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Should You Work With a Recruiter? What Job Seekers Need to Know
If you’ve been job hunting for a while, chances are you’ve been approached by a recruiter, or wondered whether reaching out to one might speed things up. It’s a question worth thinking through carefully, because working with a recruiter can be genuinely valuable, but only if you understand how the relationship works and what to expect from it.
Here’s an honest breakdown of what recruiters do, what they don’t do, and how to get the most out of the relationship if you decide to go down that path.
What a Recruiter Actually Does
A recruiter’s primary relationship is with the employer, not the candidate. Businesses engage recruiters to find them the right person for a role, and in most cases, that’s who pays the fee. This isn’t a reason to be wary of recruiters; it’s simply useful context. A good recruiter has a genuine incentive to place the right person in the right role, because their reputation with both clients and candidates depends on it.
What that means for you as a job seeker is that a recruiter isn’t a career coach or a job application service. They are a connector, someone with relationships inside businesses that are hiring, and the industry knowledge to match a candidate’s skills and experience to the right opportunity.
The Real Advantage of Working With One
The most compelling reason to work with a recruiter is access. A significant number of roles, particularly in specialist industries like print, signage, and manufacturing, are never publicly advertised. Businesses call their recruiter first, and if the right candidate is already on their books, the role is filled quietly before it ever hits SEEK.
Beyond that, a recruiter who knows your industry well can offer something genuinely hard to find elsewhere, an honest read on the market. What are comparable roles paying right now? Which businesses have a strong culture and which have a revolving door? What skills are employers prioritising and where might your experience need bolstering? That kind of insight is difficult to get on your own, and a good recruiter will share it freely.
They can also advocate for you in ways a resume can’t. When a recruiter puts you forward for a role, they’re lending you their credibility. A personal recommendation from someone an employer trusts carries real weight.
What to Be Realistic About
Working with a recruiter isn’t a passive process. Registering your details and waiting for the phone to ring rarely produces results. The job seekers who get the most out of recruiter relationships are the ones who stay engaged, checking in periodically, letting their recruiter know if their situation or preferences change, and being responsive when an opportunity comes up.
It’s also worth understanding that a recruiter can only work with what’s currently available. If there are no suitable roles on their books right now, that’s not a reflection of your value, it’s simply timing. The best approach is to work with a recruiter as one channel in your job search, not the only one.
And be honest with them. Recruiters can only represent you well if they have the full picture — your experience, your salary expectations, your non-negotiables, and anything in your background that might be relevant. There are no surprises that help anyone in this process.
How to Choose the Right Recruiter
Not all recruiters are created equal, and specialism matters enormously. A generalist recruiter covering everything from retail to IT to trades is unlikely to have deep relationships inside the businesses you want to work for, or a genuine understanding of what your skills are worth in your specific field.
A recruiter who works exclusively in your industry is a different proposition entirely. They know the key players, they understand the technical nuances of different roles, and they’re often known and trusted by the very hiring managers making decisions about your application.
When you speak to a recruiter for the first time, pay attention to the questions they ask. A good one will want to understand your background in depth, what you’re looking for, and what matters to you beyond salary. If the conversation feels transactional, like they’re just ticking boxes to get you on a database, trust that instinct.
Questions Worth Asking a Recruiter Before You Commit
- How long have you been working in this industry specifically?
- What kinds of businesses do you work with regularly?
- How many roles in my field are you currently working on?
- How will you keep me updated on progress?
- Will you tell me which company a role is with before putting me forward?
That last one matters. You should always know where you’re being submitted before a recruiter approaches a business on your behalf. Any reputable recruiter will tell you upfront and seek your consent.
A Few Green Flags to Look For
The best recruiter relationships feel like a genuine partnership. You’ll know you’re working with the right person when they give you honest feedback, even when it’s not what you want to hear, when they prepare you properly for interviews rather than just sending you a job description, and when they follow up after an interview to see how it went and pass on any feedback from the employer.
Good recruiters also play a long game. If there isn’t a suitable role for you right now, they’ll tell you that honestly and keep you in mind for when something comes upm rather than pushing you toward something that isn’t quite right just to make a placement.
The Bottom Line
Working with a recruiter can genuinely accelerate your job search, open doors that aren’t publicly visible, and give you a real advantage in a competitive market, particularly in specialist industries where relationships and reputation count for a lot.
The key is approaching it with clear expectations, choosing someone with genuine expertise in your field, and treating the relationship as a two-way street. The more you put in, the more you get out.
If you’re working in print, signage, packaging or a related field and want an honest conversation about what’s out there, we’re always happy to have it. No obligation, just a chat.
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