Contacting a Recruiter? Our Top Tips!

Many people are nervous about contacting a recruiter, which is totally understandable. Of course, if you’ve never spoken to a recruitment consultant before, the thought of that initial conversation may be a little daunting. If the thought of reaching out makes you feel nervous, keep in mind that it is a recruiters job to offer advice and guidance. Moreover, having a good recruiter on your side can help you get more out of your career than you ever could alone.

Want To Contact A Recruiter But Unsure Of The Best Method?

There isn’t a “best” method to contact a recruiter, so what we’d say is: Whatever method you use, make sure you’re comfortable when contacting a recruiter. For instance, you can choose to give your trusted recruiter a call, pick the faster option, or post a message on social media for a more relaxed approached (though you’ll have to be patient about the answer) a simple, time-efficient email, which is more impersonal but effective.

Let’s look at each option, the pros and the cons of using each method.

A Simple Phone Call

If you’re confident and comfortable with an old-school phone call, pick up the phone, we’d love to hear from you and I’m sure any other recruiter you approach is going to feel the same way. We recruiters do really love phone calls!

We suggest having a browse of the website and locating the ‘Team Page’. Here, you can find the contact details of our team along with their job roles. This way, you can connect straight through to the recruiter who is best suited to help you.

Specialist recruitment agencies, such as Adria Solutions, usually have a person or a team who specialises in a particular area or industry. For instance, Nick Derham is our Executive Search specialist at Adria Solutions, while Ryan Davy is your person, if you’re looking for a recruiter for a tester or QA job.

Before you make the call, we also suggest that you do some form of prep before your phone call. This might include prompts or little reminders to ensure you get the most out of your enquiry. Maybe a bit of an elevator pitch? Having a post-it or your screen open with your CV in front of it or the job ad you want to enquire about always help.

Contacting a Recruiter Through Email

Finding the right words can be difficult. Especially when putting on the spot in situations such as during a phone call. For this reason, we suggest that writing an email may be a great first step. It could prove effective for you to write a summary of what you want to say to the recruiter. This may help to alleviate some anxieties. For example, you won’t forget to ask or mention something, as you have the proofreading tool!

Sending an email to a team member is as easy as the click of a button on a computer or the tap of a finger on your smartphone. Again, you will find our consultants’ details on our Team Page, although you can always fill out the form at the bottom of this article if you’re unsure of the right person to contact, and we’ll forward your request to the appropriate person.

Contacting a Recruiter on LinkedIn!

Research suggests that the telephone is no longer our biggest tool for communicating. Due to the rise of social media and online networking, the way in which we communicate with one another has changed.

Forbes wrote a very interesting article highlighting how our methods of communication have changed. In it, they explain:

“there are relationships that exist almost entirely by text: We meet by text, communicate by text and occasionally see each other in real life and then, the cruellest part of all, we break up by text.”

Quora – for Forbes

Through the LinkedIn application, candidates are able to find jobs, find companies and, most importantly, find recruiters. LinkedIn strikes the perfect balance between formal communication and conversation. If you ask us, we’d say LinkedIn is an excellent way to contact a recruiter for the first time because it proves your proactivity, it gives them an opportunity to learn who you are from your profile before replying, without the need to ask too many questions, and, as a candidate, you’re more likely to stand from the crowd and be remembered!

Unlike emails, this Social Media channel implores an instant response to your query, at least during working hours. Don’t go messaging recruiters on Saturday evening and pretending they reply to your message asap! So, if you have a query that you feel may not warrant an entire phone call, we suggest taking a look at LinkedIn.

Other ways of Contacting a Recruiter

Which would be other ways of contacting a recruiter? If you’ve done your research and you’re ready to reach a recruiter and you don’t want to email, call or use LinkedIn, you can always choose one of the following:

• Fill out an online form (in which case we’d suggest you scroll back to read our recommendations about contacting a recruiter through email).
• Send a message through job board platforms such as Indeed, CV-Library, Total Jobs, etc.
• Approach a recruiter in a professional networking event, for an informal approach that’s likely to get a positive reaction from the recruiter, especially if you come to them with a question or are open to having an interesting chat.
• Or visit their local branch, especially if it’s a generalist staffing agency that you’re hoping to reach out to or you are looking for a part-time job.
• WhatsApp or Messaging Apps. Back in the day when Adria Solutions redesigned her website, we considered everything our candidates might need and decided a chat system was much in need. Years after and with the arrival of WhatsApp and Calendly, we decided to get rid of the Adria Solutions webchat, as candidates can directly message our recruiters on our WhatsApp or book a call with them directly on Calendly.
• Ask for a referral. This is a fantastic way to approach a recruitment agency. If your friend or colleague is referring you to us, we hope they have heard about our referral program, and grab some cashback for the introduction!

Have we missed any way, you think? Are there any other ways you would like to contact a recruiter we’re forgetting? Please fill the form below and let us know!