There are a lot of common perceptions people have of working with recruiters. We have all come across countless people who would prefer not to work with a recruiter, or who haven’t worked with a recruiter in the past. With graduation fast approaching in May, it’s a good time to discuss some of the benefits there are to working with a recruiter while searching for your first job or a new position. Here are just a few different reasons you may want to consider working with a recruiter in the future:

1.) Recruiters have access to positions you may not know about

Any person can log on to the job boards and apply to the positions that are posted. However, a lot of people don’t realize that the majority of available positions may not be posted on the popular websites. As recruiters, we are frequently working on positions which may be confidential or not posted on the job boards. We often talk to candidates who assume we’re calling about a specific position and immediately say, “I’m not interested.” If a candidate takes the time to talk with us about what they’re looking for in a new position, it makes it easier for us to match up their skills with what our clients are looking for.

2.)    We work directly with hiring managers and have a good idea of what they’re looking for

Our goal as a recruiter is to have you put your best foot forward and get offered the position. We can help a candidate to understand what to expect going into the interview, and how to present themselves in the best possible light. From understanding a company’s culture to the main job functions – our job is to help our candidates decide if a particular position would be a good fit for them. 

3.)    A recruiters job is to assist with salary and counter offer negotiations

A lot of candidates are uncomfortable when it comes to salary negotiations or counter offers. It’s our job to work with our candidates to get them the best possible offer from our clients. We are always working with our candidates to discuss important issues on the front end (i.e. salary, vacation, benefits, etc.) so we can let our clients know exactly what our clients would need to make a move into a position. We are also experienced working with counter offers for our clients.  Recruiters are able to assist with negotiating your salary and benefits with any new company.

4.)    Working with a recruiter can help to take the pressure off your job search

Recruiters understand that you’re busy and may not be able to actively search for a new role while you’re working. We are able to help find jobs/companies you haven’t heard about, facilitate the interview process, and help to find a position that fits what you’re looking for from a salary, culture, and responsibilities standpoint. We can do this without you having to take time out of your work day to actively search for positions online or in newspapers.

We’re not saying you HAVE to use a recruiter in order to land your dream job–but you shouldn’t rule anything out! There are thousands of recruiting agencies out there, and most specialize in a specific industry. Adding a few contacts from recruiters in your industry is a great tool to add to your job seeking plan. Do you have a success story from using a recruiting service?