Recruiters are, by nature, harvesters of information. They gather information on companies, hiring managers, candidates, and regional employment outlook to enhance their professional effectiveness. As a candidate approaching the interview process, this aspect of a recruiter’s professional life is extremely valuable. Your friendly neighborhood staffing professional should be able to provide significant amounts of UNIQUE insight (Note the emphasis on UNIQUE) into what to expect during this interview process.
When discussing what to expect, it’s important to get an idea of how advanced the relationship is between the recruiter and the client company. If this is a newer client for the recruiter, they will have less information on the interview, but should be eager for a reason to collect this information. On the flip-side, if a recruiter has filled numerous jobs with a particular hiring manager, they should be capable of providing intimate details on what to expect. Either way, it’s important for you as a candidate to feel extremely confident in the preparation material and information provided by your recruiter.
Come up with 10 reasonable questions you want answered about the company, position and/or hiring manager prior to the interview. This will not only be helpful in gaining insight on the interview you are about to partake in, but it will also give you a solid gauge of the caliber of recruiter with whom you are working. if your recruiting partner in crime is engaged in making your job search as successful as possible, getting your questions answered efficiently and thoroughly will be a serious priority. Walking in the door of your prospective employer, you should feel confident that you have a very solid understanding of what to expect and surprises will be minimal.
Working with a recruiter when actively or passively looking for work should result in better matches, valuable career insights and unique information on the culture, management style, and position expectations for your prospective employer. If you are not getting this level of service and expertise from your current staffing firm, give us a call!
