As a recruitment agency, we know that it might be a little confusing when preparing for your first meeting. Although you might not feel as much pressure as you would in a direct job interview, preparing and making a great impression is still crucial. Meetings with recruitment agencies may indeed be relaxed, but their role is to match the right jobs with the best talent they can find. So, if you aren’t prepared, you may find yourself struggling to get the job you want. Today we want to discuss the do’s and don’ts when meeting a recruiter, so when it comes to your first meeting, you will know exactly what you need to do to excel.
1) Know what you want
This is probably one of the most important things to do when preparing for your first meeting with a recruitment agency and one of the things that we often see people forgetting to do. During the allotted time, a recruiter will want to gain a good idea of what you want out of them and where you would be best suited. It can be easy to veer off track in these situations, so it might be a good idea to note your career goals before the meeting. The more the recruitment agency knows about your ambitions, the more likely you are to get an interview for the role you want.
2) Dress smartly
Although it isn’t exactly a job interview, making an excellent first impression is still essential. Every recruitment agency will be able to tell you stories of people arriving for their meeting in scruffy clothes. Unsurprisingly, this will hold you back from getting the job you want or any job at all. Your image can say a lot about you in those initial stages of building a positive relationship when looking for work. A recruiter needs to see that you care about getting a job; otherwise, they may be disinterested in helping you find one.
3) Keep a record of jobs you have already applied for
One thing recruitment agencies don’t like is wasting time. It is important to let them know what companies you have already sent your CV to so they don’t send it a second time. Doing this in your first meeting will tell them that you are both considerate to them and proactive in looking for work.
4) Read up on the recruitment agency
It is always important to know exactly what type of clients a recruitment agency deals with. Doing this will not only look good in a meeting, but it can save you a lot of time. For example, if you are looking for a job in digital marketing, you don’t want to sit through a one-hour meeting with an agency that mainly deals with industry and warehouses.
5) Make sure your CV is up to date
To ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible, make sure your CV contains all of the relevant information and is up to date. We see a lot of people sign up in a rush and don’t update their CVs beforehand. Again, this can result in much wasted time and will hinder your progress in finding the role you want.
6) Be honest
Having gaps in employment happens for many reasons, whether from taking on personal studies, caring for relatives, or simply wanting to change the direction of your career. It is essential to be honest with the recruitment agency and not try to cover up anything you consider a fault in your CV. Recruiters want to build a relationship with everyone they deal with, so honesty will help build trust and encourage them to want to help you.
7) Don’t be vague
We see many people come into meetings telling us that they are happy to do anything. We know that this isn’t true, and it also makes our job much harder. When a recruitment agency knows what you want, they can make sure they only look into positions that you are likely to stay with. It is ok to turn down a job if it isn’t right for you, but it can cost a recruitment agency clients if you enter somewhere you aren’t suited for. Let them know what you will and won’t do, and you are guaranteed to have a much smoother experience.
8) Let them know if you have any holidays planned
Recruitment agencies are aware that people might have holidays or important occasions that they will be unable to work on. However, make sure you let them know the dates. Depending on your current employment status, you might feel the need to oversell yourself and tell them you are fully available all of the time. If they don’t know specific dates that you are unavailable for work, it can be counterproductive for everyone involved and cause unnecessary frustration. Again, this can also help build a strong and trusting relationship.
We hope this information has cleared a few things up about your first meeting with a recruitment agency. Although you aren’t being interviewed for a particular job, it is essential to make a good impression, do your research, and be prepared. Recruitment agencies work on building trust and understanding precisely what you need to get out of them. Without the correct information, it may be a little tricky for them to get you where you need to be. Remember, they are there to help.?
If you are currently out of work, considering the next steps in your career, or are a business looking for new talent, CGPO2O are a top recruitment agency in Thailand. We specialise in providing workers with the roles that they want. Our leadership team possess a combined 45 years of experience in specialist sectors and understands the value of developing long-lasting relationships when dealing with both sides of recruitment.
