How to Use a Recruiter in Singapore For Your Next Job Search

When you’re working with a recruiter in Singapore, those who are hired to assist companies with filling job openings, this doesn’t mean only aspiring executives will be approached for jobs at Fortune 500 companies. Under most circumstance, you’ll find yourself being contacted by one of these recruiters, or you’ll want to become part of their radar, and you’ll see that your efforts will pay off as you navigate through the recruitment process. The following steps will help you find the most benefits from working with a job recruiter.

Become Easy to Find

If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to update your LinkedIn profile. In doing so, you’ll be easier to find and make contact with by multiple recruiters. In your profile, show the following:

a summary indicating that you’re remaining current with your field’s top professionals
you’re making an impactful difference with your current employer
your current email address, so it’s simple for a job recruiter to get in touch
your current CV outlining your current and previous work performance

Put Yourself Out There

Your LinkedIn profile isn’t the only thing you need to do to get noticed by a recruiter. You’ll need to expand your career search by posting your CV on job boards including Future Work, Indeed and Monster. Also, you’ll need to join networking groups that are related to your industry to gain career insights. For those who are currently unemployed, convincing a recruiter to take a chance on you will take some extra legwork. They’ll wonder why you don’t have a job, so you’ll have to work extra hard to prove to them why you’re good at what you do.

Search for the Correct Fit

When a recruiter isn’t reaching out to you, it’s essential for you to determine if they’re an individual you have interest in developing a working relationship with or not. Remember that they’re not the only one who is undergoing the interview process, so ask the following:

How long have they been in the job recruitment business? If they’ve been in the market for an extended period, they have more job opportunities and clients.
How many individuals matching your skill set has their firm successfully placed into jobs during the last two months? If the recruiter answers that they haven’t placed any, then chances are they don’t have the right kind of network necessary for supporting an individual with your career background.

Be Prepared for the First Call

When you have your first call with your recruiter, no matter if it’s so they can add you to their current list of candidates or discuss a potential job opening, is of critical importance. They’re going to ask you about obvious things including:

your career goals
skills related to your current or future career aspirations
the current duties at your job
accomplishments or projects that were notable
past positions where you’ve overcome challenges
why you’re currently looking for a job change

Remember that, during this call, the recruitment firm you’re working with may not have an exclusive deal with a particular company for filling a role and they may be asking you questions to compare you with other candidates. It’s critical that you prepare questions to ask to help in your job search, so you can learn more about what they’re hiring for in addition to the recruitment firm.

Your Follow-Up Plan Must be Developed

One of the biggest frustrations you may experience is a lack of follow-up when working with recruitment firms. They work diligently on your behalf during the initial approach, but then they stop making contact. You can prevent this from occurring before it begins with the development of a solid communication plan.

Ask them how often you can expect them to reach out to you.
If they don’t intend to reach out to you often, ask them how often they expect to hear from you.
Once you receive answers to these questions, determine what the happy medium is.

For those who are not hired for a specific job, or if you find yourself sitting on a list of candidates in a recruiter’s file, it’s essential that you continue your job search and discuss these new opportunities with your job recruiter. In doing so, you may discover that they have contacts at the companies you’re looking at, and they could help you get your foot through the door. Performing this step will also prevent any overlapping in contacts, as well, between you and the recruitment firm and the prospective job.

Help with Referrals Whenever Possible

It’s vital that you establish a positive relationship with your recruitment firm by paying it forward. There may be instances when they contact you because they’re seeking referrals for other positions that have openings. You’ll find it beneficial in the long run if you offer them this assistance. They’ll believe that, if you find them a great candidate, then you must also be a great candidate.

No matter if you can obtain a job from your interactions with your job recruitment firm, it’s essential that you consider them an integral part of your career network. Even if you’re not obtaining work from your recruiter, you should still add them to as a contact to your LinkedIn profile. In doing so, you’re building long-term, strategic relationships that go beyond those that are transactional.

Final Thoughts

Working with a job recruitment firm begins with sprucing up your LinkedIn profile so that you’re not only easy to find but also easy to contact. Once you’ve accomplished this goal, it’s critical that you put yourself out there by submitting your CV on Future Work and sites like Indeed and Monster. From there, you’ll begin working directly with recruitment firms to determine if they’re the right fit or not.

Prepare questions to ask them in addition to preparing yourself for the questions they’re going to ask. By establishing a solid communication plan upfront, you’ll be eliminating the problem of falling off the recruitment firm’s radar. It’s also critical that you work with a recruiter each time they need referrals. In doing so, you’ll be establishing yourself as a candidate that is just as good as the ones you’re recommending.

How to Use a Recruiter in Singapore For Your Next Job Search