The Value of a Great Recruiter

Building a productive relationship with a great recruiter can make all the difference. Quite literally, it can impact the opportunities you are aware of and ultimately determine your personal level of success. Admittedly, a lot of other factors go into making a great career, but as most people would agree, timing is everything. Having a recruiter who knows you and what you’re looking for is critical to being at the right place at the right time to get access to the right opportunities.

What Defines a Great Recruiter?

The definition of a great recruiter is a little subjective, but at The Intersect Group we define a great recruiter by a handful of key qualities. They are:

• Empathetic: A great recruiter is actively working to build trust and understanding with you. The relationship you have with a recruiter is a special one and there’s a lot on the line. If the recruiter doesn’t do his or her job, your livelihood could be at stake.
• Open minded: If you have ever worked with a recruiter who is not open minded, you have likely been frustrated with that person and felt like you missed out on opportunities that made sense for you, even if they weren’t linear or obvious matches. A great recruiter thinks outside the box and connects your experience to opportunities and companies you likely haven’t considered before.
• Proactive: Great recruiters are relationship builders and matchmakers. Which means, they don’t always wait for a position to become available before approaching a hiring manager about a person they feel could be a good fit for the organization.
• Specialized: Nothing can replace a specialized recruiter. They are plugged in to both sides of the employer-talent equation that the connections they make seem almost seamless at times. Don’t let their efficiency fool you though. A lot of hard work and insight go into making a great match.

Signs of a Productive Relationship

According to Staffing Industry Analysts’ 2020 North America Temporary Worker Survey, when asked whether they agree or disagree, 80 percent of respondents strongly agreed or agreed with this statement: “The relationship I have had with my specific recruiter has been productive.” That 80 percent of people who are or have worked with a recruiter would also likely agree with these recruiter value statements:

• The recruiter I work with can be counted on to provide me with honest feedback.
• The recruiter I work with communicates with me regularly.
• The recruiter I work with approaches me with relevant and interesting job opportunities.
• The recruiter I work with coordinates interviews and other logistics on my behalf.
• The recruiter I work with advocates for my experience and background.
• The recruiter I work with understands what I am looking for in project and career opportunities.
• The recruiter I work with handles negotiations on my behalf.
• The recruiter I work with cares about me as a person and a professional.

OK, so maybe not all of these statements would receive the unanimous 80 percent who agree, but the talented professionals who work with The Intersect Group would. These value statements are baked into our training, operations and daily routines.

In Closing

Being a great recruiter requires discipline, attention to detail, expertise, wherewithal, personability and relatability. At the end of the day, a recruiter is advocating on your behalf while making meaningful and mutual connections between you and employers. But the relationship you have with a recruiter is a personal one. They will get to know you on a variety of levels, and it’s important that this is an individual who you like and who you can trust.

If you are a technology or finance and accounting professional and you are looking to connect with a recruiter, get in touch with us! We’d love to know you.

NOTE: Members of Staffing Industry Analysts can download the complete results of the North America Temporary Worker Survey 2020 here.