Questions to Ask a Recruiter

Questions to Ask a Recruiter Questions to Ask a Recruiter Recruiters provide vital links between employers and prospective workers. Some job candidates seek out their services directly. Others discover after submitting an application that the hunt is being conducted by a recruiter on behalf of a company. Don’t be surprised if you even encounter a recruiter when you’re not looking for a job- some make “cold calls” to people they’ve identified as a good possible fit for an open position. Posing thoughtful questions to recruiters helps candidates truly get a handle on what certain employment opportunities are all about. But what should you ask? Here are some questions to ask a recruiter that can help you get the most out of your conversation: Can you tell me more about the job? Recruiters can provide greater detail than what you may have already learned through a job posting, network connection, or website, so encourage them to reveal everything they know. After you’ve established some basics, probe more directly into the nature of the specific position and the culture of the employer. You’ll gain insight about daily life and company values, which can be critical when you’re trying to decide whether the opportunity is worth pursuing. “Its good when candidates ask relevant questions about the inner workings of the role, not just about information they can find online,” says Matt Cholerton, human resources leader and founder of Hito Labs. He recommends asking questions such as: What, specifically, are some projects Ill work on when I start? If Im successful, what will I have done in six months? In one year? Who will I work with in this role? Can you tell me what is unique about this company’s culture? How many females, or people of diversity, are on the executive team? How about in the department in which I’ll be working? Why did the last person in this job leave? Are you coming into a newly created role? Did your predecessor get a promotion? Was someone fired? Knowing the situation you might be walking into can be telling. How long has the job been open? The recruiter’s answer can be a red flag. A position that’s been open for quite some time may signal that other candidates found reason to pass it up, and maybe you should be on guard. Or it might mean you’ll be dealing with a particularly fussy or indecisive hiring manager. If the job just opened, expect the hiring process to take some time since the employer likely will be looking at a few candidates before getting serious about offers. When a Recruiter Makes Unsolicited Contact Hearing from a recruiter when you aren’t actively job hunting can take you by surprise and may make you leery. However, especially in this age of LinkedIn, recruiters have plenty of ways to learn about and connect with people who appear promising. Get some basic information from the get-go such as: Where did you obtain my name and contact information? What is the name of your firm, and where is it located? What other roles have you filled recently? Where is the job itself located, and does it offer flexible arrangements? (No sense continuing on if you’re not willing to relocate and they’re not interested in telecommuters.) If you decide the opportunity might be worth further investigation, start tailoring questions more directly to the actual position. Pose the questions mentioned earlier as you see applicable. Cholerton also suggests asking: Why do you think Im a good fit for this role? What has been lacking in candidates so far? What is the salary the company said it can pay for this role? And be sure to get the person’s full name, title, and contact info. After you perform your own research on both the recruiter and the prospective employer, you’re bound to have many more questions! Know someone looking for a job? Refer a friend to with this link- you’ll get a month free service and they’ll get 30% off!