I love my job. I love helping people make important decisions in their careers, guiding and advising them, helping them to make the right move. The satisfaction of helping someone secure their dream job is why I come to work. But the only way I can really help and give you that all important advice, is if you’re honest with me.
It is our job as recruiters to help you make the right career move and for us to be able to do that, we need to know as much about you as possible. Now I’m sure many of you are sceptical of being completely, 100% honest with your recruiter, I mean, we’ve all heard the horror stories. But that’s why it’s important to first, find the right agent for you. One that you can trust, one that actually cares and will take the time to get to know you.
There is sadly a lack of trust between job seekers and recruiters. But, being honest with your recruiter is actually one of the most important parts of your job search. Never underestimate the power of a recruiter, we are your biggest promotor to the wider industry. Put your faith in us and you’ll see just how much we can do!
There are many reasons why being honest with your recruiter is so important. Believe me, I could sit here all day listing them. But for now, I’m just going to highlight a few of the most important reasons for you to consider.
Helping you find the RIGHT Job
Before you pick up the phone to your agent, stop to think about why you are not happy in your current role and what you want to gain from your next career move. What type of company environment do you thrive best in, what type of people to you like working with and most importantly don’t you like working with. All these areas and more help me to recommend the right companies and teams to you. Unfortunately, recruiters aren’t mind readers (at least not all the time!) The more honest you are, the more we can help you.
Most effective representation
If you’re having doubts about a position or come away from an interview unsure of whether or not the position is right for you having discussed things further with the employer, be honest! Remember you’re always speaking to us in confidence. The last thing we’re going to do is break the trust we’ve worked so hard to build up with you. By expressing your uncertainties, we can help. Remember we’re on your side and want you to secure the perfect job, we’re not going to force you into a role you’re not 100% happy with. We can address the issues, clarifying them with the employer or even without needing to do so, we know more than you think! We can help you to work out if it’s a right fit or not and if you decide it’s not the right position, we can realign our search and have got to know you better in the process. Perhaps it’s helped you to decide what you don’t want, it’s all part of the process.
Interview advice & tackling awkward questions
We know how hard interviews are; the nerves, the sweaty palms, the dry mouth and the fear that you’re not going to impress. I even left my handbrake off just before attending my second interview at Block Recruit and had to chase my car down the hill, so I have been there, trust me I know. If you’re feeling nervous about an interview, be honest with your recruiter. Don’t be afraid to ask for further support, we like to think of ourselves as pros when it comes to interviewing and the hiring process. We spend time learning everything we can about the companies we work with, it’s our job to know them inside out so that we can provide you with everything you’d possibly need to know before an interview. So ask us! Put us to the test and ask questions.
It is also our job to help you tackle awkward questions that may arise in interviews. But also help to diffuse a situation before you even get to the interview. By being honest about topics such as your employment history and the reason for leaving your current role, we can address any issues with the hiring manager before you get to the interview and then work with you on how to tackle questions if anything is brought up. After all, we’re a team and we’re in this together. *high fives*
The all-important negotiations
So, you’ve nailed the interview and we’ve got an offer on the table. Hopefully, you were honest from the beginning with regards to your current and salary expectation and we don’t get to the final stage of what can sometimes be a very lengthy process, only to find out you’re looking for more money.
I’d say this is probably what annoys employers the most. You are at risk of putting an employer off if we get into drawn-out negotiations over salary. It can leave a sour taste in their mouth. Be honest from the beginning and avoid the awkward process of going back and forth trying to get the employer to increase the salary offered. We’re here to manage this process, so if we know the facts, we can avoid this all together.
This is also the same scenario with notice periods. If you have to give 3 months’ notice then tell us. Longer notice periods are becoming the norm in the industry. Be sure to check your contract. If you’re still unsure, we have a HR department that can help. It helps an employer to know where they stand from the beginning, if you get to offer stage and you’ve come back after handing your notice in to say you’re not going to be able to start for 3 months as opposed to 1 months’ time, it means they’ve then got to try and put a plan in place for the next few months whilst they wait for you. It’s all about setting everyone’s expectations correctly.
Damage control & managing the recruitment process
Got more than one offer? Seeing 3 other employers for an interview? Not a problem! Being an active job seeker in the market with more than one opportunity lined up is not a crime, we actively encourage this. I always say it’s best to keep your options open. It’s important to communicate this to us though. We can also help highlight the positives and negatives of each role in your decision process. It doesn’t matter if the role is with us or not, it’s what is right for you!
Hopefully I’ve now highlighted how important it is to be clear, open and honest with your agent. Try it, you will probably find that the recruitment process is a lot less stressful. However, if you’ve enjoyed reading this so much and want to continue to hear more benefits of being honest with your agent, give me a call!