4 Questions to Ask Every Recruiter Who Reaches Out to You
Before you agree to interview, get these four answers. They tell you how much influence the recruiter has, and how real the opportunity is.
FloodGate Medical · 1 min read
When you're considering interviewing for a new position, it's very important to have all the information, so you can make an informed decision. Ask these questions every time a recruiter presents an opportunity you'd like to explore.
1. Do you have the exclusive on this search?
Why ask: Good recruiters usually do, which means the employer has given them sole responsibility for finding candidates. That isn't always the case. Often, managers send their openings to several recruiters, and not all of them are equal.
2. Do you have direct access to the hiring manager?
Why ask: Some employers put an HR contact between the recruiter and the hiring manager. When that happens, the recruiter loses much of their ability to guide the hiring manager through the process.
3. Why is the position open?
Why ask: If you learn that the last three reps were all put on performance plans, that may be a yellow flag.
4. How much interviewing has already been done?
Why ask: There's nothing worse than arriving at your first interview assuming it's theirs too, only to find the manager has already run two rounds and you're filling in for someone who canceled.
Don't hang up with the recruiter until you have answers to all four.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean for a recruiter to have the exclusive on a search?
The employer has given that recruiter sole responsibility for finding candidates. Good recruiters usually do. Without it, the opening may have gone to several recruiters, and they aren't all equal.
Why does it matter whether the recruiter can talk to the hiring manager?
When an HR contact sits between them, the recruiter loses much of their ability to guide the hiring manager through the process.
What's a warning sign when you ask why a position is open?
A pattern of trouble in the role. If the last three people in it were all put on performance plans, treat that as a yellow flag.
Why ask how much interviewing has already been done?
So you know where you stand. You don't want to arrive at what you think is a first interview and find the manager has already run two rounds and you're filling in for someone who canceled.
Traditional search is built to reward transactions, not outcomes.
Work with a recruiter who has the answers.
Send your resume once and a Talent Director who knows your corner of MedTech reads it.