How to “Woo” a Recruiter and Land Your Dream Job in Singapore [2018]

Looking to land your dream job in Singapore? If so, you might be a little wary about how to put your best foot forward. Recruitment in Singapore is slightly different from it is in other places, but the same general principles still apply, so it’s important to prepare as much as possible before hading into the interview. Commit these 8 tips to memory, and you’ll be signing the paperwork for your dream job in no time!

Learn About the Company

The person doing the interview generally goes through dozens of potential hires, grilling each one of them with one particular goal in mind: to see if they’re a good fit. They will examine your history, your work style, your skills, and a host of other factors to arrive at this conclusion, all of which is geared towards learning as much about you as possible.

That needs to go both ways. Instead of just walking into an interview ready to accept the job on the spot, take some time to do a little research of your own. What is the history of this company? What are its challenges and signature successes? What are its plans for the future? Asking these questions not only gets you a foot up in the interview process by showing potential recruiters that you care about them, but also will allow you to determine whether or not this is, in fact, your dream job.

Be Straightforward

The interview process is already pretty tricky, and some of the questions that you are asked are sure to come straight out of left field; if you don’t believe me, check out this list of interview questions asked by Singaporean employees to potential hires.

For that reason, you need to make sure that you are talking in plain speech to them, not trying to beat around the bush or manipulate the conversation to attract a desired goal. Chances are, they can see right through your attempts to control the situation and will brush you to the side because they feel you’re slightly dishonest. Moreover, interviews are not always very long anyways, and any time you spend trying to game the system will just result in wasted time for both you and the recruiter.

What’s the best course of action? When they ask you a question, give a simple and direct answer. Don’t try to tell them what you think they want you to hear, don’t try to hide information that they will need later when they try to recommend you for a job, or else they won’t be the advocate and the trustee that you need.

Tell Your Story

It’s always wise to not go into too much personal depth here, especially if you’re still a little unfamiliar with your Singapore recruiter, but telling your story and communicating what makes you unique can go along way with future employers. Think of your life as a book that you can’t wait to share with others, and give them a little morsel that will whet their appetite for more. Recruiters interact with hundreds of people regularly, so by making yourself stand out from the crowd just a little bit, you have a much better chance of making your conversation memorable.

Portray Confidence

There might be nothing more important than this point. When talking to a recruiter, you need to remember to be confident in everything you do. Not cocky or arrogant, obviously, but steadfast that your skills and talents that are listed on the resume are necessary and important to the operation of the company you’re going to work for. If they ask about a specific line item, speak up and let them know how and why you did what you did, and how it can benefit the company in the future.

Ultimately, this boils down to a core belief that you are right for the job; after all, why would they hire you if you’re not even sure you can do the job successfully? If they ask about specific examples, tell them where it went right, and even where it went wrong, although be sure to communicate what you would do differently in the future to make it a success.

Don’t Beg

When you’re looking for a job, chances are you are going to be a little bit on edge. Unless you’re just flush with cash, you need a stable job to continue to put food on the table and pay your bills, but that should not transfer to a sense of desperation on your part. While you may be tempted to follow-up with your recruiter regularly, limit the number of times you e-mail, text, or call, so as not to be off-putting. They want to represent you the best way possible, but they can’t do that if it feels like you’re stalking them.

Stay in Contact

This doesn’t mean that you can’t communicate with them; a call a few days after your initial meeting can go a long way in letting the recruiter know that you are serious about this job. Be sure to mention a specific tidbit from the first time you talked as a sign that you valued the previous conversation, and be sure to thank them for their time and the work they’re doing on your behalf. You would think that this type of etiquette would be common sense amongst most job seekers, but you would be surprised how few people follow up with their recruiters.

Stress the Compatibility

If you genuinely feel you are right for this dream job (and why wouldn’t you be, if you’re already applying), then make sure you reiterate how well-suited you are for this position, not just for you, but for the company as well.

Go over a few of the points in the job description to show how you fit their needs, and mention parts of the company’s history that inspired you to want to apply in the first place, emphasize how you would love to be a part of this company’s culture and communicate how you can help them moving forward. Finally, be enthusiastic about the position to your recruiter; he or she needs to know that this is not just “another job” for you, but something you genuinely feel you are perfect for.

Build Relationships

The absolute best way to land your dream job in an industry you love is by developing relationships with people that are already in those positions. High-performing individuals tend to align themselves with other high-performing individuals, so if you want to break into that industry, get close with the people who are already there.

Fortunately, social media has made this process a whole lot easier. Not only can you follow people on Twitter and Facebook, and even send direct messages to them, but you can even connect with others over professional sites like Linkedin, which allow you to present yourself in the best possible light. Recruiters use these tools to find people that are similar to the ones they need for their company, so if you are not active in networking and building relationships, it’s going to be tough for a potential recruiter to find and hire you.

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