Most job posts on LinkedIn, indeed, and other job recruitment portals are posted by a recruiter for a company that employed them. A recruiter is a link a job seeker has with a company that has a job opening. Most companies nowadays want the best-suited candidate to fill in any vacancy in their company.
However, they know selecting a candidate would be a stressful and time-consuming process. Therefore they hire a recruiter to perform the painstaking task of choosing the best candidate for the company.
The main aim of a recruiter is to find skilled and experienced people to fill a job opening. Sometimes you might receive a cold call for a position you’ve not applied for. That is a recruiter looking to recruit a prospect. The recruiter has probably gone through your profile and thought you would be a great addition to the company. They can go all out searching for talents for a company because that is what they get paid to do.
As a job seeker, at some point, you might be approached by a company’s hiring manager or job recruiter. Knowing what to say and asking the right questions is essential. Getting the job or not, asking insightful questions from the recruiter are one big step to landing a gig.
Michelle Thomas – Scanteam’s marketing analyst and blogger always give an expert opinion and tips for beginners. This blog will show you some insightful questions you can ask the next recruiter you come across.
1. Can you tell me more about the job?
The interviewer has more detail about a job than what is posted online. Asking questions will help you learn more about the job. You do not have to settle for the pieces of information you see on the internet. That is what every other job seeker sees. You might want to know what working in the role entails, the hours you are expected to commit to the work, and if the position allows you to work, learn and advance your career.
2. What are the top skills needed?
To be on the safer side, you can ask the recruiter for the skills required for the role. The recruiter will be happy to provide you with this information. Whatever the needed skills are, it will help you restructure your resume to highlight the skills you have in your previous career path that match the job’s requirements.
Skills and experiences are the essential things a recruiter is looking for in a prospect. So knowing what they want and comparing it with what you have can give you an edge in the recruitment process.
3. What is a typical day like in this role?
The recruiter might not be the best person to answer this question, but he sure knows more about the company than you. When you ask what your typical day will look like, you will have an idea of when to resume work, what to do at work, and when work officially closes.
4. What is the company culture?
Different companies have different cultures. What is obtainable where you used to work might be different from what your new job wants. The recruiter can provide you with the company’s culture and ideology. Asking the recruiter about the company culture and policies will help you assess yourself and see if you can thrive in the company.
4. What is the salary range for this role?
Before going further into the job interview, comparing the salary the job offers with the compensation you expect is reasonable. Some jobs require a lot from you but end up paying little. Knowing what the job entails and your take-home salary helps you make an informed decision about whether to take the job or not.
Although it might be a little awkward asking for salary if the recruiter does not bring it up, ask anyways.
But make sure the recruiter understands that you are not asking because you value the pay more than the service you will render when employed.
Also, asking for the salary range for the role should not be the first question. Instead, the question should come after you must have understood your role and have detailed information about the job.
6. How long has the job been open?
Knowing how long a job has been opened will help you know what to expect in terms of the employment timeline. Newly opened job posts signal that you are part of the first set of people to apply. If this is the case, you might have a longer recruitment process as it will allow them to consider other qualified candidates.
If a job post has been up for too long, it might indicate that the working condition is not so favorable, so other jobseekers pass. Or the recruiter has not found a suitable candidate.
A similar question you can ask is, “Can you tell me about the interview process and timeline?”
When you want to apply for a job, it would be great to be aware of the recruitment timeline. The answer to these questions helps you know if the job’s timeline can fit into your schedule.
7. Is there anything in my resume or background that could be a concern?
Perceived gaps in your work history or skill set can be a significant concern to the recruiter. Asking the recruiter if there is anything in your resume or background that could be of concern will give you the opportunity to explain the perceived gaps. However, if there is no gap in your work history, asking these questions will help you streamline your resume to suit what is acceptable in the organization.
8. Would you recommend any changes to my resume or cover letter?
When you have the opportunity to speak with a recruiter, you are free to ask if your CV is good. If it does not look too good, the recruiter can advise on making your resume stand out and meet the recruitment expectations of the hiring manager.
In conclusion
Your recruiter should not be perceived as unapproachable. Rather they should be seen as an ally. This way, you would be confident while asking questions that favor your job search. Asking these eight insightful questions correctly will provide more necessary information about a job and help you determine if the job is good for you or not.
BIO
Michelle Thomas
Marketing Analyst and Blogger in Scanteam. I’ve been working with web analytics, data collection and analysis for 7 years. I also work in the area of Big Data. My experience helps to be a professional in marketing and related industries.
