Tip From a Recruiter - Jana Ambré

Job hunting can feel like a full-time job and figuring out the best moves to make can be confusing, especially in a new labour market. Getting a peek inside the mind of a recruiter can make this process a bit easier. So, let us help with that! In this blog series our experienced recruitment consultants share their top tips to help you succeed in your job search. Learn how to make your application stand out, impress recruiters, and move through the job application process smoothly by following the advice of our experts. This month’s tips are brought to you by our recruitment consultant from Amsterdam, Jana Ambré.

TIP 1 - Attention to detail is key

A well formatted, organized, and error-free resume goes a long way when trying to make a good first impression with a recruiter and/or hiring manager. Resumes are one of the first aspects of a person’s profile that we review to determine a candidate’s suitability for a role; thus, obvious typos, changes in font, mismatched colors, and misaligned texts/images will stick out like a sore thumb and have us questioning a candidate’s organizational skills, language level, and attention to detail.

Attention to detail should also span outside of just the creation of a well-formatted and organized resume. Emails with a clear header, addressee, and sign-off signature with consistent font, color, and text sizing will also help in highlighting a candidate’s professionalism and writing skills.

If you think of the tools you use to land a job as a demonstration of your branding as a candidate: a consistent brand often implicitly helps in instilling confidence in a recruiter and/or hiring manager regarding a candidate’s competency, and is an easy, subtle way for candidates to demonstrate important skills that may set them apart from others.

TIP 2 - Proactivity is rewarded

“Communication is key” is a widely used English phrase. Although cliché, this statement is important to remember and implement. Following up with an email after phone calls, video or F2F interviews, and any other form of direct communication with recruiters and/or hiring managers will come across favorably—even if it is just to thank the person for their time and let them know that you appreciated speaking with them.

Taking initiative and being consistent in staying in contact with recruiters, when we have taken the time to make a personal connection with you (and vice versa), will keep you at the top of our minds for current and/or future vacancies. It also shows us that you have the key attributes that we look for in top candidates, such as eagerness, motivation, politeness, and excellent communication skills.

In the initial stages of contact, even if you may not be interested in a particular position, not responding can also hold meaning for a recruiter and may negatively impact our decision to reach out to you again about a different role that might interest you more!

TIP 3 - Gain trust through transparency

Our team of recruiters are here to support candidates; thus, creating a line of communication that is fully transparent and open will reflect favorably on you. For example, if you are involved in other recruitment processes, there is no need to hide this. This is often even expected if you are actively job hunting, since we are also rooting for our candidates to find the job they enjoy most!

Transparency allows us to do our best in supporting you and understanding your needs. Let us know if there is something you feel is missing, not meeting your expectations, or not for you – this information can help us to do our best to perhaps negotiate a better deal with a client or prevent miscommunication and dissatisfaction down the line.

Transparency is a two-way street; thus, we try our best to clearly communicate the expectations you can have of us and the boundaries of what can be offered. As we do our best to provide clarity and transparency, we wish this of our candidates as well. Overall, staying transparent with recruiters about your expectations, needs, and/or situation will increase trust and respect, as well as their commitment to helping you in your professional journey.

TIP 4 - Have a plan... or at least a well-formed draft

Whether you are considering moving to the Netherlands for the first time or for the tenth time, we understand that the process can be daunting! The best way that we can help you as a candidate is to know about the plans you have in place for moving. Understandably, you may not want to have a place lined up, be registered, etc. until you land a job; however, even just having a clearly communicated idea of what you would do once you land a job, or are close to doing so, makes a big difference to a recruiter. Knowing that you have done your research on the steps you need to take and have laid out back-up plans in case the first few fall through, will show us your organizational abilities, commitment to the move, and dependability during the recruitment process. These qualities will often improve your chances of being considered for a function and help us in advocating for your candidacy if we decide you are a suitable candidate to present to our client as well.

TIP 5 - Be curious and do your research

Although it is important for a company to try and gain your interest for a function, invest in knowing you, and advocate for why you should join their team – it is just as important for a candidate to demonstrate interest, enthusiasm, and a solid motivation. The best way to demonstrate these qualities is by staying curious: ask questions, follow-up on statements about the company and team, express compliments and interest in aspects that are truly intriguing to you, and get to know (if the environment is right!) the background of the people you are speaking with.

The best way to discover material for topics to discuss and to make sure you are asking the right kind of questions is by doing your research. Research the company’s website, LinkedIn, or any other platforms/information they have online. A red flag for many companies is if they speak with a candidate that has never looked at their website or invested time in getting to know their business! Doing one’s research is also a straightforward way to demonstrate the curiosity and enthusiasm that recruiters and hiring managers are looking for in potential candidates.

Jana is an experienced recruitment consultant from our office in Amsterdam. You can find contact information for Jana, and our other recruitment consultants here. Feel free to reach out to them if you have any questions about finding a job in the Netherlands. In the meantime, you can also read more great tips from our recruiters here. Happy job hunting!