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How to Hack Recruiting

There is a lot of frustration on the cleared job seeker side of recruiting. It’s understandable that applicants get irritated when their resume goes into a black hole. Both sides of the table – recruiters and job seekers – will agree that communication and a connection are key to a successful recruiting and candidate experience.

Suggestions for ways to make that connection:

Talk to friends and colleagues who have had a good recruiting experience in their job search. Ask them for their recruiter’s name and contact info. When you make a call and introduce yourself as “Hi, I was referred to you by John Smith,” the recruiter will pay more attention. Very quickly a connection is made.

If you need to find a recruiter on your own go to ISSA meetings, go to OWasp and cloud security alliance meetings, or wherever your profession gathers. If recruiters are gathering at these functions (where they don’t get paid) then you know they are committed to their work. You’ll find recruiters who want to learn more about the profession.

It’s also important to know how to work your way effectively through an interview. Many recruiters can get bogged down in conversations about technology, but you should be prepared to talk about how you changed the game in your current role or in a past position, and how that relates to the position you’re discussing. Don’t just regurgitate the bullet points of a job description. Candidates can get caught up in what they think are key words. Shift away from that thought process to talk about the impact you made and what you achieved — your success stories.

The recruiter shouldn’t make the conversation about the job, it should be about you the job seeker. Keep that in mind. If the interview isn’t progressing, either shift the momentum or prepare to step away. But leave a good impression. That experience may have been shaky or not a good fit, but there may be other opportunities in the future and you want them to think of you.

When looking to make a change, know what your deal breakers are. And don’t be afraid to state them upfront to a recruiter. You don’t want to waste your time, and the recruiter will be happy that you’re not wasting theirs either.

Don’t be shy about being open and honest with a recruiter. Many candidates feel they should not be open, but a recruiter’s goal is to get you a job and to fill a position for their client or company. It’s more efficient if everyone cuts to the chase about personal goals and job qualifications. If what you want doesn’t materialize in this round, the recruiter will respect your honesty and keep you top of mind for the next opportunity.

Bottom line: Take charge of your participation in the process. If a recruiter can’t tell you about a position, can’t answer questions, doesn’t give details, or can’t guide the discussion move on, but do so professionally. Hack the process and be the master of your own fate.

For more details, check out the panel discussion below from BSides Las Vegas.

How To Hack Recruiting: Turning the Tables from CyberSecJobs on Vimeo.