A quick Google search and you’re likely to discover a mountain of readily available advice for job seekers; what’s lacking though, is literature that helps to determine the signs of a good recruiter from a job seeker’s perspective.

As a job seeker, partnering with a recruiter can make or break your next move. And in the absence of industry-knowledge, it can be a confusing task trying to decipher what constitutes as a well-rounded, ethical recruitment provider.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled 10 metrics that will help determine what to look for in a recruiter from a job seeker’s perspective.

They Value Honesty And Transparency

A good recruiter will foster honesty and transparency throughout your entire dealings with them. Whether it’s disclosing changes or challenges a prospective employer might be facing, or keeping you updated with the progress of your application, proactive, open communication is a must.

They Care About The Detail

A diligent recruiter approaches their practice holistically and understands the importance of detail. Factors such as ensuring their contractors are paid on time and are placed in environments that uphold and adhere to work and safety requirements are just two examples of where diligence really pays off. After all, the ramifications (a person’s livelihood, safety etc.) of an absence of attention to such detail are too significant too ignore.

They Build And Nurture Strong Networks

A big part of a recruiter’s role is to build and nurture strong networks. A recruiter that is truly engaged with its market will keep abreast of their candidate database, as well as their client’s movements. This is particularly appealing for job seekers, as a recruiter with a strong network will possess industry insights as well as contacts that are invaluable.

They Embrace Tech And Disruption

Candidates are cultivating more creative ways to job search, apply, and make themselves known on the market, and this kind of proactive, creative thinking should be no different for recruitment providers. The modern, well-rounded recruiter embraces technology and disruption. Whether it’s progressive sourcing and screening methods, cloud-based innovation, automation, or finding competitive ways to engage the market through content, a good recruiter should be leaps and bounds ahead of the traditional methods of job-boards and two-dimensional hiring practices.

They Reject Transactional-Recruiting

The historical model of transactional recruiting is vastly outmoded and has been superseded by a contemporary partnership focus whereby recruitment providers act as an extension of an organisation. The same principles should apply within the dynamic between a recruiter and a job seeker in that it should be anything but transactional.

They Keep In Touch

Regardless of whether your recruitment provider has a role on for you or not, keeping in touch is a paramount component to fostering strong relationships. Again, this approach is reflective of a partnership-driven mentality as opposed to one that is merely transactional.

They Understand Your Sector

There are nuances and industry-specific factors to consider when recruiting for particular sectors. Well-rounded recruiters should have a good grasp of the internal and external factors impacting – both positively and negatively – specific sectors in which they work with in order to run a successful hiring process.

Finding a specialist recruiter who keeps their finger on the pulse and builds both strong knowledge of and relationships within certain sectors is an absolute must.

They Value Attitude As Much As (If Not More Than) Skillset

There is a strong case for shifting the emphasis away from what solely looks good on paper, to hiring those who fulfil the desired attitude and attributes. As a job seeker, your recruiter should be your best advocate as far as aligning attributes with an organisation’s needs. With that in mind, your recruiter should be able to assess when it’s not the right fit, attributes-wise.

They Want To Get Off On A Good Start

According to Harvard Business Review, companies that onboard successfully are not only “more likely to retain their new hires” but also “report measurable profit growth”. A good recruiter understands, appreciates, and advocates the need for strong induction and onboarding execution, and will actively work with organisations with these frameworks in place.

They Advocate What’s Best For You

A good recruiter ultimately wants what’s best for you, as much as they work to fulfil their client’s needs. In other words, if you secure the right opportunity elsewhere and/or through another recruitment provider, they should be supportive.

Have you got questions about this article or about staffing needs? Phone us at Blaze Staffing Solutions on 1300 008 005 to speak with one of our recruitment specialists or email us at info@blazestaffing.com.au