Protect your reputation

Default Author • May 25, 2017

Protect your reputation

This is a subject that is close to my heart, as a recruitment consultant my personal brand is everything.

I specialize in the Property and Architecture sectors and the job market is strong again this year. It’s no secret that we have a skills shortage in these sectors and I see many clients and candidates looking to make the most of such a strong market.

Whether you are looking to progress your career or just needing to find work, your personal brand is of utmost importance. One way you can protect your personal brand is controlling your CV or informal approaches to companies on your behalf.

Why is this important?

Controlling your CV allows you to protect your personal brand and prevents you being over exposed in the job market. There can be negative connotations if a candidate is seen to be working with many consultants.

The message potential employers are receiving about you can be different from different consultants depending on how well they know you and their interpretation of your skills, experience, and personality. It is really important that you trust your consultant and are confident they know enough about you to educate the client and fairly represent you.

What can you do as a candidate to best manage your CV and personal brand?

Be clear on your skills, experience and the type of company culture that fits you. Ask your consultant questions about how your experience fits with their clients. Create an action plan with your consultant, generally if you are the one driving this you are working with the wrong consultant.

Your action plan doesn’t need to be formalized if you feel that you and your consultant have a good understanding. I recommend following up in writing and re-iterating your understanding of the action plan.

What can you do if your CV has been sent to an employer from more than one consultant?

If you have not already, send your consultant an email stating that you are working with them on that particular role, then let your consultant manage the situation with the employer. Ideally, let the other consultant know the situation, if you have no relationship with them and/or they are rather ‘bullish’ then just let your consultant handle the situation with the employer

Clients! Why is this information important for you?

Your recruitment consultant also represents your brand and sometimes we are the first impression for your company. Are you confident that your recruitment consultant has sold the benefits of working for your company and represented your company culture correctly?

Has the consultant tightly screened the candidate ensuring they are the right fit for your company? Not only on a skills and experience level but are they the right culture fit? Had the consultant spent enough time with the candidate and you to really understand that?

I enjoy getting to know people and really understand my clients business, it’s the reason I go to work every morning!

I believe that every candidate and client deserve to be fairly represented and I will continue to put in the effort to make this happen because after all, it's about my personal brand too.

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