Want to know how to get your recruiter knocking on your door the next time the perfect job opportunity becomes available?  As a Sr. Technical Recruiter at Agile, I contact top IT talent on a daily basis about positions our clients need to fill. These people are special, and I know that each one will be an exceptional candidate for a particular IT job. How do I know this? There are two time-proven ways Agile recruiters contact people just like you, and I’m going to let you in on our secret.

The first source Agile recruiters go to when searching for the perfect candidate is the network of people we have placed previously for a client.  These individuals have performed exceptionally, and we know they have proven results. If you’ve ever worked with a recruiter before, and have met or exceeded expectations, chances are you will be on the top of the list to call when a new opening matching your skills and qualifications presents itself.

But performing well in past roles isn’t enough. To ensure your recruiter will call you time and again, take the time to build and maintain a relationship with your recruiter.  Forming a “partnership” doesn’t have to be difficult.  It can be as simple as making a great first impression — being responsive, respectful and professional – that gives a recruiter the assurance you’ll impress the client and represent the staffing firm in the best light possible.  If you don’t make a good impression the first time, chances are the recruiter won’t call you a second time.

Referrals is another source Agile recruiters depend on to find candidates.  Many of these referrals come to us from our network of current and previous applicants that we have come to know and respect. Once you make a good impression with the recruiter, that recruiter will most likely contact you every now and then to find out if someone within your own network is searching for a new career or is interested in considering a golden opportunity with a client.

These are two good reasons to make connections and good impressions!  The more people you’ve made a positive impression with, the more exposure you will have.  The exposure might pay off in the form of requests to LinkedIn with other IT professionals, job leads, business opportunities, invitations to special events, and even job offers. How can you stand out and make a good impression inside and outside the workplace?  It’s pretty simple.  Be professional for starters.  Do something nice for a friend or colleague.  Pass along a job lead to someone you know is currently looking.  Write an unsolicited recommendation for someone on LinkedIn.  Send out articles you find interesting to people you know share a common interest.

Your reputation is extremely critical.  If you hear about an “internal referral” that got the job, just remember that you could be that “referral” that gets the next job if you pay attention to who you know and their impression of you.  In today’s business climate, a hiring manager may prefer to hire a person that a recruiter can endorse over another candidate that may be more qualified, but has a less than stellar reputation. The cost of a bad hire is very expensive for companies, therefore, managers are exercising more caution when hiring. If you are a referral from a staffing firm, or have been referred by a trusted source, your chance of getting the job is much more likely.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 23rd, 2010 at 7:39 am and is filed under IT Recruiting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.