How Quality Recruiters Build Trust

Part Two of Three - By Susan Dutcher, VP of Delivery 

73% of job seekers report that searching for a job is one of the most stressful life events a person goes through*. For candidates looking to transition into a new livelihood or looking to achieve new financial or life goals, it is undoubtedly a process associated with vulnerability and anxiety. And in the face of seemingly endless applications, emails, calls, interviews, and hoping for a callback, job seekers can suddenly feel like they are falling without someone to catch them.  

How Recruiters Can Increase Candidate Trust 

This is where the right recruiter can make an enormous difference. A dedicated professional with the right skills, experience, connections, and personality can be there to catch job seekers and help them land their next great opportunity. Yet, due to the challenges and stress of job searches, trust often comes at a premium. Recruiters must quickly establish relationships and build trust with candidates who haven’t always had a history of satisfying job search experiences.  

Building an authentic and trusting relationship 

People build trust in different ways, but it ultimately comes down to consistently keeping promises. While no job-seeking experiences are the same, here are some positive steps the best recruiters take to build trust and follow through on promises to candidates.  

Reaching out with a personal touch  

An excellent first impression is one of the best ways a recruiter can establish trust from the very beginning. For example, candidates will be far more likely to respond to an email that feels like it was written with care by an honest, authentic person who reads their resume. Recruiters can also build trust by taking the time to understand someone’s experience, skills, career goals, and preferences. This instills confidence and a good rapport at the outset and lays the foundation for an effective job search.  

Setting expectations and follow ups with candidates 

As recruiters guide candidates through the job-seeking and placement process, clearly explaining the upcoming steps and timelines helps candidates feel more assured about where they stand. In a rapidly changing environment, job searching can be disorienting for people who may have been in a previous position for years or even decades. Recruiters who put themselves in the job-seeker’s shoes can help them make sense of a situation, which will naturally lead to better partnership.  

Regular follow-up and communication may be the most crucial way recruiters build trust. Lack of communication can be extremely frustrating and stressful for job searches. A recruiter who promises regular touch-bases and follows up regularly, even just for an update, will be far more likely to deliver a positive experience.  

Providing candidates access to resources and support  

Job seekers want to feel they are being given the support that improves their ability to impact employers and find opportunities. Recruiters are in a unique position to do just that. Recruiters see what employers respond to from a resume, what will lead to a second or final interview, and the specific skills currently in demand.  

By building a relationship based on strengthening and developing candidates, recruiters benefit by having a deep and talented pool of people who will return to them for the next step in their career path. An additional benefit of building these relationships includes getting referrals from satisfied candidates. Candidates are the best advocates for recruiters one could ask for. 

Another sign of a trustworthy recruiting experience is when candidates have additional contacts from within the staffing organization. Even a quick meeting with an account manager before an interview can be a powerful signal of credibility for job seekers.  

Demonstrating results and assuring quality 

More of the job placement process is online today than ever before. In the same way that people go online to check out the reputation of a business or restaurant, many candidates seek out information about recruiters, agencies, and employers online. When a candidate searches for a recruiter with a solid online presence, it’s an opportunity to showcase ratings, reviews, and success stories. Seeing verifiable results and experiences from real people in one place can crystallize trust in a candidate, especially after positive initial reactions.  

Candidates also want to know that their feedback will be heard and acted upon. A great way to accomplish this is by asking for feedback early in the process, whether through a survey, review or providing contact information for a supervisor. For recruiters, this proactive approach assures alignment between recruiters and the job-seeking community.