Career Tips: 6 Things Recruiters Love To Hear

Young businessman pointing at you to join his team. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Summary: What can you say (or write) that will make recruiters stop whatever they’re doing and focus exclusively on you?

When you introduce yourself to a recruiter at a job fair or a face-to-face networking event, what can you say that will make a lasting impression and move your resume to the top of the list? And when recruiters are scanning social media profiles and resume databases for likely candidates, how can you get them to pause over your name and take a closer look at your credentials? Here are six sentences that recruiters love to find in profiles or hear when they meet candidates in person.

1. “I love this company. It’s my dream to work here.”

This shows recruiters that the candidate already knows the company, understands its basic business model, and respects what these employers have to offer, including their workplace culture. Of course, until you’ve landed the job, you’ll never really know what it’s like to work for this business (and you don’t really know as much about the company as you might later on). But this statement makes recruiters light up.

2. “Here’s my resume, which includes a link to an online version with more information.”

Follow this statement by handing your recruiter a beautiful hardcopy of your resume printed on linen-heavy paper. And be ready to transfer your document as a Word file or PDF in any form he or she will accept.

Recruiters like to receive as much information about you as possible in the easiest and quickest possible format. If you have a smartphone that you can use to upload the file to her own website, send the file to her as an email attachment, or text her a link to your online version, you’ll be making her job easier. And that’s something everyone enjoys.

3. “What do I need to do to make this happen?”

Recruiters like candidates who are willing to throw themselves into the process and show some initiative. Too often, they encounter workers who are comfortable with their current jobs, exclusively focused on salary, or otherwise unmotivated for a long list of reasons. And it’s not a promising sign when a candidate goes limp like a toddler at the doorway to the dentist’s office. If you’re not only excited about the job, but willing to take the reins of the process and do some of the work on your own, that’s great.

4. “My requirements are flexible, but I will need X and Y.”

Even though you’ll want to show enthusiasm, be clear with your recruiter about your hard deal-breakers so neither of you invest in the process and waste your time. If the position is out of state and you can’t move, or if the bottom of your salary range is truly the bottom and there’s no chance the client can pay this much, don’t lead the recruiter and her client on a long goose chase. Sometimes eagerness is great, and honesty is even better.

5. “I love…and I’m really excited about…and I’m great at….”

Fill in each blank with positive, enthusiastic, and substantive statements that show how you were born to step into this industry, and specifically into this job. Specifics are the key. Positivity is the first step, but you’ll need to round out your winning attitude with very concrete reasons why your skills are the perfect match for this role.

LiveCareer (www.livecareer.com), home to America’s #1 Resume Builder, connects job seekers of all experience levels and career categories to all the tools, resources and insider tips needed to win the job. Find LiveCareer on Youtube and visit LiveCareer’s Google+ page for even more tips and advice on all things career and resume-related.