How To Stay In Touch With Recruiters

Many jobseekers feel uneasy about keeping in touch with recruiters, feeling as if they are being a pest.

As a former executive recruiter, I appreciated candidates who kept in touch in an unassuming way – i.e., they let me know the latest news about them and their market, but didn’t always have a request or need.

Here is what other recruiters from a variety of industries advise about how jobseekers can stay in touch:

Build the relationship before you need anything

Xavier Roux is a Partner at Redseeds Consulting, recruiters for the management consulting industry:

"Strong candidates cultivate good relationships with recruiters when they are NOT looking for a job so that they can get help when they are."

Don’t be afraid to follow up about a specific position that interests you

Andrew Hendrickson is Managing Partner & Principal Consultant with OPHR Group, recruiters for technology and new media:

"If you are very qualified you should feel comfortable making 1-2 cold or follow-up calls no matter what stage you are in the process, but keep in mind too many will result in your being disqualified….

[Send] a follow-up action plan once you understand a hiring manager's expectations. This works especially well for people in sales and marketing or any job that requires results. If you are considered a top prospect sending a high-level yet well thought out 90 day action plan can put you above your competition."

Contacting via social media is okay, when you have done research and come prepared

Jennifer Sobel is a Recruitment Manager at Disney ABC Television Group:

"Many job seekers are desperately trying to use social networking tools to search for jobs, which is a great idea. However, they are using the tools all wrong. I must get 10-15 “LinkedIn” requests per day from people searching for a job at my company. Their requests usually sound something like this “Hi, I don’t know you but would love to work at Disney ABC Television Group. Are there any openings for me?”… I would urge each job seeker to only reach out when they have identified an open position that they meet the minimum qualifications for….Not having your research done beforehand comes off as lazy and it doesn’t give a recruiter any reason to help you."

Being helpful is a two-way exchange

Sarah Grayson is a Founding Partner of On-Ramps, recruiters for the social sector:

"It's always impressive to me when candidates refer us other strong candidates and go out of their way to stay in touch…. It shows me that they know how to network and value relationships."

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is a career expert, writer, speaker and co-founder of SixFigureStart® (www.sixfigurestart.com), a career coaching firm comprised of former Fortune 500 recruiters. Caroline is a co-author (along with Donald Trump, Jack Canfield and other leading business authors) of "How the Fierce Handle Fear: Secrets to Succeeding in Challenging Times" from Two Harbors Press, 2010. Formerly in corporate HR and retained search, Caroline has recruited for leading companies in media, financial services, consulting, technology and healthcare.

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