Perfect Questions to Ask Recruiters

Recruiters like us, Sankofa Talent, we provide vital links between employers and prospective workers. Some job candidates seek out their services directly. Others discover after submitting an application that the hunt is being conducted by a recruiter on behalf of a company.

Don’t be surprised if you even encounter a recruiter when you’re not looking for a job—some of us make “cold calls” to people they’ve identified as a good possible fit for an open position.

Knowing what questions to ask us recruiters helps you (the candidates) to truly get a handle on what certain employment opportunities are all about. But what should you ask?

 Questions to Ask Recruiters

Can you tell me more about the job?

We as recruiters we can provide greater detail than what you may have already learned through a job posting, network connection, or website, so encourage them to reveal everything they know.

After you’ve established some basics, probe more directly into the nature of the specific position. You’ll gain insight about daily life and company values, which can be critical when you’re trying to decide whether the opportunity is worth pursuing.

It’s good when candidates ask relevant questions about the inner workings of the role, not just about information they can find online. We recommends asking interview questions such as:

• What, specifically, are some projects I’ll work on when I start?
• If I’m successful, what will I have done in six months? In one year?
• Who will I work with in this role?
• How would employees rate the company culture?

What are the details of the role?

Finding out if the job is full-time, part-time, freelance, employee, temporary, etc. will be important. Recruiters may not mention that it’s a three-month temporary job with the potential to be permanent, and so on.

Tip:

Find out if insurance and paid time off is offered as well. If the basics of the job don’t meet your needs, you’ll be wasting your time and the recruiter’s to move forward.

Why did the last person in this job leave?

Are you coming into a newly created role? Did your predecessor get a promotion? Was someone let go? Asking this question to a recruiter could be telling.

How long has the job been open?

The recruiter’s answer can be a red flag. A position that’s been open for quite some time may signal that other candidates found reason to pass it up, and maybe you should be on guard. Or it might mean you’ll be dealing with a particularly fussy or indecisive hiring manager.

Tip:

If the job just opened, expect the hiring process to take some time since the employer likely will be looking at a few candidates before getting serious about offers.

What are the top skills needed?

Getting this information from a recruiter can help you quickly know how well you’re qualified for the role, and where you might be lacking. It can also help you determine if you’re really interested in the job.

For example, if the position requires a lot of behind-the-scenes work and you’d rather be client-facing, you may want to find something more suited to your skills.

What is the company culture like?

Company culture is important, and a question that you should always ask recruiters. You want to be a good fit for the company, and you want the company to be a good fit for you. Pay attention to how the recruiter describes the company.

Example:

Is it a button-down culture where employees are expected to work late? Are there any staff get-togethers? Is there a dress code requirement? Are they remote-friendly? Any of these details can help you know if the company will be a good match.

Does the company have a remote work policy?

Flexible and remote work has gone beyond the “work perk” stage and has become an expected way to work. If it’s important to you to be able to work at home or adjust your schedule as needed, find out in advance if this is possible in this particular role.

If the company has a remote work policy, this can provide you all the details you want to know. If they don’t have a policy in place, you may need to dig deeper to discover the company’s feelings on flexible work. And while many companies say that they’re “open” to it, if there isn’t already a formal policy in place, then this may not be the best fit for you if flexibility is high on your list.

What’s the time frame for filling this job?

Understanding the time line of both the recruiter and hiring company will help manage your expectations. The recruiter should be able to tell you an estimate of how long it will take to hear back from them for the next steps, or even how soon the company wishes to have a new hire come on board.

As you move along in your job search journey, you’re bound to have more questions. Whether you need personalize support with refining your CV or mock interview practice, you can find the help you need through our Partner that offers Career Coaching Services.