Ask-A-Recruiter: Talking to the HR Department

Contributed by Caroline Ceniza-Levine

I dread calling up HR to ask about my resume or my search status or even just to clarify a job posting. I find recruiters to be very short and difficult to deal with. But I know I need to network. What can I do?

Many people need to deal with recruiters for something — information, advice, help. However, asking something of a recruiter is not the same as asking anyone else. Because recruiters get approached so often, they know it is impossible to help everybody, so they become choosy. Therefore, a good ask of a recruiter has to be better than just a typical ask.

You must be that much clearer and that much more concise. Good asks are clear and concise in what the person wants and in how the respondent can help. Recruiters are dealing with multiple searches, often within the same industry, with similar clients, and with similar candidates. If you leave out crucial information or ramble in your message, you will not be asked to clarify and you won’t be allowed to meander into your point. You have less time to get your message across, so use it wisely.

You must have substance. In my typical searches, I have more than a 10:1 ratio in the resumes I get versus the jobs I fill. These resumes are the written equivalent of an ask and don’t even include the verbal asks I get — phone calls, in-person networking, etc. Being clear and concise gets your pitch across in time, but will it get me to act? Only if there is a hook – great qualifications on the resume, professional poise in the inquiry, appropriate skills demonstrated throughout the interview process. Once you get my attention, you have to back it up with the goods.

Recruiters are good people to ask because good recruiters have market information, career advice and influence. Therefore, don’t waste your ask by being unprepared. Practice asking, master written and verbal asks with other lower-risk targets, solidify your message, and then ask away.

All information is copyright © Caroline Ceniza-Levine 2008. Caroline has worked in retained search and corporate HR. Pose a question for Ask A Recruiter nicki@theglasshammer.com.

Learn more about working with recruiters and other job search secrets from SixFigureStart’s Proactive Job Search Basics teleclass series. Next series starts April 26. More info at www.sixfigurestart.com.