Whenever a recruiter reaches out, regardless if you are looking for a job, it is in your best interest to entertain a call. The benefits most of the time outweigh the cost.
First off, recruiting is a volatile industry. It’s common for a recruiter to jump around from company to company, firm to firm. By entertaining a call with recruiters, you get an opportunity to build a relationship with them regardless of where they are employed. Simply, you keep in touch with the good recruiters, (you define what that is), and stop interacting with the poor recruiters. With time the recruiters will get to know you and present you with better opportunities. It’s an upfront investment of time on your end but pays dividends for years to come. It is, in a way, career insurance that costs time instead of currency.
Second, you get to hear about opportunities first. Recruiters will call their shortlisted candidates first when they hear about an opportunity that matches their skill set. This gives you a leg up on understanding your value you in the market and what companies could use your skillset.
Third, you get to practice interviewing and talking about your career journey. When the time comes, you need to interview for a job, you have enough reps and can be confident in your interviewing abilities. Also, hearing about other opportunities can help you uncover skills gaps or holes you didn’t know you had. You can take this information and invest time in expanding your skillset. Another form of career insurance.
Finally, the best opportunities come when you least expect them. When you need a job the process of finding one is stressful and exhausting. The pressure builds as times go on and if enough time lapses one becomes desperate. Unfortunately, these emotions usually leak out in the interview and make one vulnerable in negotiation. However, if you are happily (or comfortably) employed but remain open to opportunities you allow lady luck to strike at any time. In addition, you will be in a confident state. As the saying goes he who cares less, wins in negotiation. I don’t think that is always true but it fits the scenario.
There may be more beneficial reasons to take every recruiter call and build relationships with the ones you deem useful. However, these are the reasons why I engage in this practice. Remember, you have to define what you need in a recruiter and evaluate them accordingly. The workplace is highly volatile, and careers that are safe today are eliminated tomorrow. Building a network of recruiters is an effective path to building career insurance.
