Compiled from an interview with Darren Card,  Managing Director of consultancies Intelligent Employment and Intelligent Talk. Dareen has enjoyed an extremely successful career as a head-hunter and recruitment consultant dating back to 1999.

Recognise that the recruiter does not work for you

Recruiters will sell you in at the lowest remuneration – recruitment profit margins are falling 

“Interview the interviewer” Do they sell themselves to you?

Look to meet (online Skype/Zoom or face to face)

They (the recruiter) should look for opportunities for you – negotiate what they will do for you if they are your exclusive recruiter. 

Build rapport with the recruitment consultant, maintain contact 7 to 10 working day gap between you calling them. You are their stock they need to care for and ensure you are fit for sale”

You should: 

• Always be told if your CV is being put forward for a role.
• Get location (area) not direct contact info, sometimes you will be given the name but the client may have stipulated confidentiality) 
• Always be given the “price frame” for the remuneration package.

Your contact details will be taken out, generally due to direct approach risk.

A good recruiter will hold your hand throughout the process, not just ahead of interviews but all the time, including advising you on what to do/change and why/how.

Consultancy/agency types

• 360 (full circle) recruiter does everything as a specialist – find candidates/ find clients for candidates/ temp/contract/perm/interim use all methods including job board aggregators.
• 180 (special not generic) specific vacancies hitting the phones to find and place in a specific market (boutique agencies addressing specific markets “niche market specialism.
• Others do whatever, whenever, however, to make money.
• Head-hunters – Identify the target candidates (LinkedIn and other due diligence)

What you should expect from the recruiter before interview

• Information about other candidates and where you sit against them
• Your skills set matches to the job
• Background to the role – how, when, why the role has been previously filled, decided upon recruiting at this time. This may not be available elsewhere
• Who will be meeting you and some generic information about them and what they are looking for from the candidate.
• “Insider” knowledge of the company culture and retention/promotion rates for their staff
• Next steps in the recruitment process

General advice

• If the role is re-advertised go back to the recruitment consultant to state keenness and ask to revisit the role.
• You can contact the recruiter’s client (the company interviewing you) after the interview, after six months the client does not have to pay the recruitment consultant; keeping in contact could open a door for you down the line
• Blacklist? Illegal but… prejudice exists (age, sex, race, political, remuneration, opinion, looks and even hair colour)
• If the recruiter fails to come back to you with a job within 2 weeks ask “Why?”
  If the answer is not good then sack them! Write a brief letter/email “With immediate effect I no longer want to be represented by your company. Please delete any records (CV/profile/work examples etc.) you have concerning me”

Recognise the best recruiter for you is you

• Identify your recruitment sales funnel and work to it on numbers – use LinkedIn and Companies House then start cold calling to target senior level (Director) found through advanced LinkedIn searching.
• How many leads and calls per week? Decide how much of your time you are prepared to regular allocate and stick to it.
• Can you script your sales pitch? This will be based upon an abbreviated 15-second version of your elevator pitch tailored to the roles and companies you are interested in.
  Include:
  • What benefits can you bring to the business and how could it result in a positive ROI.
  • What do you need to put into place to be seen as a “credible” option.
  • What are the negatives of employing/engaging you – team relationships, salary levels, dis-harmony, how might you fit negatively as well as positively.
  • What are your salary/package expectations and how might this impact the employer and you?
  • What is your answer to the role v salary when a better-paid option arrives?

Use the recruiter’s tools

• Phone
• Internet
• LinkedIn
• Network
• Walk in

Consider your remuneration expectations

• Employers must pay NI 14%, holiday pay for when you are not working, pension scheme etc. and discretion for benefits package and employment protection law.
• What is the sell-yourself option?
• Could you sell yourself as a self-employed member of their team?
• You could offer self-employment for a trial period or
• Payment by results
• Contracting employment is very much the norm
• Corporates can afford the benefits package
• SME’s the risk is for them if you can alleviate or minimise the risk you are a better option
• Public sector contract employment due to political implications (spending cuts)
• Find a local accountant for IR35 rather than a large specialist – they will cost a lot more but generally do not give any more.
• Remuneration price frame
  • What is it and what is the general mix?
  • Use LinkedIn to research salaries

In conclusion
Your CV you should demonstrate how you can qualify and quantify your relevant skills/achievements. Make it relevant to the opportunity.
Always remember “Employers want honesty”