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Recruiters are the eyes and ears for many finance firms. So, how can you stand out in your first meeting with a recruiter?
Finance institutions in the City of London primarily use recruiters to get the best candidates. Some companies have in-house recruitment teams, but many more hire external, private recruitment firms like Aldrich & Co.
Recruitment in the finance & banking industries is a smaller world than you may think! To maintain strong relationships with our clients, we have to be selective and focus on promoting candidates who we think are the best for the role. Our mission is to be our clients’ “eyes and ears”, and offer candidates who have been thoroughly interviewed, researched and referenced. We wouldn’t last long in this competitive market if we didn’t have the highest standards.
With this in mind, how can you rise to the top of a busy recruiter’s list? How can you make a good impression that will ensure you get a job you’ll love?
What you might be asked for your first meeting with a recruiter
Recruitment consultancies are all different, but you will likely be asked for any combination of the following:
- Your CV
- A recruiter-branded registration form
- Your passport (to verify your ID)
- A completed skills test, usually sent by the recruitment firm
- Your academic/employer references
- A cover letter
All of these are fairly standard requests. Pay great attention to the last point on the list: If recruiters ask for a cover letter, they want to see how you communicate. So, make it count!
1. Use the right messaging channels
These days, many people write to us on LinkedIn or use email, but you’ll find that recruiters are more than delighted to hear from someone by phone. This is definitely the less common communication channel, and it makes a difference. If you are looking for a job in equity sales, for example, then you must be confident about picking up the phone, so why not start as you mean to continue?
A recruiter may be in contact with several candidates during the day. If you shine, then there is no doubt that they will remember you.
2. Bring business cards to your first meeting with a recruiter
When meeting face-to-face, remember to bring the relevant materials with you. Business cards always present a professional attitude, and it doesn’t matter if you aren’t yet working for a company. Make some for yourself; plenty of online companies will create beautiful cards for you for minimal cost.
Your business cards will go into a recruiter’s wallet, so this is your opportunity to stick in their mind with something a little more personalised. Either write a personal message on the back or add a QR code that takes people to your personal website or profile page on LinkedIn.
3. Know why you want to work in your chosen industry
We often want to know why people want to work in finance. Often, it appears it hadn’t occurred to them before the point they were asked. A response like that is a big downer. In your first meeting with a recruiter, you need to find a few reasons as to why you want to spend 80% of your day working in the industry.
If you’re struggling to answer this question, reverse engineer it: What qualities do you have that you think will suit the industry? Focus on those. And please try to avoid answering because you want a job that pays a lot of money!
4. Practice pitching yourself to a recruiter
Learn to pitch yourself and your skills to the recruiter. If you can’t communicate effectively who you are and what you stand for, they will wonder how to get you through the screening process with clients, no matter how great you may look on paper.
Recruiters are ultimately trying to find out as much as possible about you in that first interview – if you make it clear what you are looking for in a position, and you are interested in finding out what they need, you’ll stick in their mind when a job like that comes around.
5. Keep the conversation going
Recruiters are ‘people’ people! We are in the business of getting to know and fulfil our clients’ and candidates’ wishes, and we are only too delighted with interviewees who ask questions, ask for feedback, and follow up our first meeting with a simple “thank you” email.
Our tip to go the extra mile is to make a note of something that struck you as interesting and practicable about their advice. We want to help!
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Why not put these ideas into practice right now and call us!
Contact us today, and we’ll connect you with one of our recruitment consultants, who will help you find your next finance role in the City of London.