By James E. Challenger
One of the most important principles to remember when looking for a new job is that almost everyone you encounter during your job hunt can be a resource for getting you the right job. This includes friends, family and individuals employed in your area of interest or related industries. Yet one valuable resource is often overlooked, the personnel recruiters employed by many large organizations.
Company recruiters are excellent sources of information about their own company, of course, but they can also help you determine where your strengths and skills may best be applied to meet the needs of the job market in general.
In many cases it is the recruiter who knows what positions are available within the company and knows exactly what type of person and skills are required to succeed at that position. Recruiters can tell you what qualifications and experience a particular position demands, as well as what the responsibilities of the position are. They can also tell you about the company’s culture, style and the type of people that work there.
It is the recruiter’s job in many cases to be the clearinghouse for job openings within a company. Often, they might be aware of positions available at the company’s other offices or can inform you of other organizations that are hiring.
Gatekeeper Number One
In many companies, recruiters are the first step in the interviewing process. The hiring manager or HR department has entrusted the recruiter with the responsibility of identifying the best candidates for a position. Your goal is to be one of the limited number of individuals selected for an interview.
Keep in mind that the recruiter is often a professional interviewer – often a better interviewer than the person doing the actual hiring. So your answers need to be more concise and to the point. Let the recruiter take control of the interview, and keep your conversation very professional and less casual than you might think. Although recruiters may not ask as many technical questions about the specific job, it is their responsibility to evaluate your expertise and how you fit in with the company.
The advice they can give you at that first interview can point you in the right direction, help you focus on the right areas during your search, and give you ideas on how your experience and personal strengths can get you the job you are seeking. Some other helpful advice from human resources experts includes:
Market yourself as a product. Always think of the interviewing process in business terms. Consider yourself a product and put yourself in the position of the interviewer. Why would a company ‘buy’ me? The best way to do this is to highlight and communicate your accomplishments. If you do not express what you have already done, it will be difficult for anyone to visualize exactly what you have to offer. Company recruiters meet with many job candidates and they get discouraged with candidates who cannot relate relevant past contributions to what they can do for their organization.
Don’t do too much homework on the company before the first interview. This may be contrary to advice received in the past, but your responsibility in the first interview is to listen carefully and answer the questions as best you can. If you make it to the second or third interview, then obtain additional information on the company. Do not waste your time memorizing the annual report. Knowing basic information about the organization will make you more impressive for later interviewers.
Do not take any interaction lightly. Many jobseekers make the mistake of approaching a conversation with a recruiter – at a job fair, for example – as just a formality in the job-search process. This is the best way to be eliminated from consideration. Although someone else makes the ultimate hiring decision, it is the recruiter’s job to do some preliminary screening of those who do not fit the job or employee profile.
Stay open to anything in the beginning stage of interviews. You can customize your interview strategy to the job for which you are interviewing. Let the interviewer tell you about the requirements of the job before you ‘play your hand.’ Listen carefully and determine what skills and expertise the interviewer is really seeking and cite examples in your track record that match the company’s need. For instance, if in sales or marketing, there are many positions and industries for which you may be particularly qualified. Even though you may be interviewing for a position that does not have the same areas of responsibilities you performed in your previous job, you can still highlight past accomplishments that target the organization’s requirements.
Company recruiters can be helpful in directing your job search. Take the interaction with them very seriously. Beyond the fact that they may be the first individual you meet in the interviewing process, they can provide crucial information on the company and evaluate your skills and experience to direct you to the right job within the company.
Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia
One of the most important principles to remember when looking for a new job is that almost everyone you encounter during your job hunt can be a resource for getting you the right job. This includes friends, family and individuals employed in your area of interest or related industries. Yet one valuable resource is often overlooked, the personnel recruiters employed by many large organizations.
Company recruiters are excellent sources of information about their own company, of course, but they can also help you determine where your strengths and skills may best be applied to meet the needs of the job market in general.
In many cases it is the recruiter who knows what positions are available within the company and knows exactly what type of person and skills are required to succeed at that position. Recruiters can tell you what qualifications and experience a particular position demands, as well as what the responsibilities of the position are. They can also tell you about the company’s culture, style and the type of people that work there.
It is the recruiter’s job in many cases to be the clearinghouse for job openings within a company. Often, they might be aware of positions available at the company’s other offices or can inform you of other organizations that are hiring.
Gatekeeper Number One
In many companies, recruiters are the first step in the interviewing process. The hiring manager or HR department has entrusted the recruiter with the responsibility of identifying the best candidates for a position. Your goal is to be one of the limited number of individuals selected for an interview.
Keep in mind that the recruiter is often a professional interviewer – often a better interviewer than the person doing the actual hiring. So your answers need to be more concise and to the point. Let the recruiter take control of the interview, and keep your conversation very professional and less casual than you might think. Although recruiters may not ask as many technical questions about the specific job, it is their responsibility to evaluate your expertise and how you fit in with the company.
The advice they can give you at that first interview can point you in the right direction, help you focus on the right areas during your search, and give you ideas on how your experience and personal strengths can get you the job you are seeking. Some other helpful advice from human resources experts includes:
Market yourself as a product. Always think of the interviewing process in business terms. Consider yourself a product and put yourself in the position of the interviewer. Why would a company ‘buy’ me? The best way to do this is to highlight and communicate your accomplishments. If you do not express what you have already done, it will be difficult for anyone to visualize exactly what you have to offer. Company recruiters meet with many job candidates and they get discouraged with candidates who cannot relate relevant past contributions to what they can do for their organization.
Don’t do too much homework on the company before the first interview. This may be contrary to advice received in the past, but your responsibility in the first interview is to listen carefully and answer the questions as best you can. If you make it to the second or third interview, then obtain additional information on the company. Do not waste your time memorizing the annual report. Knowing basic information about the organization will make you more impressive for later interviewers.
Do not take any interaction lightly. Many jobseekers make the mistake of approaching a conversation with a recruiter – at a job fair, for example – as just a formality in the job-search process. This is the best way to be eliminated from consideration. Although someone else makes the ultimate hiring decision, it is the recruiter’s job to do some preliminary screening of those who do not fit the job or employee profile.
Stay open to anything in the beginning stage of interviews. You can customize your interview strategy to the job for which you are interviewing. Let the interviewer tell you about the requirements of the job before you ‘play your hand.’ Listen carefully and determine what skills and expertise the interviewer is really seeking and cite examples in your track record that match the company’s need. For instance, if in sales or marketing, there are many positions and industries for which you may be particularly qualified. Even though you may be interviewing for a position that does not have the same areas of responsibilities you performed in your previous job, you can still highlight past accomplishments that target the organization’s requirements.
Company recruiters can be helpful in directing your job search. Take the interaction with them very seriously. Beyond the fact that they may be the first individual you meet in the interviewing process, they can provide crucial information on the company and evaluate your skills and experience to direct you to the right job within the company.
Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia
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