Consultant: a person who provides expert advice professionally. (Noun)
Ideally, we are introduced to recruitment consultants through recommendations from our peers, but typically most dealings are the result of applications to advertisements for that ideal role.
Overall, the more specialist, the better, particularly in discipline. It allows you to forge a working relationship so that he or she can have a better understanding of your skills and present you with several opportunities that meet your expectations.
Tip: If you are a contractor, ensure that your recruitment consultant can clarify IR35 status when representing for a role and is educated in this matter.
Some firms are seen as progressive, while others are a steady pair of hands. How your firm is perceived plays a role in searching for new opportunities. Knowing this can prepare you to counteract any preconceived ideas a hiring manager might have, that are often conveyed during the interview.
Having access to the decision-maker and your reporting line is important and will increase your chances. Unfortunately, some roles come with restrictions with no hiring manager contact.
This can be detrimental to securing the right individual for the position and is something an experienced and confident recruiter will push back on. Hiring manager contact allows the consultant to see beyond the job spec and get to the heart of the role.
This question reduces any “ownership” wars moving forward. If other recruiters are working the role, then make a note of the recruitment firm representing you for the position to save duplication of submission.
Duplication of submissions is not a good look for an applicant. It can make you look unorganised and, in the worst-case desperate. The last thing a firm wants is to get into a feud between recruiters. They are more likely to demote your application.
This is one of the first questions a recruiter will ask a hiring manager, and the answer may very well determine your interest in the role. The recruiters who have worked with the hiring firm before can give you a good idea of the department’s retention rate and growth plans. A position in which the previous two incumbents have left within the space of 6 months is a very different “sell” than a greenfield role. You have the right to know to be able to make an educated decision.
Never ever… let anyone submit your CV if they keep the name of the hiring firm confidential.
Your CV is your intellectual property, and you want to know where it’s going.
Do not burn bridges: if an opportunity is not right for you, be honest. To accept an offer if you have no intent on joining will damage your credibility in an incestuous industry. The hiring manager will be made aware that you have gone AWOL.
Unforeseen events may come into play that may mean you are forced to retract on your commitment, be honest and upfront.
The relationship between a hiring manager, an applicant, and a recruitment consultant relies on professionalism and transparency to secure the right individual in the right position in the right firm. While this is a simple formula, the plethora of problems that arise from lack of feedback, lack of communication, and lack of clarity are exhaustive.
If you are looking to take the next step on your career ladder, reach out for a conversation.