By: Bernie Diaz, Recruitment Manager

Recruiter, the moment you identify a candidate as a good match for a position you’re working on, is the moment you start forging a strong partnership. After all, you’re both pursuing the same goal: a successful placement. A Win for the candidate, a Win for the hiring company and last but not least, a Win for you!
In order for this partnership to work, you must both share the same passion towards earning a job offer.
Here is what I demand of myself …

• Listen. Find out what the candidate’s hot buttons are. What is he or she looking for in their next position? What is the ideal compensation and what compensation will be considered? Take notes and save them for later reference. Nothing earns a candidate’s respect and trust more than demonstrating that you’ve paid attention.   
• Set my candidate up for success every step of the way. I thoroughly prep my candidates before every telephone and onsite interview. My preference is to send a detailed prep e-mail with a number of interview tips. I will also share any insights regarding the company and the interviewer (s) that I may have.
• Communicate. We’ve all been there. We contact someone, get that person all excited about a position, submit the resume and then the process comes to a screeching halt. If that happens, don’t leave your candidate in limbo. Check in with the client for a status update. If he or she was eliminated, find out why and share the reasons. It will make that individual a stronger interviewee for the next opportunity. If still in the mix, assure your candidate that you will continue to follow up vigorously on their behalf. He or she will not be forgotten.
• Be a cheerleader. Wish your candidate luck before every interview. Celebrate every small victory… earning a telephone interview based on a strong resume, being invited for a face-to- face, etc. Offer words of encouragement if the interview did not go well. Peel the onion and find out the areas where the candidate feels he or she could have done better. Treat this as a learning experience, not a defeat.

Here is what I ask of my candidates…

• Be coachable.   Accept my interviewing advice and put it into practice. Do your homework on the company and the key players. Demonstrate enthusiasm and always ask for the next step. These are just some of the tips I share, to help my candidates stand out from the rest.
• Be accessible.  I won’t go dark on you, please don’t go dark on me. Return my phone calls, e-mails, etc. A constant dialogue between both of us is key, which brings us to my final point…
• Communicate.  Any changes on your end? Are there any offers on the table from the other companies you are interviewing with? How do those offers stack up against the opportunity we’re pursuing together? Have any of these companies given you a “must accept by” deadline? Knowledge is power. Share all pertinent details with me and I’ll do my best to negotiate the best possible offer for you. 

As we all know, the job market is highly competitive, with an impressive array of talent competing for the same position. The job of a recruiter and candidate is to face all challenges and walk away with an offer. When that happens, you will have accomplished it together… the true definition of a partnership!