The Missing Piece in Your Job Search Puzzle
Are you networking with Recruiters in the right way?
You may be missing out on a huge opportunity with recruiters.
Building strong relationships with recruiters goes beyond a simple connection request. If you want to open doors to more job opportunities, there are certain things you need to keep in mind. I learned this the hard way through personal experience when I failed miserably to make the most of these connections.
In today’s blog post, we'll discuss the dos and don'ts of working with recruiters, giving you the guidance you need to get the most our of these relationships.
Let's dive in!
Don’ts
Don't expect recruiters to do all the work for you. Avoid sending lazy messages like, "Here's my resume, let me know if you have any job openings." Recruiters receive these requests all the time. It's an ineffective approach that places the burden on them to find you a job. While recruiters are often willing to help, they already have a ton of candidates and tasks to keep track of. Instead of relying solely on them, take initiative and be proactive in your job search.
Don't ask for free services. Recruiters may excel at reviewing resumes or offering career advice, but it's best not to request these services unless they explicitly offer them. Asking for free favors creates a time burden for recruiters and puts a negative tone to the relationship when they turn you down. Think of it this way: if you wouldn't feel comfortable asking a complete stranger at a party to review your resume, it's equally inappropriate to make that request virtually. CAVEAT - this sounds kind of mean so let me say one more thing. It’s okay to reach out to your network for help if you need it. The point I’m making is it’s never a good idea to ask favors of people that you don’t know.
Don't demand their time. Recruiters have busy schedules, and their main focus is finding suitable candidates for specific roles. If they accepted every request for a call or meeting, they wouldn't have time for anything else! Respect their time and acknowledge that you're a stranger when reaching out initially. Invest time in getting to know them and building rapport before expecting a conversation. Patience and establishing a foundation will increase your chances of having a fruitful relationship in the future.
Don't burn bridges. Stay in touch with every recruiter you interact with, regardless of the outcome. They could potentially become a referral or help you in your future job search. Unless a recruiter has been a total jerk, it's important to maintain that connection. I've personally experienced situations where candidates I worked with years ago reached out for help because we stayed in touch. Networking is an ongoing process - play the long game!
Do’s
Find Recruiters that hire for cybersecurity roles. Here’s how to do that.
Search for (“Recruiter” OR “talent acquisition”) on LinkedIn. Filter by “people” and by your [country].
Now filter by one of these:
“Current company” (pick any cyber company)
"Industry” (under all filters)
or “talks about” (under all filters)
You can also look at their profile where they may list the roles that they recruit for on a regular basis.
2. Engage consistently with recruiters' content. Commenting on a recruiter's posts is an excellent way to grab their attention and establish a relationship. By consistently interacting with their content, you become a familiar face. I cannot count the number of friends I’ve made through interacting in the comments. This familiarity gives you an advantage when you apply in the future. Instead of being a complete stranger, you'll be recognized as "Josh from the comments section." It works!
3. Do your homework before reaching out. Before connecting with a recruiter to explore opportunities, make sure you're well-informed. Take time to research the company the recruiter works for. Check out their careers page to see what job openings are available. Look into employee profiles that align with your desired role. Additionally, review the recruiter's recent content to gain some insights. Being knowledgeable and showing genuine interest will make a stronger impression.
Here’s an example of someone that reached out to me recently. This is how you do it!
Hi Josh,
I saw your post about connecting with more women in cyber and here I am. :) I'm at the beginning of my transition into cybersecurity (or so it feels) and my background is in digital communications and political sciences. Since I've been a long-time techie/nerd, over the years I taught myself programming, data science, and the basics of machine learning. Then, last year, I randomly stumbled upon an ethical hacking class and I got totally hooked. After covering the basics of networking, and offensive and defensive security, I started focusing more on threat intelligence analysis and malware analysis: my goal is to fully transition into a CTI role as soon as I can, possibly starting with a flexible internship, with the long-term plan of doing reverse engineering. I've also been very intrigued by ICS/OT as it encompasses so many layers and different systems connected (I learned about Modbus and PLC programming is on my list.) Plus, I know that reverse engineering firmware can be part of ICS/OT. Let me know if you think there might be opportunities down the line for a profile like mine -- I'd be very excited to have a shot at joining an amazing company like Dragos!
Best, [name]
4. Stay informed about job opportunities. If you have a specific company in mind, regularly track available opportunities through LinkedIn job alerts or by checking their careers page. Staying up to date with openings before reaching out to a recruiter shows that you’re proactive and helps you stand out. Don’t expect them to contact you every time something comes available.
5. Add value whenever possible. Avoid making your relationship with recruiters one-sided by only asking for favors. Instead, seek opportunities to provide value to the other person.
Here are a few ideas:
Sending a referral for a job they're trying to fill
Sharing their job postings with your network
Resharing their content to increase its reach
Promoting events or content sponsored by their company
Remember, the best relationships are built on mutual support and giving more than you take. So be generous!