Being contacted by a corporate recruiter can be an exciting time—your skills and talent have been noticed and a recruiter wants to see if you’d be a good fit for their company.
Whether it’s your first time going through this process with a corporate recruiter, or you want to brush up on your skills, there are ways you can contribute to the relationship to ensure it’s productive and meaningful. Express Employment International’s own Corporate Recruiting Manager, Jan’ea Mayberry, shared her top tips for success when working with a corporate recruiter.
Staffing Consultants vs. In-House Recruiters
While having a great resume, presenting yourself professionally, and communicating well can help you succeed both with a corporate recruiter and a recruiter representing a staffing agency, there are some stark differences as well.
Recruiters at staffing agencies or staffing consultants typically work on behalf of multiple client companies. In-house or corporate recruiters work for the company they want to connect job seekers to.
“As a corporate recruiter, I have the pleasure of having first-hand insight on all aspects of the company from the vision, mission, values, and culture, as well as professional development opportunities to name a few,” she said. “Many candidates want to know these things before joining an organization.”
Interview the Company
“What three things would make a company or job a good fit for you?” is one question that Mayberry always asks job candidates. “I ask that question to get a better understanding of what is important to them,” she added. When you’re interviewing for a job, this is also your time to interview the company. Mayberry strives to create opportunities for candidates to ask questions. As a candidate, asking questions and sharing your responses with honesty and transparency creates trust in the relationship and contributes to a better outcome for your job search and the company that’s hiring.
Culture, duties, benefits, company structure, and opportunities to grow are common questions job seekers ask, but nothing is off the table.
“Honestly, there’s not a wrong question to ask,” Mayberry said. “I want you to feel comfortable enough to say, ‘Why have you stayed with Express?’ or ‘Tell me about the culture/corporate environment.’”
Job Seeker Success
Every recruiter wants to see the candidates they bring to the company succeed. For Mayberry, success is seeing individuals grow and be promoted, succeed in their role, and achieve longevity.
“Being able to see that longevity and seeing the people growing in the company, that’s success to me,” Mayberry said.
Jordyn Matthews was recruited by Mayberry to join Express International in 2023 as an Insurance Claims Analyst.
“[Mayberry] was conversational. I felt comfortable and she made me feel welcome. I felt like I could really talk to her without fearing I might say the wrong thing,” she said. “I could easily talk to her about what my concerns were, and what my expectations were.”
Matthews saw the culture and positive environment Mayberry spoke of in action during the interview process.
“You talk to recruiters, and you think ‘well, they’re just trying to sell me on the job.’ But I came in for my last official interview on Halloween and the whole place was decorated. Everybody who works here also worked outside of office hours to put the event on. That itself speaks volumes,” she said.
While Matthews first met Mayberry through the recruiting process, they keep in touch and she describes Mayberry more of a friend.
“It’s not just that she’s a recruiter. Once you get in, she’s your first connection that you’ve made. It’s not that you never see her or never hear from her again—she checks in on you,” she said. “If I need to lean on her, I feel confident that I can.”
What has been your experience working with a corporate recruiter? What takeaways will you use in your next conversation with a corporate recruiter? Share in the comments!
About Express
When you’re ready to propel your job search to the next level, Express’ experts are ready for you. You’ll build a relationship with a team of employment professionals in your community who have built personal relationships with businesses that are hiring, and you’ll never pay a fee for our services and support. Connect now with an Express office in your area.
Express Employment International supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and affiliated brands, including Specialized Recruiting Group and Express Healthcare Staffing. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
