You may be steaming forward with your job search, collecting one offer after another and sifting through them at your leisure. If you are, well done! But if you’re like most candidates, the job search can feel like an uphill climb with no clear end in sight, and even when you find an acceptable job, land an offer and start working, you may not feel like staying in your new role for very long. If the job turns out to be a bad match, you may be back on the market again and back to square one within a year. So what can you do to shift the odds in your favor, land more and better offers, and put the search behind you for good? Try working with a recruiter! Here’s how partnering with an expert can help you move forward.

Recruiters have bigger networks than you do.

No matter how many people you know in your industry, your recruiter probably knows more. It’s her job to know people, connect people, and place the right person in the right role with a few phone calls or the click of a mouse. She’s been in this business for a long time, and while networking is something you may do now and then, she’s networking all day, all week, and all year.

Recruiters have plenty of experience with successful matches AND mistakes.

Your recruiter knows what a great match looks and feels like. This knowledge comes from a combination of hard data, gut instinct, great listening skills, and years of trial and error. Just as she can help her employer clients spot red flags and questionable candidates, she can help steer you toward the role that’s right for you and away from one that spells certain trouble. For example, if you’re gunning for a promotion to management within three years, she’ll help you find employers who can provide real opportunity—not just empty promises.

Recruiters help you without charging you.

Your recruiter works for her employer clients, not for you. These employers are looking for great candidates, they want help, they hire her, and voila…She’s on the trail of the perfect new employee, and that employee could be you. But since it’s her job to help the company find you, she’s paid by the company, not by you. If she gives you advice, take it to heart. If she asks for information that can help you, provide it quickly. You’ll “pay” your way by matching with the right company, so recognize how this system can work in your favor if you use it correctly.

For more on how to enlist the help of a recruiter during your job search, reach out to the career development team at Merritt.

You’re hitting your job search with everything you have, and you’re taking advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. You’re contacting your network, scanning job boards, and pursuing leads, and you’re submitting at least a few resumes to prospective employers every single day. But there’s a critical step you may not have added to your list; are you working with a professional recruiter? Here are a few reasons you may want to add recruiters to your job search team.

Recruiters cost nothing

Your recruiter works for the company (or companies) that hire her candidates; she doesn’t work for you. No legitimate recruiter will expect payment from a candidate, and it’s in her best interests to seek out only the best adapted and most qualified applicants on the market (hint: that’s you). Your recruiter wins when the company wins, and the company wins when they identify and hire the highest level of talent. Become a link in that winning chain: it won’t cost you anything.

Recruiters have large networks.

You may think your own professional network is expansive. After all, you’ve been studying and working in your field for a long time. But your recruiter’s network IS his field. He knows people who know people who know people, and his connections and resources extend in all directions. He can connect you with people and companies that can move you forward, and he also helps them to find you.

Recruiters can offer coaching tips.

Before she presents you to her client, your recruiter will have a chance to study your resume and (usually) meet with you in person or by phone at least once. Since she knows what the employers are looking for, she can help you address potential concerns and highlight the elements of your resume that they’re likely to find impressive. Recruiters can help you play up what works and dial back the issues that may stand in your way; trust your recruiter when she offers you some free guidance.

Recruiters have a wide reach.

Recruiters provide an integral service in almost every imaginable industry. No matter what you do, and no matter what kind of job you’re looking for, there’s a professional recruiter out there somewhere who can help you get where you’re going. The experts at Merritt staffing have decades of experience in a long list of fields and industries.

Recruiters are great listeners.

When they’re trying to fill an open position, hiring managers have a long list of specific needs. But job seekers have specific needs as well. No matter what you’re looking for– in terms of salary, location, hours, responsibilities, and opportunities for advancement– your recruiter will listen carefully and help you find it.

Partner with a recruiter and find the fast track to your next job offer! Contact the Fairfeld County staffing professionals at Merritt today.