eFinancialCareers

Banks in Asia are struggling in their efforts to recruit directly as hiring mandates pick up and application levels remain high. Faced with rising workloads, many HR teams are turning back to recruitment agencies to meet their hiring needs.

Establishing a strong rapport with a headhunter is therefore becoming more and more important. But it’s also safe to say that some job seekers remain sceptical about the responsiveness and usefulness of their current consultants.

In part I of a two-part series, we provide a few tips on how to improve your relationship with your recruiter.

Get to the point to rise above the crowd

Recruiters normally receive more than 50 unsolicited calls a day, of which about 75 per cent are from candidates with irrelevant experience, says Carol Cheung, managing consultant, banking & financial services, Hudson.

So how can you distinguish yourself from the mundane masses? “Instead of trying to go through all of your job history and education background, summarise your experience in a few key points - which are the must-have requirements for the position - then the recruiter will be far more interested to have a detailed discussion,” adds Cheung.

Only apply to relevant jobs

Spamming your CV to every banking vacancy just doesn’t work. Recruiters receive many responses for each advertisement, but most are of poor quality, or not suitable to the job, according to Matthew Sidgwick, senior consultant, Reed Banking & Finance.

“Remember to emphasise the skills and knowledge that are relevant to the job in question, and where applicable, outline any achievements or accolades from previous employers,” says Sidgwick.

Don’t spread yourself too thinly

Avoid signing up with multiple agencies. Recruiters prefer working with job seekers who are selective in their choice of representation, says Christina Ng, manager, financial services, Robert Walters Hong Kong.

Establish a strong relationship with one or two consultants who are experts in your particular job function. “Candidate credibility goes out the window when they say they are only working with yourself, and you then find their CV is all over the market,” comments Paul Endacott, director of Ambition in Singapore.

Be truthful about other job opportunities…

Headhunters mistrust secretive or coy candidates. If you are interviewing elsewhere, tell your recruiter in order to avoid any nasty last-minute surprises, says Sidgwick. “Likewise, keep your consultant abreast of any new developments within your career, such as a promotion, salary increment etc. Providing a detailed debrief after every interview is another ‘must do’,” he adds.

…and about money

It’s tempting to inflate your current salary, if you think it will help you secure more money in your next job. Bad idea, says Richie Holliday, managing director of Morgan McKinley Hong Kong. “At referencing stage, this information is rigorously checked and, if it’s found to be wrong, it can seriously damage your credibility. Using the excuse that you were ‘factoring in’ other parts of your compensation still doesn’t work,” adds Holliday.

Don’t ask the bank for feedback directly…

“After your interview, never go to the firm directly for feedback. Banks pay recruiters to manage this process. If you really need to speak, check with your recruiter first on the procedure,” advises Gary Lai, manager, financial services, Robert Walters Singapore.

…and learn from negative feedback

Consultants hold interviews with three or four people each day, so they can provide excellent insights on how you can improve as a candidate, says Brodie McDougall, manager, Michael Page Finance.

Moreover, you need to develop a relationship with your recruiter in which he/she can openly give you both positive and negative responses, says Endacott. “The worst thing you can do when receiving negative feedback is take it defensively. By acting on the negatives, you’ll improve your chances of securing a role tenfold,” he adds.

More tips will follow next week.