When talking to Public Affairs and PR professionals across the industry, most candidates avoid speaking to a recruiter unless they are actively seeking a new opportunity. This can be for a multitude of reasons: a busy schedule making this a low priority, fear of wasting their time, but most commonly, not considering the guidance and insight on offer. For those people who have never worked with a recruiter before, I’ll be exploring multiple ways recruiters can add value and how you can utilise these relationships to accelerate your career.
The Job Hunt
Recruiters often have access to roles before they hit the market; by partnering with a trusted recruiter, you can get exclusive access to exciting opportunities and gain a competitive edge in quiet spells. Often, job adverts are generic and offer no insights into the business’ structure, projects, clients, commission structures or other important information. Before taking on a new role, recruiters are briefed by the business and given the opportunity to ask these important questions. By collaborating with a recruiter on your job search, you are provided with a more holistic overview of the business.
Salary Benchmarking
Whether you are working in-house or for an agency, it is rare to see pay bandings published internally. Couple this with a lack of market knowledge, it makes it hard to determine if you are paid competitively and to negotiate a salary raise. By having upfront discussions about salary with your industry peers, we can provide a comprehensive salary oversight and help you push for a remuneration package reflective of your market value.
Market Insights
The Public Affairs and PR market, like any other, fluctuates throughout the year. Talking to a recruiter can help you gauge how the market is looking, which sectors or specialisms have been cautious and which have seen sustained growth and investment hiring. This can be reassuring for candidates who aren’t seeing interest on speculative applications and can help them take a more targeted approach.
Building Relationships
It can be worth having a chat and building a relationship with a recruiter before you decide to look for a new role. This means that they are already reaching out to businesses that you find interesting and looking out for exciting opportunities that align with your skillset. This means that when you do decide to take on a more active approach, they are prepped to help. It may be, that despite not looking for a new role, a recruiter is able to share an opportunity that is a ‘perfect match’ and prompts you to take the plunge.
Building Your Team
Even if you are just beginning your career in Public Affairs or PR, building relationships with a trusted recruiter is not only helpful to aid your career progression, but can have a huge impact on your team and business later down the line. When you begin managing a team and are looking to make strategic hires to grow your team/business, it can be beneficial to lean on a trusted recruiter who really understands what is important to you.
Working with a trusted recruiter is a win-win situation where you can gain valuable insights and connections while maintaining control over your career trajectory. As your conversations with a recruiter should always be non-committal and 100% confidential; even when you’re not looking for a new role, you have nothing to lose!
Written by Kiera Aslett – connect with me on LinkedIn
