This is the first in a four-week series on leveraging third-party recruiters (headhunters) to your full advantage during your next job search.
To check out weeks 1-4, click here.
“I have been an Executive Recruiter at Lighthouse Lab Services for 4 years. I view myself more like a recruiting consultant and enjoy working strategically with companies and job seekers to find their ideal hiring fit. But for now, I want to give you some tips for getting the most out of your recruiter relationships.”
Tip #1 – Accessibility and Responsiveness
Ever thought about using a third-party recruiter – otherwise known as a headhunter – for your job search? Whether you’re a new grad, a seasoned veteran seeking a change (or something in between) a good recruiter can greatly increase your odds of landing your dream job offer. Over the next four weeks, I am going to discuss a few ways that you can engage with and use headhunters (and other recruiters) to your full advantage during your next job search.
This week’s tip:
IF YOU’RE ACTIVELY SEEKING EMPLOYMENT, BE ACCESSIBLE
Whether you apply directly to a position or hand your resume to the headhunter offering to help you, it’s essential to make sure that you can be easily and quickly reached. Perhaps this sounds like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised to learn how many active job seekers fail to respond timely to recruiters or hiring staff. As a result, they miss out on otherwise great job opportunities.
While on the job hunt, monitor your email at least once per day (but preferably more often) and try to respond the same day (or within 24 hours at the longest). If you are working a traditional nine-to-five and you can’t take phone calls during the day, email is often the easiest way to communicate with interested headhunters and hiring managers. If you aren’t interested in speaking about a particular role, simply respond and let the recruiter know – they may be able to show you an opportunity that will be a better fit for you.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The same rules apply to social media sites like LinkedIn. In most cases, you probably won’t be having prolonged conversations with headhunters through social media (it’s more of an introductory method for job seekers and headhunters alike). But make sure you are treating your social media presence like a second inbox when on the job hunt, as someone interested in reaching you about a job opportunity may not have access to your personal contact information.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Finally, be sure to check your missed calls and voicemails as they come in and return those calls as soon as you’re able. That means you may need to make time during your workday (e.g. during your lunch break) to return phone calls from interested parties. If that’s out of the question – and it might be – notify the headhunters or hiring staff, you are working with of the best times to contact you. That way, everyone understands how and when it is best to reach you.
Following these guidelines may not get you hired tomorrow but being accessible and responsive will greatly enhance your chances of finding your dream job more quickly.
P.S. make sure to check out our Resume and Interview Tips page HERE.
Video interviews are becoming more common during this unique time of COVID-19 and social distancing. So we wrote a great article for you: How to Crush a Remote Interview: Top Tips for the Candidates
Lighthouse Lab Services offers assistance to the clinical lab industry via recruiting, consulting, and lab director services. Please, feel free to reach out to us if your lab needs any help.
Also, we operate the country’s largest members-only groups on social media. You’re welcome to join:
Facebook – Medical Laboratory Scientists – MLS/MLT(ASCP), AMT, AAB
LinkedIn – Medical Laboratory Scientists
Our YouTube channel – Lighthouse Lab Services