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Why You Should Stay In Touch With Your Recruiter

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If you have partnered with a recruiter to find a position along your career trajectory, you may think that’s the end of the road. Once you’re settled into your new position, it’s easy to get comfortable and discontinue your relationship with a recruiter. However, there are a few reasons you should reconsider. Here’s why you should stay in touch with a recruiter after they’ve found you a job.

They have a relationship with your employer

While in the midst of connecting you with your current company, your recruiter was establishing a strong connection with them. In the first couple of months of your new role, your recruiter may call and check in every once in a while. Not only should you answer their call, but also be honest about how you’re feeling! They can help you iron out any issues or assist with the lines of communication. Additionally, they love to celebrate your wins! There’s nothing more rewarding for a recruiter than hearing how much you love your new position.

Keep a pulse on the market

Recruiters have a strong pulse on the job market. And because they helped connect you to your current role, they’ll know whether you’re being fairly compensated compared to the competition. Even if you’re happy at your new company, your recruiter can let you know of openings that are too good to pass up!

Refer your network

Last but not least, staying connected with your recruiter is a great way to refer your network. Maybe one of your friends, family, or professional contacts is looking for a new job, or your recruiter posts an opening that would be perfect for someone you know. Staying in touch is the best way to connect your network to the jobs they need.

One of our recruiters, Taylor Clark, said it best, “The recruiter you worked with was not a lone soldier – they were a part of an entire team working toward your success and that of the business you now support. Staying on the up-and-up with the business that vouched for you is a professional relationship that will be useful to you for the rest of your life – inside and outside of your career.”

Why (and how) You Should Always Respond to A Recruiter

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If you have a LinkedIn profile, you have probably received a message from a recruiter inquiring about a position they are working hard to fill. Sometimes, this opportunity can be your next career move. Other times, the job can miss the mark and not align with your career goals. These recruitment messages either come from an internal recruiter or a third-party recruitment specialist from a staffing firm. Regardless of your interest in the position, it is crucial to respond to the recruiter, and here is why.

They can put your resume in their CRM

First of all, if a recruiter reaches out to you and you want to learn more about the job opportunity, they will ask you for your resume. Once they have your resume, they will upload it to their company’s CRM system, where they keep all of their candidate records. This system helps them keep track of candidates’ qualifications, notes, contact details, and other important information. However, if you have no interest in the position, don’t just leave the recruiter left on read. Reach back out to them, thank them for thinking of you, and send them your resume. The first place most experienced recruiters look for potential candidates for a new opportunity is the CRM system.

If you are not in their system, you could miss out on other opportunities in the future! Here’s an example of how to respond to a recruiter in this situation:

“Hi [Recruiter’s Name],

Thank you for reaching out to me about this position. This sounds like an exciting opportunity, but I am not currently exploring new jobs at this time. However, can I send you my resume if you have another opportunity in the future?

Thank you, and I look forward to connecting with you.”

You can build a relationship with the recruiter

If you don’t respond to a recruiter when one reaches out to you, it’s challenging to build a relationship with them. Recruiters are no strangers to low response rates. Thus, if you take the time to reply to them, they will likely remember you when another opportunity comes up that better matches your skillset and career goals. Also, you should connect with them on LinkedIn so you can remain on their radar as they work on other requisitions. Plus, recruiters often work on exclusive job orders that you won’t find anywhere else, so fostering a relationship with them can open new doors!

Your job situation may change one day

As we all learned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, your job situation can change in the blink of an eye. Whether that’s restructuring, department changes, mergers/acquisitions, or even your company suddenly shutting its doors, your employment situation today may look a lot different in the not-so-distance future. Therefore, we always recommend responding to a recruiter and connect with them if your job situation shifts.

Looking to connect with a recruiter?

So, you hopefully understand the value of responding to a recruiter when they reach out to you. Even if you don’t have an interest in that particular position, you never know what roles they may have available in the future. If you are interested in keeping a recruiter in your back pocket, review our job board and signup for our Talent Network! You can upload your resume and create job alerts that match your skills, career interests, and location to find the next step in your career. We look forward to connecting with you!

