Five panda pointers: what information to include when contacting a recruitment agency

When deciding to work with a recruitment agency, you should really think about the information you will need to send across to them. Finding the right recruiter for your job search might not be as straight forward as it seems, but you also need to provide as much information as possible so that the process runs smoothly.

You also want to show that you’re not just sending your CV out in the hope that someone will bite – you need to convey exactly what you are after and that you have done your research on the current market.

So, in our latest panda pointers, we will outline five simple things you shouldn’t forget when you first reach out to a new recruiter!

1) Letting them know why you’re reaching out to their agency

This might not seem as important but showing you have done your research on the agency and what they do is the recipe for a great early impression!

A big part of this is a personalised approach to the agency, understanding what they specialise in and getting to grips with the roles they have advertised. It’s just like researching a company when applying for a role directly – you should know their story, expertise and culture if you want to establish a working relationship with them.

2) Attach your CV!

I know what you’re thinking…’Well of course I’ll attach my CV!’ You’d be surprised by how many enquiries lack a CV or LinkedIn profile details and the agency will request it eventually.

If for any reason you do not wish to share the CV straight away, explain why and make sure there is enough good detail in your enquiry that the recruitment agency can work with.

3) What are you looking for exactly?

Here at cranberry panda, we receive plenty of enquiries from ecommerce superstars! Our main advice from looking through these is to include as much information as possible about what you want from your next opportunity. Are you looking for a step up with a team to manage? Perhaps you want to move in a more specialised direction or take a career sidestep?

Attaching your CV and giving a quick bit of covering information is great – but including real detail about what you are looking for helps your initial enquiry reach who it needs to go to. It also helps match you to the roles you will want to hear about and develop a seamless relationship with the recruiter.

4) What are your expectations of a new role?

So, you’ve expressed what you are looking for in a role but what do you expect in terms of salary, responsibility and location (to name but a few)?

Once again, this allows a much more seamless process which ensures you’re not receiving information about roles you wouldn’t be happy to consider – time is precious in the world of recruitment!

5) Being open to advice

It’s great to know what you want and what expectations you have, but always let the recruitment agency know that you are also keen to have a general chat so that you can work together in the best possible way.

You want their help to find your next job, but you also want to show that you are willing to take their advice too!

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