So what should happen when a recruiter calls? Sure it’s flattering but the first thing to remember is that you are the recruiter’s client. The recruiter should have all the information you need to be successful.  

When the recruiter called my sister about the opportunity (see my previous blog post), she didn’t receive any information other than a brief description of the opportunity (job title, location, basic duties and responsibilities) and the recruiter’s request for a new résumé to be sent for the client. She called me to celebrate her good luck and asked me to review her résumé prior to sending it that evening. So I said “Okay, but what advice did the recruiter give you regarding the client’s needs so you could make sure your résumé is focused on key points and requirements?”  Her answer was “None… what should I do?”  I briefly gave her the following list of questions and asked her to call the recruiter back and get the answers before she would spend any time on updating her résumé:

• How long has the client/employer had the opening and where are they in the process?
• Has the recruiter worked and been successful with this client before? If so what job titles?
• When does the client have to have the position filled?
• What were the two-three critical requirements each in terms of experience, abilities and personality?
• What specifically disqualifies a candidate based on the client’s decisions so far?
• What is the next step in the process after they review the résumé?

Once my sister finds out how well the recruiter knows the client and the position requirement, she can then fashion her resume in better alignment with the client’s criteria. Asking about the “next step” gives her a view past the résumé delivery to the client and sets up a next call/contact between herself and the recruiter.

All the answers help her see whether the opportunity and the recruiter are real and her efforts will prove to be productive. I told her the real objective is to participate in the next step in the process!

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