How to Find A Recruiter That’s Right for You

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As of February 2021, job openings rose to a two-year high. As we proceed to recover from the toll of the pandemic, job creation will continue to boom through 2023, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon. With the U.S. economy adding 916,000 jobs in March, the market is quickly becoming competitive. To beat out your competition and secure a job that satisfies your career goals, it may be wise to partner with a recruiting firm. If you are looking to make a move over the next couple of months, here is how to find a recruiter that can make it happen.

Ask for recommendations

If you are wondering where you should look to find a recruiter, ask for recommendations. Do you know anyone that recently worked with a recruiting firm? Ask them about their experience! If nobody comes to mind, ask your professional network on LinkedIn or even your more personal connections on your other social media profiles. Asking for recommendations is a simple way to get some advice from those that you know and trust. Hopefully, this will lead to some solid suggestions and help you avoid some of the not-so-great recruiters.

Search online and check online reviews

After you requested some recommendations, it’s time to do your own due diligence. Head to Google and do a few searches of recruiting firms that specialize in your industry or area of expertise. Once you have found a few that look like a good fit, check out some of their reviews. There are a handful of reliable sites to read reviews on potential recruiting firms. Glassdoor, Indeed, testimonials on the company website, and even Google are all easy places to research different recruiters. Checking online reviews is a surefire way to get some input from others’ experiences and make an educated decision yourself. Just remember, like any other product or service, to take some reviews with a grain of salt.

Let the recruiters come to you

If you want to work smarter and not harder, let the recruiters come to you! Head over to your LinkedIn profile and ensure you are letting recruiters know you are open to new opportunities. There is a setting you can activate on your profile that signifies that you are open to hearing about new jobs. If you have this setting turned on, recruiters can easily find your profile to share new opportunities with you! Plus, you can add a nice profile picture banner that visually shows you are “#OpentoWork” and actually lets you pick your ideal positions. It’s that easy! If you want to find a recruiter, turn on this fantastic setting and let them come to you.

If you want to show recruiters that you are open to work on LinkedIn, here’s how to turn this on.

Ready to get started?

These are the three easiest ways to find a great recruiter that can help you make a career transition happen. If you are ready to get started, we are here to help. JSG has over 35 years of industry expertise with thousands of happy candidates across North America. If you are looking for a solid recruiter that cares about your career success, reach out to us today or take a quick look at our job board.

Four Activities to Master During Your Job Search

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Searching for a new job is much more than just scouring online job boards and refreshing your inbox every five minutes. There are many ways you can bolster your search in the background of your job hunting journey. If you are looking for better results, here are four activities to master during your job search.

Clean up your social media

Did you know that nearly 70% of employers check candidates’ social media when making hiring decisions? While you are in between applying for jobs, take some time to clean up your social media accounts. If you have some distasteful or unprofessional posts, it’s probably a good idea to remove them. So, next time you see one of those cringy Facebook memories from years ago, consider deleting it. Moreover, if you are worried about a future employer seeing your social media content, it might be best to make some or all of your profiles private. It is pretty easy to change your privacy settings on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Become familiar with virtual interview platforms

Another activity to master during your job search is familiarizing yourself with popular virtual interview platforms. If you have experience with platforms like Teams or Zoom, you are in good shape. However, if you don’t have much experience with these technologies, it’s worth your time to get to know them. Take a page out of the book from this prosecutor from Texas.

Save yourself from any embarrassing video interview moments to ensure your meeting goes purrfect!

Create a side hustle

If you have been unemployed for a while, have you considered working on a side hustle? Many people across the world are marketing their skills on a consulting basis. Creating a side hustle is an excellent way to extend your network, bolster your portfolio, and make a little money on the side. There are numerous programs out there like Fiverr and Udemy, each with different perks or specialties. So, whether you are a content creator, engineer, or excellent writer, there are plenty of opportunities to create a side hustle and make some spare cash during your job search.

Partner with a recruiter

Another activity to master during your job search is developing a partnership with a recruiter. Recruiting firms like JSG are looking for talented candidates to help them discover their next job opportunity. We have strong relationships with hiring managers and help you from resume submittal to signing your offer letter. Our team at JSG is ready to help you find your next position. We have hundreds of jobs across North America with clients ready to hire talented workers just like you. Reach out to us today, and let’s get you back to work!

