by Carrie Maldonado, Special to CTC

When you are actively engaged in pursuing new employment opportunities, you will nearly always encounter a recruiter. This may be an in-house recruiter employed full time by the hiring company, or it may be an outside agency. As a job seeker, these folks can be excellent resources to you, providing you remember the rules of engagement. There are five ways to make sure your relationship with a recruiter is as effective as possible.

Be honest

While it may be tempting to tell the recruiter what you think they want to hear to get your foot in the door, this will not serve you well. It is very important to be clear about what you are looking for. It can be very flattering to receive a call from someone who has seen your resume online or who has heard about you and wants to talk about a potential opportunity, but if the opportunity does not align with your career goals, it is important to explain this. Otherwise, you will waste valuable time (yours and theirs) going down a path that does not lead where you want to go.

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About the Author:

As a certified HR Professional, executive coach and resume writer, Carrie Maldonado divides her time between consulting with small to mid-size businesses and career coaching with executives in transition. When not coaching or consulting, Carrie is a novelist, wife and mother to a daughter and twin sons.