they are offering, you could say something along the lines of, “Based on my understanding of the role, and what I bring to the table in terms of energy and experience, I am hoping for $xxx. For what it is worth, that would give me a modest increase on my current base salary as well, which would be a good motivation to make the move”
Good luck to those who are better negotiators than I am!