With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, we often think about our significant others, friends and family and how much we love them. It can be a great day to reflect on why you love who you love.

Just as we buy our significant others flowers and candy for Valentine’s day to show our love for them, as a job seeker, these next five things are some gifts you can give your recruiter to make them fall in love with you. And if you send them flowers and candy, well, that’s just an added bonus.  

1. Be Honest

Honesty really is the best policy, especially when talking to a recruiter. According to Charena Camacho, Recruiter at Heartland IT Consulting, the number one thing to do when talking to a recruiter is to be honest. “When talking to your recruiter, it is so important to be open, honest and transparent about everything on your resume. If you have gaps in your job history, just tell me why. Don’t lie about exact dates because we have to check all of that.”

The longevity of your job history is very important, but if you have jumped from job to job more often than you should, explain that as well. You more than likely have a valid reason, and your recruiter needs to know that. Again, being open and honest in all situations can help both you and your recruiter in the long run, and help you to land a job sooner rather than later.

2. Connect on Social Media

Think of social media as your first impression with your recruiter. Since this is your first impression with recruiters, wouldn’t you want to put your best foot forward? The best way to have a great first impression is to fully complete your social media profile. Completing your profile becomes crucial on LinkedIn – this alone will make recruiters fall in love with you Immediately. Like Charena continues on to say, “I always check their LinkedIn profile. If they do not have a profile, or have a profile that is not complete, I will not call them. Having a completed LinkedIn profile is just as important as a detailed resume, in my opinion.”

When creating your LinkedIn profile, be sure and have everything filled out along with a professional photo. Make sure everything is current, especially when working with a recruiter.

Another reason that you should keep all social profiles (Twitter and Facebook, too! Not just LinkedIn) up to date is so your recruiter can see if you will be a good culture fit for the company in which they are recommending you to. Most recruiters will check all of your social media accounts to try to get to know your personality a little better, so make sure your social profiles are appropriate for business. More than likely, your recruiter and potential employer will be looking at them.

3. Actively show you care

When talking to a recruiter, it is important to check in with them on a regular basis. They always want to see that their candidates are eager to land a job. If you send in your resume and do not hear back, reach out to them. It will show persistence on your part and help show your recruiter that you care about finding a job.

When I first graduated from college, it was difficult for me to find a job. I had applied online everywhere and never would receive a call back. I got really frustrated, but one of my friends told me to just go to a place I had applied and ask them if they received my application. I spent the next few weeks driving around and talking to hiring managers. When I was actively approaching people who were in charge of hiring, they started remembering my face, and I soon got my first job after graduation. Sometimes we think that applying online is enough, but more often than not, showing you actually care and going to introduce yourself to the company can go a long way. The same applies when working with a recruiter.

4. Take the recruiter’s advice

When a recruiter gives advice about your LinkedIn profile or resume for example, be sure and follow the simple steps they give you without question. If your recruiter is asking you to complete paperwork or put in some extra time on social, it is up to you to be sure and complete the tasks at hand.

When your recruiter is trying to help you with your resume, most recruiters will want you to be descriptive about your job history, and have 3-4 bullet points of job duties for each job. Listen to your recruiter because this could be different for each job you apply for. Charena also touches on this subject, “One of the things I always look for on a resume is detail. If there are not any details on a resume, I will not even call a candidate.”

5. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

The process of applying for a job and talking to a recruiter can be overwhelming at times, so make sure you are asking questions. Do not hesitate to bring up to your recruiter the things that are on your mind, because a recruiter’s job is to help you get a job in any way possible. They will be happy to assist you and make sure you are on the path to getting a job.

After you have sent your resume to your recruiter, set up some time to talk one-on-one to get to know each other a little better. If your recruiter knows you on a more personal level, they can better determine what job you would be a perfect fit for you. How you come across on just a resume and how you are in person often can be very different, and you want your recruiter to be able to read your strengths and weaknesses.

With these five ways to woo your way into being your recruiter’s favorite candidate, you can be sure to land your dream job and make your recruiter’s life much easier!

Article by Charis Dillon

About The Author

Monique Mahler is the CEO of interviewstream. She is an avid researcher of facts, a self proclaimed marketing geek, and an equestrian in her spare time.