So you’ve checked out the jobs online, spoken to a recruitment consultant over the phone and agreed to pop in to register and chat more – now what?
First of all; don’t be nervous. Recruitment consultants are there to help and want to do all they can to get you a job (we’ll let you in on a trade secret: the consultant will get paid more if they find you a role!)
But what to ask them? How can you make the most of your meeting so that you leave feeling assured you’re in capable hands?
Here’s a few questions that you can pose to put your consultant on the spot and make sure they really do know their onions…
How will you market my skills and experience?
No matter what your skills and experiences are, you’ll want to know what the consultant will be doing to get your name out there into the big wide world. Will they be picking up the phone to relevant clients and touting your name? Is there any advice they can give to improve your CV or covering letter? What’s their professional opinion on your LinkedIn profile? Basically, what will they be doing to maximise your appeal to potential employers?
What are the current market rates for an employee like myself?
If your consultant is up to the task; they should have a fair idea of what kind of wage you should be looking at, dependant on skills and experience. Rates are often affected by demand so the consultant is in a great position to assess this. Ensure your consultant negotiates a salary that is fair whilst also not pricing yourself out of a job.
What’s the job description?
If a consultant has a role in mind for you, this is a key question. However, you will want to know far more than what the job entails. What’s the culture of the company and how would you fit? What are the future plans for the business? Is there room for growth in the role and opportunities for future development? This is a great test of how much the recruiter really knows about the role, and whether it is right for you.
Have you met the hiring company?
This will give you a good understanding of how likely you are to get the role. If your recruiter has worked with the company in question for a period of time (and placed other candidates in roles) you can take comfort in the fact that the hiring manager trusts their judgement. It will also mean they have a decent appreciation of the company’s culture and ethos and whether you are a good match.
How long have you been working on this role?
If it’s hot off the press and interest is high, chances are it’s a role you’ll want to go for. If, however, the role is 10 months old and still unfilled you may want to dig a little deeper. Has there been a relationship breakdown with the recruiter? Is the application process complicated? It may be done of the above, but it’s still worth asking the question.
Anything that’s on your mind!
Your consultant is there to work for you, so ask them whatever you like! Most recruiters have worked with all kinds of people and helped fill loads of different roles so no question will take them by surprise. Get whatever it is that’s bothering you off your mind and let the recruiter deal with the majority of pressures that go hand-in-hand with finding work.
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