The relationship between a candidate and recruiter is simple. The candidate is looking for a role, and the recruiter is looking for individuals to fill a role. So why do relationships with recruiters become difficult and stressful to manage? We’ve taken some of the most popular pitfalls from using a recruiter and offered some handy solutions.

No response

One of the most common problems jobseekers experience if using a recruiter is often a lack of response that follows after they have put you forward for a vacancy. This can be especially frustrating if they were the one to approach you about the vacancy in the first place. Unfortunately, the solution to this issue is limited. It’s perfectly acceptable to get in touch with the recruiter to see if there’s any news. Also bear in mind that the company hiring could be delaying arranging interviews and it may not always be the fault of the recruiter. After a certain amount of time, assume that no news is bad news and move on.

Inappropriate Roles

It’s not unlikely to come across a recruiter that would like to put you forward for a role you aren’t interested in or don’t feel suitable for. There can be numerous reasons for this. Perhaps the recruiter is struggling to fill the vacancy and so is looking a bit further afield. With pressure on the recruiter to get the vacancy filled, this pressure can transfer on to you if you are being persuaded into applying. It’s always important to remember you should not be pressured by recruiters to go for anything you don’t want to. You also want to keep a good relationship with the recruiter in case they get future roles which you are more suited for. The best way to go about it is to politely decline, stating you don’t feel this particular role is right for you, but to please keep you in mind for future vacancies. It can be a good idea to have an initial chat with the recruiter about what sort of role you are hoping for, to avoid this happening again.

Arranging interviews

Recruiters are in a position where they need to impress their clients – your potential employers. They therefore only want to work with serious candidates, so it’s down to you to prove yourself to be one. If you begin to cancel or re-arrange interviews, this can make the recruiter much more reluctant to work with you. It’s vital for you to ensure you have an organised calendar to attend all your appointments when you are arranging them. Cancelling last minute is another factor that could get you booted off a recruiters list, so if it has to be done, make sure you call ahead with plenty of notice.