Choosing a good recruiter shouldn’t be left to chance. Good recruiters will have your best interests at heart and will work hard to present you with genuine career options.

Be committed

If you would like a consultant to help you find a new position, they need to know you are serious. If you’re just testing the market, then let them know you are interested but want advice before committing, they will be happy to have a conversation and advise you on market conditions and current salaries.

Know what you want

Consultants prefer to work with people who have a clear check list of what’s right and (equally importantly), what’s wrong for them so they can match opportunities and potential employers against your criteria. Be clear about what you want and be very clear about any deal breakers.

Be flexible

It’s a much healthier job market now but with that comes lots of competition looking for jobs too. While you obviously have goals and aims for your career, a recruiter will be better able to help you if you can be flexible. If you are prepared to consider some variations to your job wish list, your consultant will be able to offer you a wider choice of roles.

Selecting your trusted advisor

We would strongly recommend you identify a couple of consultants who specialise in your specific field and develop a relationship with them that will hopefully then develop over time. You should really be aiming to work with consultants who have established networks and can present you with live vacancies as well as discuss your profile with other organisations that may not be advertising.

Open communication

If something is not right about the job you’ve been put forward for, you have any issues with the recruitment process, or if something has changed in your personal circumstances, let your consultant know as soon as possible. Having open communication is always the best way of dealing with things.