Partner with a Recruiter

How to Show Off Your Quarantine Skills

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Millions of workers across the globe are taking their extra downtime to acquire new skill sets. If you have been unfortunately laid off or furloughed because of the pandemic, now is an excellent time to hone some new skills. Taking advantage of this time to improve your job search toolkit will make yourself more marketable and hopefully help get you more interview requests. But how do you display these newfound skills you just acquired? Here is how you can successfully show off your new quarantine skills.

Add them to your resume

If you spend hours working on securing a new skill or two during quarantine, you definitely want to add them to your resume. To do this, add a skills section to your resume. We recommend creating a section in your resume to display your skills. You don’t have to go into detail here; just make a nice list of all the relevant skills for the position you wish to apply for. Also, if you receive a certificate for a new skill or course you complete, be sure to add that certification, too! Letting hiring managers know you have achieved these skills is a great way to get a leg up on the competition.

Add them to your LinkedIn profile

After those new skills and courses have found a new home on your resume, it’s time to add them to your LinkedIn profile. Adding all your crucial skill sets, certifications, and accomplishments to your profile is absolutely critical, especially if you’re actively searching for a new job. LinkedIn has specific areas on your profile to add your skills, licenses, certifications, and accomplishments. It’s essential to put these new quarantine skills and achievements in the right area so recruiters can easily find you when running searches on LinkedIn Recruiter. If you display these accomplishments correctly, you are on your way to partnering with a recruiter that can help you find a new opportunity, even during these challenging times.

Here is a brief video tutorial on how to appropriately display LinkedIn skills on your profile.

Let your network know

Now that your resume and LinkedIn are freshly updated with those quarantine skills, share the news with your network! Make a nice little post and share the news with your LinkedIn connections. You will likely get a lot of engagement, words of encouragement, and support, which is nice to hear during these difficult times. Also, you never know who ends up seeing a post sharing your new skills. It may just lead you to a new connection that helps you land an exciting opportunity!

Why You Should Respond to a Recruiter’s LinkedIn InMail

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Feeling spammed by all of the LinkedIn InMails you receive? We understand that recruiters can have a bad reputation. They send you too many “generic” InMails that have nothing to do with your job search, you aren’t actively searching for a new position, or you simply aren’t interested in the job. So, you think, what’s the point?

If you do not want to receive InMails via LinkedIn, there is a simple solution: you can turn them off. You won’t receive unwanted approaches. You won’t receive any. But then you’ll never hear about that cushy $200,000-a-year role for one of your target companies. However, that’s the price you pay if you don’t put yourself out there.

You can always change your settings

If you decide to keep your settings “open to new opportunities” because you have a fear of missing out on your dream job, please don’t act surprised by my efforts to connect with you! If you truly aren’t interested in new opportunities, make that change in your LinkedIn settings. You wouldn’t believe how drastically it will reduce the number of InMails you receive!

You may think that a seemingly generic message was sent to thousands of people, but then again, maybe it wasn’t. There’s a good chance that great recruiters use their time to read through your profile before deciding to reach out to you. The least you can do for them is send a quick reply! Not everyone gets hundreds of InMail messages every day. If that was the case, I can understand why you wouldn’t want to answer.

As a recruiter, I’m searching for the best candidates for my clients. If I send you a message, I have read your profile and used one of my best resources to engage with you.

Even if you’re not interested in this opportunity now, it doesn’t cost you anything more than a moment of your time to give a quick response. If you reply – even if to say, “thanks but no thanks” – I value that interaction! It allows me to either continue the conversation or move on to a candidate that is interested in making a move.

Why you should respond to your InMails

And you never know when one of those connections could come in handy. From our brief interaction, you can:

  • Expand your network
  • Learn more about your prospective career path
  • Open yourself to future opportunities

When I reach out, it’s with your benefit in mind! So please respond with a quick yes or no! Ready for a new job opportunity? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and let’s have a conversation!

