How to Get Recruiters to Pursue You

April 8, 2017

Looking for work can be, well, a lot of work. The job search process is nerve-wracking and time-consuming, especially when you’re already busy working at the job you have. You know that sometimes job recruiters pursue candidates, maybe it’s happened to a friend or a colleague in the past, but so far you’ve never heard from one. It would be nice to have great opportunities come right to you – but how do you make that happen? How can you get job recruiters to pursue you?

recruiters — Wavebreakmedia/Getty Images

1. Have an amazing attitude.

Sometimes innovators get a lot of attention professionally, and sometimes it’s the folks who communicate well and are excellent team members. Hard work often helps us get noticed, as do good problem-solving skills. But, one thing that always seems to matter, no matter the industry, no matter the job, is attitude. Having an amazing attitude is key if you want to be recruited. These are the folks that demonstrate they’d make excellent leaders, whereas a negative attitude communicates just the opposite. You have to be consistent too – someone who flies off the handle or is unpredictable mood-wise doesn’t seem like the kind of person who’s ready to take on new challenges.

2. Stay connected to your network.

Having 500 friends on professional networking sites means nothing. It’s the number of people that you’ve formed genuine connections with that counts – the people that would think of you if an opportunity came along that was fitting. So, stay tied to the people in your network. Communicate with them frequently and offer your help when it seems like it could be useful. It’s important to stay connected to your network so that you’ve on their mind if and when opportunities present themselves.

3. Attend events and conferences, in person.

There are so many job-search options available these days, it can be almost too easy to keep playing it safe within our comfort zones. After all, how much of a challenge is it, really, to look around a little online. But, if you’re really serious about expanding your network and getting to another level professionally (a level where recruiters pursue you) you have to put yourself out there in the real world, too. Attend conferences and networking events, and show up for any other opportunity that crosses your path. Forging new connections IRL is still very important, even in 2017.

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4. Continuously develop your skills.

People who get recruited are at the top of their game. They’re not content to let their skillset stay the same, just because their job isn’t pushing them to develop. Instead, people who get recruited work hard to keep their relevant skills fresh. They take classes, go to training sessions, read books, and have conversations with others in their industry, just to keep growing and learning. Folks who get recruited are proactive about developing their understanding and their skills. They pursue this learning independently if need be. They don’t require a boss to direct them toward professional development in this way – they pursue the learning, training, and growth all on their own.

5. Have a clear vision of where you’d like to go.

If you want to be pursued by a recruiter, and have a great meeting together that ultimately wins you some opportunities, you have to have a clear vision of where you want to go. You should know exactly who you are, where you’ve come from, and what you’d like to do next. This trajectory should be visible on your professional networking profiles. And, it should be evident to anyone who talks with you. Focus on honing and articulating a clear vision for your future. You’ll be able to maximize the experience, once it’s time to meet with that recruiter, if you do.