6 Signs You're Being Contacted By A Good Recruiter

by Ariella Coombs

Have you ever received an email about “an amazing opportunity” at “an amazing company” that’s looking for “talent like you”?

Chances are, your answer is yes.

How do you feel when you get this very obviously copy-and-pasted email? Not special, that’s for sure.

And you probably wonder how many other people got the same exact email. How many other people are considered “talent like you,” anyway?

This is lazy recruiting – Generic email blasts from recruiters who clearly don’t have time to do a little research and customization for “talent like you.”

With high pressure to fill jobs quickly, many recruiters fall into this trap.

But how do you know when you’re being contacted by a savvy recruiter who focuses on more than simply filling open positions fast?

Here are six signs you’re being contacted by a GOOD recruiter...

1. They focus on your superpowers.A good recruiter’s primary goal is to find candidates with the superpowers needed to do the job. Yes, superpowers, not just skills.

Superpowers are the talents and skills required to exceed expectations in a role, not just fill it.

A good recruiter will proactively find candidates with a history of using these superpowers. So, when they say you’re “the best of the best,” they actually mean it.

2. They treat you like a customer.To good recruiters, you’re not just another candidate, you’re a customer. They care about making experience with them a good one.

“I want them to have a very special experience with me, something different and better than what they normally have with other recruiters,” said Yahoo recruiter Rachel Saunders. “I believe it’s important to set yourself apart in recruiting – and this is how I like to do it.”

3. They do their homework.They don’t just see that “you have experience in the IT industry” and that you’d “be a great fit for a very special opportunity.”

They ACTUALLY invest time and energy into researching you. In addition to digging deeper into your qualifications, they learn about your interests and hobbies. They want to know who YOU are, not just what your resume looks like.

4. They understand the importance of personalization.

A good recruiter knows how powerful personalization can be when reaching to candidates. They know you want to feel special, like you’re the only one they are considering for the job. They want to know you’ve dedicated time and energy to recruiting YOU over someone else. That’s smart recruiting, and good recruiters get it.

With the research they’ve collected, they create highly-personalized emails to you instead of sending generic email blasts. They send emails to you that they can’t possibly copy-and-paste and send to other candidates. They try to connect with you on a personal level. They ask questions, make observations, and tell you exactly why you’re a good fit for a certain position.

5. They know you probably won’t go for it right away.They understand that top talent like you really needs to take time to consider, research, and kick the tires before accepting a new job. They know you’re not willing to leave your current role for just any ol’ job, and they respect that.

“The process can take months,” said Saunders. “But, when done right, it ensures the candidate joins us with excitement and enthusiasm.”

6. They keep in touch, even if you’re not interested right now.

Finally, a good recruiter keeps in touch. They don’t bug you, but they do make an effort to let you know they are still there if you ever considered a new position.

Even if you’re not interested right now, they want to continually build their relationship with you because they know you’re a great candidate who has some pretty great superpowers to offer… and a good recruiter doesn’t just let that go!

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smarter, not harder?

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