They really are, everybody knows it, all one hundred thousand or so of them... Wading in and saving businesses time, money, and tears in securing the right talent. Furthering their candidates careers, and preventing the brakes being slammed on the nation’s economic growth.

That’s not to say that there aren’t some bad apples in the industry, but with almost 100,000 working in UK recruitment, how did everybody get tarred with the same brush?

In the same way you wouldn’t avoid restaurants for life because of a bad experience you once had at McDonalds, a bad recruiter shouldn’t discredit the hard work of the good.

What are the main gripes levelled at the door of recruiters?

They don’t return your calls

No news is far worse than bad news in recruitment. Not returning a call or feedback on an interview is one of the biggest peeves candidates aim at recruiters.

Treat candidates with the knowledge that they could very well be tomorrow’s clients. Once someone finds a good recruiter they’re going to remember them, they’ll pass the word on, and they’ll come back when they need them again.

So even if the feedback is negative, or there’s no reason to call a candidate… pick up the phone.

They don’t know the role

How can a candidate understand the role, or a client the candidate, if the recruiter’s in the dark as well.

Research the role, do your due-diligence. Not only are you collecting more ammunition to secure a deal, but it’s going to strike a note if you know the extra details that define a candidate and the position.

Cattle not candidates

Everybody is aware that recruiters work with a commission based carrot above their heads, but not everyone wants to know that’s what’s driving them. Candidates can sometimes feel that they’re being herded into a role by someone that couldn’t care less about them.

Establishing a good relationship with your candidates and clients on a personal level is what defines a good recruiter.

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Being stuck with an unfair stereotype that you’re reminded of every time you start a search in Google with “recruiters are”, is just the nature of the game and one of the reasons recruiters are so thick skinned.

About:

Calum is the Content & Marketing Executive for Sonovate, a disruptor to the banks, transforming the way recruitment agencies fund and manage contractors. Find similar recruitment content at www.sonovate.com/blog or follow @Calum551