6 Questions to Ask Your Recruiter

As a prospective employee, leveraging a recruiter’s knowledge by asking the right questions can provide useful insights into the job position and company. A recruiter’s job is to facilitate a good match between employee and company, so they’re the perfect resource to determine if this job is the best fit for you. Their understanding of the job and company can also help you cater your resume, cover letter, and interview responses to mirror the skills desired. Most importantly, asking the right questions can make a great first impression and set you apart from other candidates.

Below we outline some of the most important questions to ask your recruiter during the interview process.

Questions to Ask Your Recruiter

How long has the position been open?

The answer to this question can point out red flags as a prospective employee. It can give valuable insight into the hiring process and to how many candidates have already explored this position. If the position has been open for a while, other candidates may have found a reason to decline. Or, the hiring manager may be very particular and selective. The hiring manager may not know what they are looking for and candidates may have faced challenges that led them to walk away. On the other hand, if the position just opened, the hiring process may take more time as most hiring managers will want to interview multiple candidates before making an offer.

What are the most critical skills needed?

Understanding what skills are most important and desired by the company is essential in accessing if this is the right job for you. It will show you whether or not you’re qualified with the desired skills or if your skillset will work well in this position. Furthermore, the needed skills can help highlight if you’re truly interested in this position. If your skills don’t line up, it may be a good time to explore a different position. But, if you feel that you have the skills desired and that this job would be a good fit for you, use the answer to this question to cater yourself to the hiring manager. Using specific keywords in your resume and cover letter or preparing skills-specific talking points and questions will give you an upper hand against other candidates.

What are some reasons that other candidates weren’t selected?

Similarly to the first question of “how long has this position been open,” the answer to this question can tell you a lot. On the company side, it may show you that the hiring manager is extremely selective or may not know what they want. It also highlights what qualities and skills possessed by the candidate are most important for this position. If you’re lucky enough to get a specific and detailed answer, it could underline mistakes made by other candidates that you’ll want to avoid.

What’s turnover like at this company?

Turnover rates say a lot about a company. If the company has a high turnover rate, there must be some challenges with the business-side or employee-side – neither of which are particularly appealing. Whether it be unrealistic expectations or an undesirable work environment, the turnover rate can help you decide if this position and company are the right fit for you.

What is the company culture like?

Company culture is increasingly important in today’s society. You want the work environment, values, goals, and more to align with your own. If you are looking for a team-based workflow but this position focuses on independent projects, for example, you may want to look elsewhere. Or if you value diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE & I) commitments and initiatives but this company has none, there is most likely another company out there that will be a better fit for you.

What’s the time frame for filling this position?

Knowing the time frame for filling the position can help manage expectations. If there’s a sense of urgency, you can expect to hear back from the hiring manager rather quickly. But if the position was recently posted, the hiring time frame will most likely be extended as they will want to explore and interview an array of candidates. In case of the latter, you may want to consider other job postings if you are looking to start as soon as possible.

Wrapping Up

At the end of the day, recruiters are the best resource when exploring a new job position. The above questions to ask your recruiter can enable a more seamless experience, particularly in the onboarding process. The recruiter’s insight into the company and job alike can help you decide if this position is for you, and if it is, their knowledge can help you present yourself as the ideal candidate.