Working with a Recruiter
Job seekers who choose to work with recruiters may uncover more opportunities than ones who don't since recruiters have employment connections that can help save job seekers time and hassle during their search process. Companies in all different fields use recruiters to fill job vacancies with appropriate candidates; recruiters work to find and evaluate job seekers and place them in the right roles. Still, job seekers should keep in mind that while recruiters may help them find open positions, a recruiter's client is the company, not the candidate.
Some companies have in-house recruiters who work in the human resources department, while other recruiters work for recruiting agencies. Recruiters review resumes and job profiles to identify prospective job candidates, and scour online job boards and social media pages to pinpoint potential clients. Recruiters conduct phone screenings with job seekers to discuss salary requirements, career goals, and benefit requirements before meeting in person.
How Do You Find a Medical Billing and Coding Job with a Recruiter?
Finding Medical Billing and Coding Recruiters
Recruiters often use sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, or other online job boards to reach out to job seekers and offer their services. For this reason, job seekers should make sure their online profiles are complete and well written, with their resumes up-to-date and free of errors. On LinkedIn, job seekers should pay special attention to their endorsements. Recruiters often look at endorsements to identify potential candidates' skills, and how many people endorse them for each skill. Some recruiters charge job seekers fees, but most of them have commission-based income -- recruiters make their money when they place candidates with employers. Job seekers can use free online directories to connect with recruiters based on desired salary and career path.
Job board websites like Glassdoor, Monster, and Indeed allow job seekers to post their resumes, find open positions, and write and access reviews of recruiters. These reviews may help job seekers determine whether to pursue or avoid certain recruiters. Professional organizations also often have information on recruiters, and job seekers can ask companies in their field for recruiter recommendations to find someone reputable to work with.
Initial Interview with a Medical Billing and Coding Recruiter
Recruiters must be certain of candidates they recommend to employers, so they screen and interview potential candidates ahead of time. Phone screenings help job seekers and recruiters determine if they would work well together. During the phone call, recruiters review the job description in detail and confirm whether or not it would be of interest to the job seeker, and job seekers share their desired salary and benefits, their qualifications, and what kind of job they want.
Generally speaking, the more you share with your recruiter, the better -- for example, job candidates should discuss their short-term and long-term career goals. However, you should not tell recruiters what your lowest acceptable salary is, or your financial status.
The Job Interviewing Process
Recruiters help with the interview process by doing a preliminary screening and providing the job seeker with interview tips. During the initial phone screening, recruiters ask job seekers about their educational background, work experience, special qualifications, and skills. Once they have evaluated the job seeker, recruiters make recommendations to hiring managers, and arrange panel meetings for clients to complete the selection process.
Should You Look for a Medical Billing and Coding Job with a Recruiter?
Advantages of Working with a Recruiter
Recruiters have incentives for placing job seekers in good jobs. Their pay is commission-based, so when they help individuals get jobs, they get paid. The better offer a job seeker gets, the more the recruiter gets paid. For this reason, recruiters often strive to find job seekers the best offers possible. Another incentive for recruiters is that if they find a company a good candidate, the company will be more likely to use them again, and even refer others to them.
Most recruiters know exactly what employers want in a candidate, and can evaluate job seekers accordingly. This is mutually beneficial for job seekers and employers.
Potential Disadvantages of Working with a Recruiter
Most recruiters earn their pay based on commission, meaning that if a job seeker doesn't land a position, their recruiter doesn't get paid. Because of this, recruiters might encourage struggling job seekers to accept even a poor offer, so they can still get their commission. To avoid this, job seekers should establish early on which offers they would consider and which ones they would not. This keeps recruiters from resorting to low-ball offers, since they know the job seeker will decline.
Another potential disadvantage is that recruiters can't always tell job seekers the full truth about their clients' desired qualities. For example, employers with too many female members on their team may ask recruiters only to seek out men, and recruiters wouldn't be able to share this information with potential candidates. Recruiters are not always experts on what each position includes, and do not always understand job responsibilities thoroughly. Job seekers should look for recruiters who have experience in their particular field to help avoid this issue.
Tips for Working with a Recruiter in Medical Billing and Coding
- Don't Take a Shotgun Approach: Job seekers should not settle on the first recruiter they find. They should instead choose one or two recruiters who specialize in their area of interest, and cultivate and build relationships with their recruiter of their choice.
- Dress Professionally: Job seekers should dress to impress when meeting in person with their recruiter, especially for the first time. Dressing in business professional attire shows recruiters that you are professional and ready for employment, and recruiters like to know that they will be positively and professionally represented.
- Send Thank-You Notes: After meeting with recruiters, send a thank you note. This shows appreciation, and gives you the opportunity to reiterate topics from your conversation to show that you were listening.
- Develop a Rapport: By staying loyal to recruiters, individuals will not only create a good rapport, they will also build a strong relationship with their recruiter that will benefit them over time. The more you use a specific recruiter, the faster they will find you a job since they know you and your qualifications.
Recruiter FAQs
How Many Times Do You Meet with a Recruiter, on Average?
Once job seekers meet with a recruiter, they should not email them more than once a week to follow up. Email is usually the preferred method of contact for recruiters.
What Kind of Qualifications Do Recruiters Typically Have?
Recruiters are college-educated and typically major in psychology, sociology, human resources, communications, or business. Recruiters receive training to develop their employee relations and talent management skills.
Can You Work with Multiple Recruiters at the Same Time?
Working with multiple recruiters can help job seekers get some variety in their opportunities. There are some recruiters who require exclusivity, but for the most part, job seekers can use more than one recruiter.
What Are the Signs of a Good Recruiter?
A good recruiter is someone who comes with outstanding referrals from individuals who have had positive previous experiences with them. Good recruiters offer job seekers strong advice even when it is clearly not for the benefit of the recruiter.
What Are the Signs of a Substandard Recruiter?
Substandard recruiters send jobs seekers' resumes out to a vast number of employers. Sometimes, the employer or the job is not a good fit for the job seeker because the recruiter did not take the time to get to know them first.