As a job seeker, you may have toyed with the idea of working with a professional recruiter. Some professionals hesitate to explore recruiting relationships because they just don’t know what to expect, nor do they understand the ways in which a recruiter can help them enhance their careers.

Recruiters can give you a leg up in the job market by providing benefits that you simply can’t attain if you approach a job search on your own. Those benefits include:

1. Access to Unpublished Opportunities – Job boards are fine, but remember, thousands of other people are viewing and applying to the same postings. Professional recruiters have long-standing relationships with their client companies, and they are often actively recruiting for jobs that have not been published on job boards or even on the company website.
2. Keeping Your Resume Out of the Black Hole – If you’ve been on the hunt for a job for any amount of time, you know the frustration that can come from the resume “black hole.” It may take weeks to hear back from an employer, or you may never hear anything at all. When a recruiter presents you as a candidate, you know that the hiring manager will receive your resume, and you know that your recruiter will stay on top of the process, letting you know where you stand every step of the way.
3. Providing Feedback – When you’re all alone in your job hunt, you never quite know what an interviewer thought of you, which means you can make the same mistakes over and over again without ever realizing it. Working with a recruiter, however, you will receive feedback on each interview so that you can grow and improve your skills.
4. Letting You Know Your Market Value – You may think you know your value in the marketplace, but a professional recruiter can tell you precisely what types of jobs you are qualified for, and what type of salary structure you can command in the marketplace.
5. Conducting a Confidential Search – Keeping a job search confidential is essential while you are employed, but unfortunately it is also extremely stressful. It can be difficult to conduct a search when you have to worry about your boss noticing your LinkedIn activity or stumbling across your resume on a job board. A recruiter can help you keep your search confidential, acting as your liaison to hiring managers. They will know when to call you, so that they are not interrupting your workday, and they will know which email address to use to ensure the utmost discretion.

Best of all, the services of recruiters are free. This means that there is no risk involved in testing the waters, and you only stand to benefit from their efforts and advice.

If you are a professional in sales, marketing, engineering, IT or operations looking for new opportunities, contact The Prevalent Group today. Our team of executive recruiters can help match you with a position that aligns with your long-term career goals, and we will work as your advocate, helping you to achieve your long-term career goals. Let us connect you with the next phase of your career.