Some pearls of wisdom from recruiters
Working with a recruiter can bring a whole different dimension to your job search. There are numerous ways to gain the maximum value from a recruiter – especially if you take the time to pick their brains. Here are some things we’ve learned lately from recruiters.
As an older job seeker, one recruiter advises that your age is what it is. You have to own it; you can't deny it. Despite your best efforts, eventually the employer will find out and if it’s an issue with them, you’re out – no matter what.
In today’s job market, of first-round interviews, roughly 80 percent are video. However, roughly 60 percent of second-round interviews are live, on-site. This is especially true in manufacturing.
Because of the pandemic, company representatives are traveling less for work and taking less vacations leaving more and more people “in the office” and available to interview job candidates. This has shortened the time span to fill positions.
In addition to the hospitality industry, one group of employers that has been especially hard hit is non-profit organizations that rely on private contributions. Due to the pandemic, they have been unable to hold the many fundraising events that they desperately need to survive leaving them short of cash to hire staff.
As we head into the holiday season, many job seekers assume that hiring slows down until after the first of the year. Typically, this is not the case. Many employers want to fill positions before the end of the year resulting in slow downs during the first quarter.
Make certain that you ask your recruiter how the client handles interviews. What are their plusses and minuses, and, perhaps more important, what are their pet peeves.
When an interviewer asks, “Tell me about yourself,” they’re not looking for your life story. One recruiter said that no more than two minutes should be sufficient. If they want you to expand on something you’ve said, they’ll ask.
In a job search, you need to utilize all the tools at your disposal. One of the most important tools out there is the recruiter and a good recruiter is worth gold.