Recruiters are conduits between you, the candidate, and the company who may want to hire you in the future. You can think of recruiters as matchmakers between organizations and job seekers, and you can make the most of your interactions by asking some key questions. In this way, you’ll understand the job better, and the recruiter will get to know you better and be able to advocate on your behalf. Some of these questions will apply more to one position vs. another, but all of them can be helpful.
Questions to Ask Your Recruiter:
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How much does this job pay?
The most obvious question you’ll want to ask your recruiter is the rate of pay. We all know money isn’t everything, but it can have an influence when deciding to accept or reject a job offer. Before you meet with your recruiter, do some research on your own to determine the pay range for the position(s) you’re seeking in your area.
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How can you help me?
Recruiters don’t simply source jobs. They help match candidates with organizations that share their vision and desire to make the world a better place. Your recruiter can help you finetune your cover letter and practice interview skills. They can also role-play as your hiring manager and offer tips on how you can showcase your unique talents and abilities.
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What are the benefits associated with this job?
It’s helpful to know what benefits go along with a job so you can make an informed decision. Is there health insurance? Vacation time? 401K? (Arbor offers benefits to employees who work a certain number of hours per week!)
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What is the timeline for hiring for this position, and what will the interview process look like?
It’s important to understand the hiring period so you can adjust your expectations. A lot of this depends on the position, and some companies move faster than others. Because of this, you may want to ask your recruiter if there are multiple rounds of interviews or if they’re hiring immediately.
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Why is this position open?
This question also depends on the position you’re applying for and is more important when looking at recurring or contract placements. In these cases, learning what you can about the vacancy may help you to understand the current status of the role in the company or organization.
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What are my scheduling options?
This can be an important question to ask to determine if it would be a good fit. Different roles will have different schedules, especially in health care. For instance, if you’re looking for a regular schedule—four days on, three days off—your recruiter might be able to recommend a position where you can do that, whereas some positions are more flexible and will allow you to take a different shift each day of the week.
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What is the population I’d be working with?
This question will help you determine the kinds of clients you would be working with. Are the clients older? Younger? Do they have substance abuse challenges? Mental or behavioral health challenges? These kinds of things can be extremely helpful to know about ahead of time in order to prepare yourself for what you’ll be walking into.
As you can see, a recruiter can be an asset if you know what questions to ask. Let Arbor Associates partner with you as seek your next great career in the healthcare industry!