How To Make The Most Out Of Your Partnership With A Recruiter

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If you’ve decided to partner with a recruiter to fill your critical needs, you may already be ahead of your competition. However, more and more companies are joining forces with recruiting powerhouses in order to compete in this candidate-driven market. So how can you ensure that you are getting the most out of your partnership with a recruiter? Follow these three steps, and you’ll be on your way to hiring top talent in no time!

Communicate Often

Open lines of communication are absolutely essential to maximizing a recruiter’s value to your team. At JSG, we hustle to get the best candidates in front of you as quickly as possible. Oftentimes, these candidates are juggling multiple interviews, with offers from several companies rolling in at once. So it’s vital that you let us know who you want to interview quickly and provide feedback immediately.

Likewise, if you have questions or find yourself wanting more from the candidates we submit, let us know! The more information we have about the position, your team dynamic, and company culture, the more accurate our search is for finding your next great hire.

Be Open To Advice

At Johnson Service Group, we have placed tens-of-thousands of candidates with hundreds of companies. Along the way, we’ve gathered some insights into hiring trends and processes. We do our best to ensure that you are able to hire the best candidates available. Thus, we’ll offer advice along the way! Maybe your salary is a bit too low for the skill set, or you’ll be able to get an out-of-this-world candidate if you offer relocation. Open yourselves to our feedback for a chance to secure the talent you need to take your team to the next level.

Streamline Your Hiring Process

Last, but certainly not least, you must streamline your hiring process as much as possible! In this candidate-driven market, competition for great candidates is hot, and they are not available for long. And while we try to submit our candidates exclusively to our clients, it may be out of our control if they are ready to make a move right now. Consider skipping multiple phone interviews and bring candidates on-site as soon as possible. Did you receive a candidate you absolutely loved? Don’t hesitate and continue interviewing “just because.” Let us know when you’re ready to extend an offer, and you’ll have a next-level employee in no time!

If you’re ready to start your partnership with a recruiter, reach out to us today and let’s work together.

5 Ways To Attract Talent To Your Company

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attract talent

With the unemployment rate at 3.6%, it’s a near 50-year low in the United States. It has been a candidate-driven market for quite a while now, making it incredibly hard for companies to hire the talent they need to take their organization to the next level. Because of this, it’s necessary to get a little more involved in recruitment in order to accomplish your hiring goals. Here are 5 great ways you can attract talent to your company throughout the entire process.

Demonstrate Company Culture

Now more than ever, company culture is at the forefront of employment conversations. Gone are the days when candidates were on the market for “just a job.” With the plethora of options out there, they are now weighing a multitude of factors such as work-life balance, leadership structure, and perhaps most importantly, company culture. Help candidates envision what it will be like to be a part of your team, from the moment they first read the job description. Paint a picture of the office, the makeup of the department, and how they’ll work with the rest of the company. For bonus points, list any special perks your company might offer like volunteer time, special events, or unique benefits.

Get The Team Involved

If you’ve taken the time to build a strong team, it’s to your benefit to show them off during the hiring process. Not only will they advocate for your company, but they’ll also be able to give a deeper look into the company culture. When it comes to making hiring decisions, having the opinions of your employees on who would be the best fit can only help to strengthen the team as a whole.

Act Quickly

There’s a popular saying in the recruiting industry – “time kills all deals.” In this tight market, candidates are often interviewing at multiple companies, and receiving offers as soon as a week from submitting their application. The faster you act on top candidates, the more likely you’ll be to secure a hire. Schedule interviews as quickly as possible, and even be open to the possibility of providing an offer after a phone or video interview. Bonus tip: Include an “expiration date” when you make the offer so that the candidate has a definitive time frame.

Present A Strong Offer

It’s no longer an option to “start low and see where we go from there” when offering a position to a candidate. Come in with a strong offer from the get-go, so that there’s not a lot of room for back-and-forth or comparison with other job offers. Be sure to explain in detail all of the different benefits included in the package, ranging from bonus structure to healthcare options. It’s essential that candidates have a comprehensive offer package to view when comparing options.

Partner With A Recruiter

Is all of this starting to sound a little overwhelming? Well, then you’ll love this option. Partnering with a recruiter helps make steps 1-4 a lot easier. A great recruiting company will cover all these points and more to help your team attract talent. They’ll find candidates much faster than you can through a traditional job posting; they will ensure that the interview process moves along slowly; they’ll give details on who will be involved in the interview process and why; and they can even help you secure a verbal offer before your HR department has a chance to put together all of the paperwork.

