At the June 2021 edition of Jobberman Nigeria’s #AskHR series on Linkedln Live, seasoned HR experts Bayinde Boluwatife (HR Generalists); Idris Abdulgafar (Head HR, Jobberman Nigeria) and Temi Richard-Banji (Lead, Talent Development, Mastercard Foundation) were all geared up to share tips on networking with recruiters: the right way.
The highly competitive nature of the job market has created an even ground for recruiters and candidates, as both are now required to put in the same amount of effort to ensure a win-win job situation. The market evolution also continues to show candidates and recruiters the significance of networking and building relationships for practical job placements.
Humans are sensitive beings, and dealing with one another requires a significant level of understanding and emotional intelligence. The relationship between recruiters and candidates isn’t an exception. Due to the considerable disparity between the number of those looking for new job opportunities and those offering them, the need to know how to network with a recruiter correctly is essential.
While the Linkedln Live interactive session addressed several issues bordering on the topic, many of the participants had further questions that were not answered due to lack of time. Here are answers to some critical questions –
How Can I Connect with an Employer after a Failed Interview?
Interviews are conversations during which a recruiter seeks to determine if a candidate is a perfect fit for a role they want to fill. Regardless of the session’s outcome, sending a “thank you” note to the recruiter appreciating them for taking their time to interview you and allowing you to learn more about the role is always recommended. Doing this leaves a subtle impression on them of your ability to handle rejection.
Besides this, it also shows your readiness to learn. If the top pick for the role cannot accept the offer for one reason or another, your profile will come highly considered by the way you handled the situation.
How Can I Sell Myself to Recruiters for Job Opportunities?
Every candidate is a brand, and getting the desired role depends on how well you can sell yourself. However, before you can attract suitable attention and opportunities, you must equip yourself with value. You want your brand to be irresistible, one they need, and you can achieve this by –
– Defining your career path
– Looking for what it takes to excel in that career path, including developing yourself through personal learning, signing up for internships, volunteering, researching a trending project, etc.
Once you’ve done these, you’ll find it pretty easy to reach out to recruiters and sell yourself.
What Are Some Networking Dos and Don’ts?
The rationale behind networking is developing mutual relationships. It’s not merely a one-way street solely centred on what you can gain from recruiters. Here are some Dos and Don’ts of networking –
- Dos
- Do your research. Find out the industry or niche in which a recruiter you want to network with is based.
- Develop an elevator pitch. Many people believe that elevator pitches only works for physical, face-to-face interactions. However, that’s not true. Elevator pitches are also instrumental in virtual interactions.
- For virtual or social media networking, endeavour to keep your messages concise. However, write enough about yourself to make the other person arrive at a conclusion and decide.
- Engage with the other person’s posts and conversations and build a friendship with them.
- 5. Ensure your profile is up-to-date and let it reflect all your experiences and skills.
- Don’ts
- Avoid inappropriate words, slangs, or jargons when interacting with someone you don’t know.
- Avoid informal greetings for recruiters you’re messaging for the first time.
- Don’t reach out to recruiters at odd hours. They have a life, and they deserve to have their privacy respected.
- Don’t get too personal. Being too personal with people you barely know puts them off and can drive them away.
- Don’t ask for a job immediately. Build a connection first.
- Don’t be entitled.
Does Experience Matter in Getting a Job?
You can’t sacrifice experience on the altar of certification. Experience is a vital factor that recruiters often consider when filling a role. It confirms a candidate’s ability to get the job since they’ve executed similar tasks in the past.
However, for entry-level roles, expectations revolve more around soft skills than technical ones. Questions recruiters often ask in this regard include, “Is this person teachable?” “Can I trust them?” etc.
To ensure you have the edge over others in the job market, take internships, summer jobs, or volunteering opportunities seriously. Endeavour to look out for opportunities to garner experience as they will come in handy in your career journey. Also, entrepreneurship is a viable way to gain experience as they provide an avenue to build soft skills required for career growth.
To equip yourself with the necessary soft skills for career advancement, the free Jobberman Soft-Skills Training is a viable option to consider.
Can I Pay Someone to Prepare a Professional CV for Me?
One of the things you’ll learn when you take the free Jobberman Soft-Skills Training is how to write a good CV. But, if after doing that, you still see the need for a professional, consider engaging one. Fortunately, Jobberman Nigeria offers professional CV writing services that focus on getting you interviews and job placements. To access this service, kindly fill this form.
What Exactly Are Recruiters Looking for?
Recruiters differ from one industry to the other. However, a factor common to them all is that they’re all looking for people that can do the job.
Beyond the technical skills that fit the job descriptions of any role, recruiters are highly interested in candidates’ soft skills. Skills like communication, reliability, teamwork, emotional intelligence, etc., come highly sought-after by employers of labour. Possessing these skills as a job seeker gives you an edge over others in the field.
If you’re unsure what soft skills are and how to acquire them, take the free Jobberman Soft-Skills course, and you’ll be glad you did.
How Can I Network with a Recruiter on Social Media?
It’s no news that social media is a viable avenue for networking with professionals and recruiters from every walk of life. Platforms like Linkedln, Twitter, etc., continue to make it easy for job seekers to come across life-changing career opportunities and personalities that can help them attain their peak. So, if you’re looking to network with a recruiter on social media, here are some of the things to do:
- Understand the recruiter. Know about them, the industry they ply their trade, and how they can help you.
- Engage their posts. Offer viable insights and suggestions.
- Engage them in conversations. Seek their expert opinion on relevant topics and appreciate them for their time.
- When sending them private messages or your elevator pitch, be polite and present your requests in a detailed manner.
- Avoid typos and grammatical blunders in your messages to them.
Final Thoughts
While networking with a recruiter might seem like an arduous task, it’s one of the most rewarding steps to take as a job seeker or individual seeking career growth. Although there’s no one-cap-fits-all approach to it, adopting the tips highlighted above will go a long way in ensuring you have a smooth relationship with recruiters and other professionals.
To watch the Linkedln Live video session on the right way to network with a recruiter again, visit https://www.linkedin.com/video/live/urn:li:ugcPost:6810945994218319872/?actorCompanyId=691030.
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