There are:
- Internal Recruiters – They work directly for a company and aim to find long-term fits. They understand the company's culture and are invested in finding the right match for the team.
- External Recruiters (also called headhunters or agency recruiters) – They work on commission and often fill roles across multiple companies. They move fast and focus on placements.
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Career Reshaped Episode 17: Better Career Opportunities with Recruiters!
Ever feel like job hunting is just swiping through rejection after rejection? You’re not imagining it — and recruiters might be the missing piece you’ve overlooked.
In this episode of Career Reshaped, Natasha takes a deep dive into the world of recruiters — who they are, how they work, and most importantly, how to work with them instead of around them.
She opens with a relatable truth: job searching can feel like a bad dating app. Endless ghosting, long waits, and no real feedback. But unlike dating apps, recruiters actually want to find the right match. The catch? They don’t work for you — they work for the companies hiring. And if you don’t understand how they operate, you risk being just another unread profile in their inbox.
Throughout the episode, Natasha shares practical advice to help you understand the recruiter mindset. She explains what they really look for, how to get noticed, and how to follow up in a way that feels confident — not pushy. If you’ve ever wondered why your resume isn’t getting responses or why that recruiter never called back, this conversation will give you clarity.
She also unpacks the mindset shifts that can help you build genuine relationships with recruiters. It’s not about chasing every opportunity or sending hundreds of applications. It’s about being intentional, respectful, and informed — showing up as someone who knows their value and understands the hiring process.
More than just a how-to, this episode is a thoughtful and honest guide for anyone who’s feeling stuck or overlooked in their job search. If you’ve been relying on job boards and getting nowhere, this is your sign to try a smarter, more human approach.
Because sometimes, the key to landing the right role isn’t about working harder — it’s about knowing who to talk to and how to be seen.
Discussion Overview
Because your approach should change depending on who you're speaking to. Internal recruiters are more focused on alignment and long-term fit, while external recruiters prioritize speed and efficiency. Knowing this helps you communicate effectively and position yourself better.
Ask upfront: “Are you hiring directly or working across companies?”
Be responsive and professional.
Treat them as a partner, not just a gatekeeper.
Provide clear, updated resumes and be honest about your goals and availability.
Be responsive and professional.
Treat them as a partner, not just a gatekeeper.
Provide clear, updated resumes and be honest about your goals and availability.
They act as career matchmakers.
Good recruiters advocate for you and know what hiring managers are really looking for.
They can guide you through the hiring process, offer resume feedback, and even prep you for interviews.
Good recruiters advocate for you and know what hiring managers are really looking for.
They can guide you through the hiring process, offer resume feedback, and even prep you for interviews.
Keep your LinkedIn updated and active.
Engage with their posts or send occasional check-ins.
Be professional and clear when you're open to new roles.
Share referrals if you're not available—good karma matters!
Engage with their posts or send occasional check-ins.
Be professional and clear when you're open to new roles.
Share referrals if you're not available—good karma matters!
They’re vague about the job or company.
They pressure you to take roles that aren’t a fit.
They ghost you without feedback.
They lack follow-through or don’t respect your time.
They pressure you to take roles that aren’t a fit.
They ghost you without feedback.
They lack follow-through or don’t respect your time.
Podcast Transcript:
| Time | Transcript |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | do you ever feel like job hunting is basically swiping left and right on a |
| 00:04 | really frustrating dating app one rejection after the other ghosting |
| 00:08 | endless waiting well recruiters are kind of like a professional matchmaker for |
| 00:13 | your career except unlike dating apps they actually want to work |
| 00:17 | for you and find the right match why they get paid but here's the catch |
| 00:23 | if you don't know how to work with recruiters you might just end up being |
| 00:28 | another ignored profile in the inbox so let's break this down how do recruiters |
| 00:33 | really work how can you get them to prioritize you and should you even rely |
| 00:38 | on them in the first place stay with me because by the end of this you'll know |
| 00:42 | exactly how to make recruiters work for you |
| 00:46 | hey it's natasha and i'm pauline we're so pumped to bring you even bigger and |
| 00:51 | better stuff this season two of career reshape we've got new guests free master |
| 00:56 | classes and all the good vibes you'll only find here so don't forget to hit |
| 01:01 | subscribe follow us on spotify at careerreshaped and check us out on |
| 01:06 | instagram at my.career.angels first let's clear up a common |
| 01:11 | misconception not all recruiters work the same way there are two types there's |
| 01:16 | internal recruiters these work directly for a company and their goal is to find |
| 01:21 | the best fit for their employer they know the culture they know the job in |
| 01:25 | and out and they're going to be looking for someone that fits |
| 01:29 | the company and also fits with them because they know who they're going to |
| 01:32 | be working with an external recruiter also called |
| 01:36 | headhunters or agency recruiters they get paid a commission so when they |
| 01:41 | successfully place a candidate in maybe on placement or 30 days later they get |
| 01:47 | paid out their commissions for their placement so why does this matter |
