A recruitment agent is usually engaged by a company that wants to receive quality applications, rather than run-of-the-mill ones, from potential candidates. The recruitment agent looks for candidates who have the skills, experience and requirements that the company is looking for and prepares a shortlist of potential candidates for the company to choose from. Here are a few suggestions to increase your chances of being shortlisted by a recruitment agent.
Tailor Your CV for Your Recruitment Agent
Send your CV to a select group of recruitment agencies that focus on the specific market where you would like to apply for a job. Also, choose to work with a reputable recruitment agent who will be discreet and not ‘broadcast’ your CV to all his clients without informing you first. Tailor your CV to the recruitment agencies of your choice and keep the following points in mind:
- Provide your recruitment agent with a telephone number that you feel comfortable giving out.
- Make sure your email address appears in black colour – some printers use only black ink and coloured texts appear white when a document is printed out. As such, if your email address is in blue, it might disappear when your CV is printed on white paper.
- Give a brief and chronological description of your training and education, but do not leave unexplained gaps in the timeline. This means that you should not omit information like when you took time out from work to travel the world or to look after your children.
Have a ‘Unique Selling Proposition’
Create a ‘Unique Selling Proposition’ (USP) for yourself by concentrating on your achievements, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities. Avoid making comments like “I’m a team-player,” because a recruitment agent is likely ignore such clichés. Instead, what might pique a recruitment agent’s interest is if you say something like, “I marketed the company’s newest product effectively and contributed $500,000 to the total revenue in 2009.”
Make Sure a Recruitment Agent Notices You
Start attending conferences, give speeches and, if it’s within the remit of the terms of the contract with your present employer, promote yourself as an expert in your field. The aim of so doing is to increase your visibility within your industry as recruitment agents often seek recommendations from others within your industry before selecting you for a shortlist they are preparing.
Be Honest With Your Recruitment Agent
The basis of any productive working relationship with a recruitment agent should be trust. This means that you should always be upfront, truthful and straightforward with your recruitment agent. If you left your previous place of employment under acrimonious circumstances, you should tell your recruitment agent the truth so that, if the matter is brought up during his discussions with potential employers, your recruitment agent is not taken by surprise.
Talk About Money
Unlike a regular interview with potential employers (during which experts advise that you should not mention your expected salary), you should always tell your recruitment agent what you’d like to earn. Keep in mind that your recruitment agent will know what potential employers are offering and ensure that you are properly remunerated.
The fact of the matter is that many who have worked with recruitment agents have found the process far more rewarding. Ultimately, you should do everything you can to maximise your chances of success and the suggestions made above will certainly make it easier for a recruitment agent to choose you for the job you are seeking.
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Related Article: Compiling the Perfect Job Application
Aneeta Sundararaj - Aneeta Sundararaj is an established freelance writer and published author who writes well-researched articles on various topics.
