Are You Relatable?
Job seeking is cards-on-the-table time
In all aspects of your life – not the least of which, your job search – your relationships with other people define who you are and how your life is progressing. Your spouse, your kids, your friends, your colleagues. They all have an impact on your life and well being.
Since our primary concern here is your job search, let’s focus on that and the relationship that you have with recruiters.
Meet Mr. Recruiter
Because your relationship with your recruiter is crucial to your success – and because it’s generally a long-term relationship, it’s critically important to get it right. But it doesn’t stop there.
The success of your relationship with recruiters is built upon honesty. And it goes beyond just simple honesty. That’s a given. There is also frankness – which is somewhat different from straightforward honesty. Honesty is accurately presenting yourself. (If you attended State U., but didn’t graduate, it’s important to make that distinction.)
Frankness, however, is another form on honesty. A lack of chemistry with an interviewer – which can occur through no fault of your own, or interviewer – is something that the recruiter should be made aware of. The precise terms and circumstances of why you left your last position demands frankness. Similarly, if the company where you’re interviewing is well outside your commuting zone (when you’re not comfortable driving across town or working in certain sections of the city) is something that have to confide to your recruiter. If not, your recruiter can’t act in your best interests – or those of the employer.
This is an important concept. While your relationship with your recruiter is one thing, your recruiter’s relationships with companies may be more important. Without those connections, your recruiter cannot successfully represent and serve you.
Interestingly, although you don’t pay your recruiter (or shouldn’t, but that’s another story for another day) you, in turn, have significant value to the recruiter. It’s a very symbiotic relationship, you both really need each other.
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