Tips for working with a recruiter

As a former payments executive and now as a fintech and payments recruiter I wanted to share some tips for working with a specialized industry recruiter. A recruiter that is focused on a specific business segment can help open doors, provide advice on your resume, and coach you on what works and doesn't work during interviews. Here are some tips for creating a successful working partnership with a recruiter.

Have a current resume.

Professional recruiters will want to see your resume when meeting with you. Be proactive and make sure your resume is up to date including accomplishments and results before contacting or working with recruiters.

Interview recruiters.

When a recruiter contacts you, take the time to discuss their qualifications, industry knowledge and tenure to ensure you feel good about working with them. If you have any hesitation, get clear on why, as it might be an indication that the recruiter or job opportunity is not a fit for you.

Treat a recruiter like a hiring manager.

Interact with recruiters the same way you would a hiring manager. Your communication with a recruiter is an indication of how you will represent yourself to a hiring manager, and you want that impression to be positive and professional.

Follow through with commitments.

When working with recruiters, the recruiter needs to be able to trust your commitment to show up. If a recruiter has scheduled a meeting with you or an interview with a client, follow through. It reflects poorly not only on yourself but also on the recruiter if you don't. 

Be open about working with other recruiters.

Recruiters appreciate honesty on all fronts, from your work experience to whether or not you are working with other recruiters. They understand that you're in the market to get a job and that you'll likely have other job opportunities under consideration.  

Offer referrals.

Businesses thrive on referrals, and third party recruiters operate very much like a business. Offering qualified referrals to a recruiter will put you in their good graces and at the top of their list for future job openings for which you are qualified. 

Recruiters are valuable resources. 

Working with recruiters that specialize in your vertical can help you navigate it, from identifying employers and helping you prepare for the interview to negotiating salary. Put these tips to use to create a partnership that will help you land your next job.

Since 1999 Group W Partners has been a market leading recruitment team of former

payments executives connecting payments and fintech talent with leading payments and financial technology organizations.

GWP Executive Search, Client Centric, Payments and Fintech Focused