| 01:50 | because understanding who you're talking to helps you position yourself better |
| 01:56 | internal versus external who they are you know how to speak to them more you |
| 02:01 | know whether you can push them more or not so |
| 02:05 | internal recruiters focus on long-term fits |
| 02:08 | if they reach out it means they see potential in you for the company and |
| 02:13 | they're going to reach out to you because you've submitted your |
| 02:16 | application they'll read your resume they might even try to find you on |
| 02:19 | linkedin and if you seem like a good fit they're going to give you a call |
| 02:23 | external recruiters work fast unlike internal recruiters the process could be |
| 02:27 | quite slow but external recruiters are working fast again why they want to get |
| 02:33 | paid so they match candidates to multiple openings and are paid per |
| 02:37 | placement if you're a strong candidate they will push hard for you so here's a |
| 02:41 | tip don't treat all recruiters the same |
| 02:46 | ask upfront are you hiring for this company directly or are you placing |
| 02:50 | candidates for multiple roles before we get into the nitty-gritty of this topic |
| 02:54 | we just wanted to check in and say that if you believe that you need some |
| 02:58 | assistance and that we could help you reach out to us today check out our |
| 03:03 | website join our newsletter we'd love to be in touch we wanted to quickly mention |
| 03:07 | that subscribing to the podcast is the best way to support the show and ensure |
| 03:13 | you never miss an episode it's super easy just click the subscribe button |
| 03:18 | whenever you're listening thanks for tuning in all right let's be real |
| 03:22 | working with a recruiter can be a total game changer but only if you know how to |
| 03:28 | play the game right here's what good recruiters can do for you they can give |
| 03:32 | you access to jobs before they even hit the market so make your recruiter your |
| 03:37 | friend reach out to multiple recruiters make sure they have your most up-to-date |
| 03:41 | resume connect with them on linkedin and that way |
| 03:45 | if there's a job that hits the market that suits you |
| 03:48 | they'll reach out to you they'll also tell you what hiring managers really |
| 03:52 | want to see on your resume and they will help you tweak your application so it |
| 03:56 | doesn't get ghosted by ats filters these are good recruiters they will give you |
| 04:01 | these tips and when you come for an interview they will also give you tips |
| 04:05 | on what to say in the interview and the type of person that you're talking to |
| 04:08 | whether they want someone to be really bubbly or they're like look they're |
| 04:11 | pretty serious person just stick to the facts |
| 04:14 | sounds amazing right well here's the reality check |
| 04:18 | recruiters are not your personal job agents they're juggling dozens of |
| 04:22 | candidates and multiple roles at the same time so if you don't fit their |
| 04:27 | current openings they might completely forget about you |
| 04:30 | so how do you stay top of mind follow up regularly don't wait send a quick email |
| 04:36 | or linkedin message every few weeks keep in check with them hey any new roles |
| 04:42 | open hey i've just volunteered my time doing |
| 04:46 | this it might be beneficial to a new job you might have |
| 04:49 | keep them updated build relationships with multiple recruiters as i said |
| 04:54 | before don't just connect with one connect with many don't put all your |
| 04:59 | eggs in one basket be crystal clear about what you want if you're vague |
| 05:04 | you'll get irrelevant job matches just as much as they want to present the |
| 05:08 | right candidate for the right job you want them to present the right job for |
| 05:12 | you you don't want to be wasting each other's time remember staying on their |
| 05:16 | radar is your responsibility it's not theirs now here's where things get |
| 05:21 | interesting not all recruiters are created equal |
| 05:25 | some are amazing and are truly invested in helping you succeed they really do |
| 05:31 | genuinely care and they might even meet up with you for coffee on a rare |
| 05:34 | occasion here and there others well let's just say they're the |
| 05:38 | human version of spam emails red flags to watch out for sending you jobs that |
| 05:43 | have nothing to do with your skills just hoping that you might find it |
| 05:46 | interesting and that you'll apply pressuring you to accept roles way below |
| 05:50 | your experience level or below your salary expectations also being vague |
| 05:55 | about those salary expectations job expectations or company details not |
| 06:00 | really telling you the truth about the company you're |
| 06:04 | applying for so how do you filter out the bad ones |
| 06:07 | check their linkedin activity are they actually engaging with industry |
| 06:11 | professionals or just randomly messaging people are they posting about relevant |
| 06:15 | information are they educating others that they're connected to about what's |
| 06:20 | happening in the industry look at their reviews do other job |
| 06:24 | seekers vouch for them now |
| 06:27 | one little thing i do want to say it is very hard to get reviews especially on |
| 06:31 | linkedin but good recruiters will have at least a |
| 06:34 | couple that you can look at really i find that talking to the |
| 06:39 | recruiter and generally asking questions and listening to how they respond |
| 06:43 | will help you know whether they're a genuine decent person and ask them about |
| 06:48 | their process a good recruiter will be transparent about how they work they |
| 06:52 | will be honest so here's a good tip a great recruiter won't just send you job |
| 06:57 | links they'll actually take the time to understand your career goals if this has |
| 07:02 | helped you level up your job search strategies hit that subscribe button and |
| 07:06 | if you've ever had a recruiter horror or success story drop it in the comments |
| 07:11 | let's talk about it |
Other episodes you might be interested in:
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