How to Reach Out to a Recruiter

A recruiter is a person who often works within a company’s human resources department to synthesize job descriptions, coordinate talent acquisition, and streamline the hiring process. Recruiters work with hiring managers to finesse job postings and then use those templates to source strong candidates. Recruiters will share job openings on employment and networking websites and travel to schools and job fairs to represent the company name, broaden the job search, and meet interested candidates from different backgrounds.

You can reach out to a recruiter to express interest in job opportunities or apply to a job posting. There are three main ways to contact a recruiter:

1. 1. In person: You may attend a job fair at college or an open house for a company. Dress nicely, bring printed resumes, and look up the recruiter’s name in advance. Know what type of job you want so you can ask specific questions about job opportunities.
2. 2. Via email: If recruiters publicly list their emails, contact them to express your interest in the company. You should note how your experiences and skill sets align with the brand—keep it short and sweet, writing only a paragraph or two. The goal is to get on the recruiter’s radar, so they consider you when job listings arise. You can also reach out if you have specific questions about a posted position.
3. 3. Networking sites: Be sure to update and edit your networking profile, and then feel free to send a short message to the recruiter. Make an excellent first impression by crafting a clean message, sharing your contact information, and having a call to action. Go into the message knowing what you want: It may be career advice or answers to specific questions about job postings or company culture. Politely ask if the recruiter has any free time in the next week to discuss over a phone call, and be sure to make yourself available to their schedule.

When corresponding with recruiters, consider the following tips:

1. 1. Do your research. Before sending your resume to a company’s recruiter, do some research to learn more about the kind of work the company does and whether your skill set is a match. You can tailor your resume to those needs to strengthen your job search.
2. 2. Send a follow-up email. After meeting with a recruiter, send a follow-up email within three days to thank the recruiter for their time and information. You can also send a concise and professional thank you message after a recruiter accepts a connection request on a networking site.
3. 3. Follow the submission guidelines. When submitting an application to a recruiter, follow the submission guidelines. For example, do not send the recruiter your cover letter and resume if the posting states to deliver it to a particular email address. You may, however, reach out directly to the recruiter if you have questions or want to briefly state how excited you are to apply, thanking them for the clear job posting.

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