Maybe you just graduated high school or college. Maybe you’re ready to branch out of retail and into the corporate. Maybe you’ve recently moved to a different city and need to find a job, fast. Maybe you’ve simply started to feel stuck in your current job and aren’t sure how to get out of your career rut. Whatever situation led you to begin your job hunt, figuring out where to start is often the hardest part.
The good news is you’re not alone. I talk to candidates all day who will tell me they have no idea what to do or where to start. But the thing they don’t know? By reaching out to a recruiter they’ve already given themselves a leg-up, and here’s why working with a recruiter to find your next job works.
Why Staffing Agencies?
A recruiter’s job is to help job seekers navigate the job market and be their “tour guide”. While you may be searching for a single job for a few months, a recruiter’s job is to search for multiple jobs at the same time –and most of us have been doing that for years. Because of all that experience, we’re better equipped to find better jobs, faster.
For those who have been burned by bad recruiters in the past, I completely understand why you’ve lost faith in staffing agencies. But don’t let one bad experience put your job search at a disadvantage –especially if you’re not sure where to start. That’s why it’s important to do a little research on reputable agencies and find one that works for you.
Be Honest. What are you looking for?
Once you identify a recruiter you’re confident in working with, you’ll have access to many different job search resources, assistance, and expertise. This goes for job opportunities, too.
Most well-known businesses utilize staffing agencies to hire for their entry-level positions. For some businesses, going through a staffing agency is the only way to get your foot in the door.
But before a recruiter can support you, they may ask a few questions first so they know what tools in their toolbox will work best for you. For example, if you’re an interview whiz, your recruiter might focus more heavily on giving you resume writing support. Similarly, if you tell your recruiter you’re only open to positions that are 100% remote, they won’t waste your time showing you the in-office positions that they have.
And don’t worry about passing on a position presented to you. We’re successful when your job search is successful. No reputable recruiter will ghost you just because you didn’t like the first job they thought would be a fit.
We’re happy to keep looking for opportunities that are a match for you.
Fine Tuning your Resume
Resume writing is a balancing act. You want to put your personality on a piece of paper, but not to the point resume parsers don’t know how to read it. It’s hard and even the most seasoned professionals struggle with this, too!
The good news is staffing agency recruiters are resume writing experts and we’re here to help. Sitting down and doing a thorough review of your work history is one of the first things we’ll do with you.
Remember, we have established relationships with hiring managers; we know what stands out to the person who will be reading your resume and making interview decisions. In other words, we know what skills and experiences will jump out to a specific hiring manager and make them want to interview you.
So, not only can we help you format your resume so it’s clean and easy to read, but we’ll also be sure to position your experience in a way that will capture a hiring manager’s attention.
Interviewing
Once you’ve been selected for an interview, it’s time to brush up on your interview skills. Interviews in the corporate world tend to be more detailed and require more preparation than interviewing for a retail or food service position.
A corporate hiring manager is looking not only to your previous work experience but will also interview you on:
- Your conflict resolution skills
- Your ability to work with a team
- How well you can communicate your thoughts
- Your ability to grow with the company
- How passionate you are about being a member of their organization
- and more.
All of that being said, a recruiter can help you with what to say (and what not to say) in an interview. Not only will a recruiter help you structure your answers, but we also know the “impromptu” questions a hiring manager might ask. So you’ll be able to catch and “curveball” questions that come your way.
After the Job Offer
Now that you’ve crushed your interview, received and accepted your offer, and started your new position, you’ll still need support navigating your way through the corporate world. It might be something as simple as a first-day question or needing some advice a few weeks in. Any good recruiter will still be there!
Remember our success is your success. We’re here to listen, help and support you grow into the professional you’ve always dreamed of becoming.
You don’t have to take your first steps alone!
Transitioning into the corporate world is a big life change and it’s one that job seekers aren’t meant to do alone. Recruiters are standing by waiting to help you and we want you to succeed. Make sure you do your research, read reviews, and find a staffing agency recruiter that’s right for you.
It should feel like a partnership with open and honest communication with someone you trust to guide you through the entire job search process and, ultimately, help you land your dream job or even something better than your dreams could conceive.