A recruiter is the one person who will honestly tell you whether you’re qualified for a job or not, and whether you’re going to fit in at a new company. They can tell you if your new haircut is trendy or just plain strange, and they can even tell you if you’re asking for the right salary. Recruiters want you to get the job just as badly as you do. So if you’re looking for a new position, here are four things that only a recruiter will tell you:

1. Strengths

You are more than your resume, and that’s exactly what a recruiter wants to find uncover. He or she will get to know you as a person and not just as a job applicant. Perhaps your strength is your ability to handle stressful situations, or maybe it’s your ease with explaining technical details to a non-technical audience. These types of soft skills are difficult to communicate in a resume, but a recruiter will help you highlight them and communicate them in an offer letter or a job interview.

2. Weaknesses

When it comes to job skills, a recruiter will look at your resume and tell you where you really stand compared to other job seekers. For example, maybe you have years of experience balancing the books in Excel, but the world has moved on to QuickBooks. Or maybe your experience in Fortran served you well 20 years ago, but won’t do you any favors today. There are even some things your friends and coworkers will probably never tell you because they don’t want to hurt your feelings. But a recruiter will give it to you straight: maybe you have a habit of adjusting your glasses or your tie every few minutes, or maybe you tend to talk too fast or too loudly. These little tics or personality traits can sink you in an interview, but they are exactly the things a recruiter can point out to you.

3. Compensation

Recruiters have their finger on the pulse of the current job market. They work with local and national companies every day, and they know what today’s salaries really look like. When you work with a recruiter, you’ll learn what hourly rates or salaries apply to your industry, and you won’t embarrass yourself when a hiring manager starts talking compensation. Recruiters are also in your corner when it comes to negotiating. They know how much you should ask for, when you should push for more, and when you’ve gotten the best offer.

4. Perfect Fit

When you’re looking for a job, you’re probably focused on the job title, the compensation, and how well your skills match the job description. But have you stopped to think about whether the job or the company will be a good fit for you? You won’t be happy at a startup if you like working for large, established companies. If you’re looking to move up the career ladder but the company you’re applying to doesn’t offer much in the way of career advancement, then you’ll be looking for a new job again before you know it. Recruiters know the in’s and out’s of all the companies you might consider, and they’ll give you the scoop on everything from company culture to job perks and benefits.

Learn More About Working With a Recruiter

At Bishop & Company, we know the job market inside and out. Contact us to learn more about what our staffing agency and seasoned recruiters can do for you. For tips on impressing recruiters, check out this blog post.