6 Tips to Catch a Recruiter’s Attention
By Lea Wolfinger, Senior Director, Ashton Tweed
Being contacted by a recruiter can be an exciting experience – you are presented a new opportunity in your industry without having done any work on your end. However, if you are interested in new career opportunities, here are a few tips to make yourself more visible and catch a recruiter’s attention:
1. Use keywords.
Make sure to use key search words in your résumé and especially on your LinkedIn profile. Recruiters use specific keywords related to their search that are commonly used in your field and position. Clients may also provide recruiters with certain qualities they are looking for, another set of keywords used in a candidate search.
2. Choose the right verbs.
You want to use strong verbs to demonstrate your exact responsibilities and achievements n each position you have held. Not only will these verbs make you sound like a more appealing candidate, but they will also more concisely describe your abilities. Don’t let useless verbs take up space on your résumé or LinkedIn profile.
3. Make your contact information available.
Don’t make it more difficult for recruiters to get in touch with you. Make sure to provide an email or phone number that you prefer to be reached by. LinkedIn also provides a system to be messaged, so make sure to check those notifications regularly. Lastly, make sure to respond in a timely manner. Recruiters work quickly, and the more responsive candidates have an advantage.
4. Show a strong knowledge of your work style.
Strong self-awareness is really helpful for recruiters. If you are able to sum up your work style and personality, recruiters can quickly determine if you are a good match for their client’s position. Culture fit has become a highly desirable quality for both employers and employees.
5. Provide a professional summary.
This will quickly and efficiently give recruiters an idea of your work experience in a nutshell. An informative summary will catch their attention and have them reading further into your résumé or LinkedIn profile for more details. This is also a brief description they can send to their client later on in the recruiting process.
6. Be active in your industry’s community.
Recruiters will use multiple resources to scour your industry’s community. So participating in conferences and meetings or writing in blogs and online forums will give you visibility to your network and recruiters alike. Participation and interaction are the foundations of networking, making it more probable to be recommended to or found by a recruiter.
Looking for new opportunities? Submit your résumé to our Life Sciences Talent Bank.
Looking for a recruiter to find the talent you need? Contact Ashton Tweed today.
Share your insights! Contact jamesrudman@ashtontweed.com to contribute your life sciences article as a guest writer.
