Benefits of Working With a Recruiter to Find Your Next Job

Looking for a new job is a big, daunting task. There are often many options to sift through, the prep work (on your resume and for interviews) can be overwhelming, and the stakes are high. The entire process can wind up being mentally and emotionally exhausting.

Enter recruiters. Although the idea of using a recruiter is sometimes overlooked, a recruiter can be an invaluable asset when you’re looking for a job.

Here are a few of the biggest benefits to working with a recruiter.

They have a pulse on the job market.

Are you aware of current hiring trends? Do you know how long it usually takes someone with your skills to find a new job? Do you know of all of the companies that are looking to fill positions that match your skill set? Recruiters do. They are in touch with staffing trends (it’s their industry, after all) and can help you have a better idea of what to expect throughout the hiring process.

They can help polish your resume.

A “blah” resume can easily get lost in the shuffle of job applications in a hiring manager’s inbox. You want your resume to stand out, but depending on the last time you actually looked for a job, your resume might be outdated. It also might need to be fine-tuned to match the needs of the company you want to work for. No matter what work needs to be done on your resume, a recruiter can help.

They can prep you for interviews.

Along with polishing your resume, recruiters can also polish your interviewing skills. An interview is your chance to make a great first impression on your potential employer, and you want to make sure you’ve got all the bases covered. A recruiter can help you know what questions to expect, clue you in to the sort of interpersonal skills they might be looking for, and give you tips on things that you might not have thought of on your own.

They have access that you don’t.

Recruiters are almost always going to know about more job openings than you would be able to find on your own. Not all jobs will be posted on online job boards, and recruiters can help you find those hard-to-find open positions. Likewise, companies that work with recruiters are likely to give priority to candidates that recruiters suggest. In other words, when you use a recruiter, you practically have a foot in the door from the beginning.

They save you time.

Searching and applying for jobs can be very time consuming. A recruiter can zero in on your particular skill set to find a job that is a perfect match for you. Plus, if you’re working at your current job while trying to find a new job, you’re short on time from the get go. A recruiter gives you someone to share the workload with, for more efficient job hunting.

They have your best interests at heart.

Recruiters are, most often, hired by the company who is looking for a new employee. That doesn’t mean, however, that they will fill any position with any employee. Because they want to deliver exceptional results to their clients (the company), they’ll do everything they can to fill each open position with an employee who is a great fit for the job. This ends up serving you as well, as you’re more likely to end up with a job that you’ll be good at and that meets your needs.

They know what you’re worth.

Recruiters bring a lot of information to the table, including how much someone in your position, with your skill set and experience, should be making. This can be invaluable as they can help you make sure your new job compensates you fairly.

Recruiters can save job-seekers a lot of time—and a lot of hard work—on their job search. Working with a recruiter is one of the best, most efficient ways to find a job that will be a great fit for you, for years to come.