In my 20 years of working in recruiting, I’ve come to realize that working with candidates is a lot like dating. I know that may sound strange but hear me out.

Both are relationships that take time and effort to develop. Building and maintaining relationships with my candidates and consultants remain the most enjoyable aspect of my role as a recruiter.

But just like dating, the relationship must be a two-way street for a successful collaboration. Follow these tenets to best partner with your recruiter.

Be open and honest

Be transparent with your recruiter and leverage their experience. Let them know what you’re looking for in a role, your career/life objectives, your salary requirements, your current responsibilities and what you want to do moving forward. Be honest and upfront, especially when talking about your accomplishments and goals. Don’t be afraid to do a little bragging.

For example, when it comes to salary expectations and what you’re currently making, don’t be afraid to be honest. Remember, it’s the recruiter’s job to negotiate on your behalf. They’re experts on the market and what each role is paying so they can get you what you’re worth. But they can only do that if you maintain that transparency.

View your recruiter as the expert

Ask your recruiter about market conditions. They know what the market pays for specific roles in different locations, hiring trends, demand, etc.  Lean on your recruiter for interview tips. Let them help prepare you so you can have the best interview possible. Take their feedback and advice seriously. If you’re really digging deep, ask about the hiring manager and company details and any additional information you can gain on the role you’re considering. Every bit of information can help give you a leg up on the competition.

Be responsive

Let your recruiter know the best way to communicate with you – text, phone, email, etc. Follow-up in a timely manner, especially if you’re at the interview or offer stage of the hiring process. As in any relationship, the communication expectation goes both ways. A good recruiter will follow up with you on a regular basis, as well. I purposely block off time on Fridays to do follow-ups with all my candidates every week.

A good rule of thumb is to check in with your recruiter once a week to see if there are new opportunities, get updates on any client submissions or find out about any outstanding interview feedback. Be sure to also keep your recruiter updated about other opportunities you have in the pipeline. The more the recruiter knows, the better they can help you. Don’t hide that you’re working on other opportunities. We expect that you are. Even when you land a role, stay in touch to maintain that relationship. You never know when you’ll need them again.

Don’t ghost your recruiter

If you end up taking another role, or you have to miss an interview, just be honest and let us know. Ghosting is unprofessional, leads to unnecessary worry and causes frustration trying to chase you down.  You don’t even have to pick up the phone to have the conversation. At a minimum, send an email or text message with your update. We will be glad to partner with you in the future if you communicate professionally. Recruiters keep excellent records so don’t burn bridges.

Recommend your recruiter to your network

If you’ve had a positive experience with your recruiter, let people know about it. It builds great rapport with your recruiter, helps a friend and you can earn some extra cash in the process. We pay referral fees if your referral lands the job. A good recruiter you can trust can be hard to find, so share the wealth when you find one you like.

If you’re an IT professional looking for your next role, I’d love to partner with you. Contact us today!

About the author

Christy Cifreo serves as Lead IT Recruiter for Synergis. She has over 20 years of recruiting experience, focusing on IT positions. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from Jacksonville State University. In her free time, Christy enjoys spending time with her husband, son, two golden retrievers, often hiking, wake surfing and playing tennis.