Start the conversation with JSG today to find out how we can help you attract the talent you need in today’s competitive market.

How Ghosting a Recruiter Can Come Back to Haunt You

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ghosting a recruiter

I get it, some recruiters have a reputation of ghosting candidates, and you probably think that what goes around comes around. However, ghosting a recruiter can come back to haunt you. And I was taught as a child that two wrongs don’t make a right.

I work mostly with Software Engineers and it seems more rampant with the tight labor market in the Tech Sector, especially in the Bay Area where I fill most of my jobs. But markets shift and recruiters like me who are in the height of their careers have long memories, and even more importantly, applicant tracking systems that share all data on our interactions with candidates. So, even if one recruiter leaves or moves on to a new role within the company, the ghosting becomes part of your records.

Going dark

I was recently working with a prospective candidate where I was actively engaging with them. We were emailing, texting, as well as playing major phone tag. They had a great first conversation with the client and the client asked to bring them in for an in-person team meeting. Then the candidate went dark. It took days to get a reply back and then when they did surface, they only provided one day of availability. I shared this with the client, and of course, the client was at a training that day and unable to meet. I immediately shared this update with the candidate, via email and voice message. No response, nothing… It was like the middle of the night quiet but not peaceful because we now had to share the unfortunate news with our client that this individual ghosted us.

It’ll come back and haunt you

Fast forward a few months later we have more openings with this client. I posted the job on our website and traditional boards plus did my due diligence in searching to fill these roles. The same candidate who ghosted me applied four times on two different job boards. It appears that this candidate hasn’t worked since I last spoke with them. Even though they are a fit for the role and could add value to my client, I can’t take the risk on them again and I don’t want to risk my client’s projects on someone who is clearly not a team player.

I can’t take responsibility for what other recruiters do, but I can do my best to make your experience with me and JSG a great one and ask for the same in return.

By staying in touch, that candidate could have made an advocate of me for their career. And even if this role didn’t work out, I would have kept them in mind for another better opportunity in the future.

Don’t Be Afraid to Apply to a “Qualified Applicants Only” Job

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Qualified Applicants Only

It can be intimidating applying for jobs. That’s just the hard-honest truth. But when you see a job you’re excited about, you read through it, and then see at the bottom, “Qualified Applicants Only.” You start to second guess yourself. The what if’s start swirling through your mind and realize how some of the things that they say they “need,” you may not fully have. But does that really mean you’re unqualified? No, not necessarily!

Here’s how you can read through any job description and still apply to those that only want a “qualified” applicant.

The job market is tight, companies are having a hard time finding the perfect candidate

In today’s job market, clients are struggling daily to fill their job openings. According to February’s 2019 JOLTS report, there are 7.6 million job openings and only 6.2 million people are unemployed. As you can see, this almost leaves a gap of 1.4 million people to fill all the job openings. So, just because a job description is crazy detailed and you may not have everything on it, it’s okay to apply. Because companies do not have the luxury to find that perfect candidate.

Evaluate the importance of the skills and qualifications

Use your better judgment. If you’re reading through the job description and believe you can perform these, you’re probably a close to perfect fit. Companies are having to rely a lot more on soft skills due to today’s labor market. So even if you do not have all the hard skills listed on the job description, your soft skills could make up for it. Soft skills can be your saving grace in today’s job market. If you have the right soft skills for the job, you will probably easily be able to learn the hard skills as you go.

Use a recruiter to help you get past the “Qualified Applicants Only” wall

If you’re working with a recruiter, they are your advocate. They help you get on the hiring managers desks and get your resume seen by the right people. You get to pass the whole confusion on if you’re “qualified” or not. And thus, give you a greater chance to get an interview, and in turn, the job. Using a recruiter can help you in multiple ways but mainly they will help illustrate that you have what it takes to successfully work in that position.

So, say yes, and do yourself a favor! Apply to that job and reach out to one of our recruiters here at Johnson Service Group and see what they can do to help you find your next dream job!