Recruitment companies and agents are critical partners to employers when they look for new staff. Their relationship with you and with the employer can affect your chances of securing the job. This blog will help all candidates understand why you should interview with a recruiter during the process.
Why you should interview with a recruiter
Candidates, recruiters and employers represent the 3 players in the recruitment process. Candidates and recruiters who work well together present a stronger story to the employer. When you interview with a recruiter, the experience should help you to:
- Qualify you interest and suitability based upon a fuller definition of the role.
- Probe the recruiter’s knowledge of people, culture and future prospects.
- Build trust with the recruiter so that you communicate freely throughout the recruitment process.
Treat an interview with a well informed recruiter as one that prepares you for an interview with the employer. The more you know, the better prepared you will be and the greater your chance of success.
Be aware that employers work with more than one recruiter. That puts recruiters into a race to find and present the best candidates for any role. If the best candidate happens to be you, make sure that you are dealing with a recruiter who has a strong relationship with the employer.
Red flags
You want to be sure that you will be presented to the employer appropriately and that the employer considers the recruiter highly. Not all recruiters are made the same way. Before meeting with any recruiter, qualify the strength of their employer relationship so that you invest your time wisely. Ask probing questions about the employer and the role. If the recruiter can’t answer them, it is unlikely that relationship between the recruiter and employer is a strong one. Avoid recruiters who:
- Present the ‘perfect job’ without detail and who wish to present your CV before can qualify your interest.
- Seek to confirm specifics rather than asking questions to qualify your skills and experience.
- Decline to interview you as part of the process.
Data Protection
New Data Protection regulations are coming into force for May 2018. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) strengthens your hand because your details cannot be presented for a role without your consent. Under the terms of the regulation, that consent must be documented and you must be able to withdraw consent after giving it.
This means that you can instruct the recruiter that you would like either a face to face interview or video interview before presenting your details to the employer.
Xperian Recruitment
Xperian Recruitment offers the best Search and Selection services for Software IT companies throughout the UK. We serve the UK and we mandate either face to face or Skype interviews as part of our recruitment process. Find out more by contacting Nancy Pomfret, our Senior Recruiter, on 01634 202 101.