So, you have been working closely with a recruiter over the past few weeks to find your next career opportunity. Your CV has been updated, formatted and sent out to clients, you have been put forward for specific roles and finally you have the interview date! You have researched the company, been prepped by the recruiter and feel prepared and ready to face the next stage-the interview! Once the interview is over, what happens next?
There is a lot of advice and tips that help with writing your CV and preparing for an interview but there is not so much advice out there helping you with what happens next. In this blog you will find some useful tips on how to handle the next stage of the recruitment process.
Once you have finished up in your interview you may begin to over analyse how it went, you may be hard on yourself for not saying something you had planned to say due to nerves, or maybe you feel as though you said too much. Understandably, it is easier said than done, but do not stress and over process the situation. If you have thoroughly prepared for your interview, rest assured you have done more than enough! Yes, you may have felt more nervous than expected, yes you may have felt you could have performed better-it is expected that you will critique how you have performed.
Tip Number 1: After leaving the interview contact the recruiter you have been working with
You should not call the client directly to request feedback, this is what the recruiter is there for! By working with a recruitment consultant it allows there to be just one line of communication between all involved in the recruitment process, this minimises the risk of any misunderstanding. Your recruitment consultant will know how to handle the process so trust them. Let your recruiter know how you felt the interview went and ask any questions you may want answering. Seek as much feedback as possible, both negative and positive, as this will be useful going forward for any other interviews you may have lined up.
Tip Number 2: Agree a timescale
When talking with your recruiter after your interview be sure to agree a timescale for when you can expect to be notified on whether you have been successful during the interview process or not. Knowing when to expect the news will put your mind at rest, your recruiter will confirm this with the client and let you know as soon as this date has been set.
Tip Number 3: Email the client to thank them
Thank the client for taking time out of their day to hold the interview, when doing so CC in your recruiter so they are aware of you doing this. By emailing to say thank you it shows you are respectful to the client for giving you the opportunity and that you appreciate them putting time aside to do so, as we can all understand and appreciate clients have very hectic schedules.
Tip Number 4: If you have not heard back within the agreed timescale, contact your recruiter
Once you have been given a date when you can expect to hear back in regards to whether you have the role or not and still not heard anything after a day or two-call your recruiter directly. There could be a number of reasons why you have not heard back, but it is always better to be clear on what the issue is. The recruiter can then contact the client on your behalf and keep you updated.
Tip Number 5: Thank the recruiter for their efforts
Whether you have been accepted for the job or not, always be sure to thank your recruiter, a lot of time and energy would have gone into getting you the interview and preparing you for it-show your appreciation for the effort that has gone in to assisting you. If you have been offered the role, the recruiter will work with you in completing any relevant documentation, agreeing a start date, package etc
To conclude the most important aspect during the recruitment process is excellent communication and transparency from all those involved and throughout each stage. This is why it is always in your best interest to communicate directly with your recruiter and not blur communication channels by contacting the client. If you ever have any questions or concerns, your recruitment consultant is there for help whenever you may need it
Have you used a recruitment agency to help you find a new role? Was your experience positive or negative? If you haven’t yet used an agency, is it something you would consider? If not, why? We are keen to hear from you!
