Whether you love them or hate them, recruiters can play a very important role in providing companies with top talent, and finding candidates their dream jobs. But just like any partnership, job seekers must have an understanding and respect for what recruiters do every day, and maximize the relationship in order to achieve a win-win situation. Read on for some pointers on working effectively with recruiters…

Perhaps the most common myth job seekers have about recruiters is that their job is to find candidates jobs. The reality is that recruiters work for the hiring organization, not job seekers. As a result, they look for candidates that will fit the hiring specifications, requirements and culture of their client. Therefore, working with a recruiter should be one tactic among many in your quest to find a job.

That being said, many job seekers utilize recruiters for one key reason … they have access to many sought-after job openings at top companies. Before you begin working with a recruiter, consider these tips to better understand the recruiter’s role, and to maximize the relationship:

• Treat recruiters like a potential employer.
  Don’t let your guard down because of the informality of the interview or conversation. Always approach your conversations, interview, and follow-up communication as if you were interviewing with a potential employer. Recruiters will be judging you on your professionalism and interview performance.
• Heed their advice.
  Because recruiters have developed a close working relationship with their clients, they have valuable insight into each company’s culture, preferences, dress code, and other key factors. Listen to and take their advice.
• Communicate with your recruiter.
  In order for a recruiter to work effectively on your behalf, they need to know exactly what type of position you are seeking, salary requirements, desired company or location, etc. Be very clear and upfront about these preferences. Continue to keep open communication throughout the process. Return your recruiters calls promptly, give them feedback on your interviews, and always keep them abreast of your interest levels and other job offers you may be seeking.
• Respect the unspoken rules of working with recruiters.
  An often heated debate is whether or not to work with just one recruiter, or multiple recruiters at the same time. The answer is it depends. If you are a “hot” candidate with skills that are in high demand and you are looking within a narrow job market (geographically), then you are best to stick with one recruiter.

On the other hand, if you are seeking employment in an industry or a position in high supply or looking in a range of geographic locations, then it is generally best to work with several recruiters. In this situation, working with multiple recruiters make more sense because it gives you access to the entire job market and can expose you to the broadest range of companies and options as possible.

Just remember that recruiters’ credibility is largely based on the type of candidates they are presenting to a client. Therefore, the more professional and enjoyable you are to work with, the harder they will work for you.