Accelerating Your Success: Why Work With a Recruiter?

TAGS:

advancement, career, career move, interview, interviewing, job change, job market, recruiter

John Borrowman, CPC
Borrowman Baker LLC
Gallatin, TN

Once you’ve concluded that it’s time to make a job change, one of your biggest challenges is confidentiality. One the one hand, you need to reach out to the broadest number of people in search of the best opportunity. On the other, the more individuals you talk to, the greater your risk becomes. When you work with a single, skilled recruiter you have the advantage of an “agent” who knows enough about you and your capabilities to speak to potential employers on your behalf.

By speaking only with the recruiter in the early stages of your effort, you minimize your exposure. Sooner or later, of course, you’ll be talking directly to that potential employer. By that time, however, the recruiter will have qualified the employer as someone with a bona fide interest in you, and reinforced the importance of confidentiality during the interview process.

It’s true that no matter where you live, business valuation is a small world. You may figure that you already know everyone you might want to consider as a new employer. But, how much do you know about their practices, really? Might there be some background details that would drive your choice in one direction or another? Could there be a practice out there you haven’t heard of that might be the perfect fit?

A recruiter who truly knows your field can bring connections in the form of practitioners and firms you may not know, or useful information and perspective about those you do know. These connections can help save you time and heartache, even if you’re just moving across town. They’re invaluable if your move is across country. If you are moving to a new city and want to maintain your BV career, there’s a good chance that you can. Only a good recruiter, however, will be in the position to know how best to advise you.

One of the toughest parts of going it alone in your job search is not having the feedback you need to fine tune your approach. Your questions are nearly endless: How did I do on the interview? What can I improve for next time? Am I putting my best foot forward? Is there anything I can/should do to strengthen my resume?

The coaching you’ll get from a top-notch recruiter will help answer these questions, and more. You’ll be more prepared going in to an interview because you’ll know more about what to expect and what line of questioning you’ll encounter. You’ll be even more prepared for any follow-up interviews because you’ll have the advantage of feedback from your initial visit.

A recruiter with your best interests at heart will not let you make a decision in a vacuum. You’ll find yourself considering “devil’s advocate” type questions designed to help you see the bigger picture and make a more informed choice about your career. Nothing beats having a third-party involved in any negotiations over money. From reliable perspective about your salary expectations to knowing how much harder you can push for more money, a recruiter how knows your industry can take a typically stressful circumstance and make it much smoother.

In today’s world, tackling a BV career move without the benefit of a qualified recruiter is like working a high-wire act without the safety net below. Sure, you can do it. But, why take the risk?