How is your recruitment performance measured in your current role?

"The most important metrics in my role are the speed at which I fill a job order, and the number of new job orders I bring in to the agency. Right now, my expectations are set at gathering 10 new job orders per week. My weekly average is 14, and I am in the top ranking for candidate placements out of 15 other recruiters. You can see that I am a high performer, and I look forward to bringing this winning attitude to your agency."

Recruitment is a competitive industry, and your role as an Agency Recruiter is similar to that of a sales professional. Some of your performance metrics will include the number of placements you make, how quickly you fill a job order, your business development activity (gaining new clients or asking for more job orders), and your interview-to-hire ratio. Discuss with the interviewer how your performance is currently measured, and discuss how you stack up compared to others on your team.

How do you treat candidates that your client does not select for the job? Walk me through your process.

"Part of being a successful Agency Recruiter is to gain and keep the respect of my talent pool. When I find out that a candidate was not selected, I will ask my client for actionable feedback on the rejected candidate. Then, I pick up the phone and call that candidate. I tell them the news and ask them if they would like feedback on their interview performance. If they are open to feedback, I will have a 15-minute interview coaching session to prepare them for their next shot. Then, I document everything that has happened. Next, I spend about 30 minutes uncovering new opportunities for that specific candidate. I like to shop great candidates around to my other clients who may be interested in their skill set. Around 30% of the time, this action results in a new job order from a different client, so it's a win-win strategy."

Agency Recruiters speak to numerous candidates in a day and often interview handfuls of people for one position. Show the interviewer that you treat your candidates with respect and that you are unafraid to be forthright with them when they don't get the job. The hiring authority wants to see that you have excellent coaching skills and the ability to give helpful and actionable feedback to your list of rejected candidates.

Tell me about a time when you were unsuccessful in filling a job order. How did you handle the situation?

"Just last month, I had a client give me 24 hours to fill 10 warehouse picker openings. I was able to fill 8 of the 10; however, the morning of their shift start, 2 of the temps did not show up. I was not thrilled with this 60% success rate; however, I picked up the phone and started calling rather than becoming too discouraged. I had the four open spots filled by the end of the day, and my client was thrilled."

Agency Recruiters work with tight deadlines, important client needs, unreliable candidates (at times!), and various circumstances out of their control. In this high-pressure, fast-paced environment, the interviewer wants to know how you react when failures occur or you fall short. Nobody is perfect. Show the interviewer that you get back up and try again, never giving up in the face of perceived failure. The best Agency Recruiters have grit, and the interviewer wants to see that this is a characteristic you possess. Since this question is posed as a 'tell me about a time when' query, approach your answer using a story-based example using the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This answer framework will allow you to deliver an engaging story that is easy to understand.

What would you do if a client asked something unethical of you?

"I have had clients subtly enter the realm of gender discrimination. For instance, just last week, I had a client refer to their next board member as 'he.' I caught the slip and politely interjected by saying, 'we will certainly present the best candidates for you, regardless of gender.' The client caught my tone and readily agreed. I am a full supporter of equal rights and will not hesitate to tell my client that their request is inappropriate and against ethical hiring practices. It's never worth breaking laws to win a job order."

Sometimes your clients may not know about human resource laws and will unintentionally (or intentionally) cross the line regarding hiring and employment ethics. As an Agency Recruiter, you will encounter clients who cross the line regarding gender, age, race, and other equal employment infringements. For instance, you may hear a client unintentionally say 'she' when they refer to the type of front-desk receptionist they want to hire. Or, more blatant, you may experience a client say, 'we can't hire anyone over 50 for this job because it requires extensive travel and few family-related commitments.' Discuss what you would do if faced with this situation. Of course, the only right answer is that you will politely refuse the job order and kindly educate your client on how to best work with you and your agency. If you have come across this situation in the past, this is a great opportunity to give a real-life story-based example. You can deliver your story using the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to ensure a clear and easy to follow response.

As an Agency Recruiter, how do you maintain relationships with your values clients?

"Repeat business and referrals truly drive my business, and those leads only come after I deliver excellent client experiences. Great rapport starts with my ability to take and implement feedback. From there, I build relationships through active listening, ensuring that I always deliver on my clients' needs over my own. For instance, I will never send a bad candidate to my client simply to fill the role. Even though I am a 3rd party service provider, I act as though I am part of their internal team. My clients recognize and appreciate the integrity that I bring as an Agency Recruiter."

Happy client relationships are everything to a recruitment agency, and the interviewer wants to see that you are capable of maintaining their well-established client relationships while also creating new ones. Recruitment is a competitive industry with many agencies vying for exclusivity with their clients. As you know, exclusivity can only happen when your clients are thrilled with your service and have an excellent rapport with you. Discuss the ways you ensure the best customer service.

As an Agency Recruiter, are you accustomed to working in a bullpen environment or do prefer a private office?

"I have worked in both a bullpen environment, and I have had a personal office. I feel each scenario has its benefits and drawbacks. For instance, I love the collaboration involved in a bullpen set up. When I am working on fast-paced projects, I prefer the buzz that comes with group work. However, when I am working on a highly-specific executive search, I prefer working in a private office. Could you share with me which work environment you offer here at ABC Recruitment Agency?"

As an Agency Recruiter, you may hear the word 'bullpen.' Some agencies will place their recruiters in a bullpen environment where desks are put together in an open-office environment. Since Agency Recruiters work so fast to find candidates for their clients, many recruitment firms will set their employees up in a bullpen-style office to ensure maximum collaboration among recruiters. This close-knit environment allows recruiters to quickly and easily update their team members on a recruitment project's progress. This work environment also makes it easier for managers to single out recruiters who are not picking up the phone and hustling compared to their co-workers.If you are accustomed to a bullpen-style office, let the interviewer know you are confident in your ability to thrive in this environment. Before your interview, you might know what kind of workplace environment the agency offers. If you are unsure, you can ask the interviewer. Be sure to ask enough questions to ensure that the agency's work environment is right for you.

Talented Agency Recruiters are entrepreneurial. Give me an example of how you have embraced an entrepreneurial mindset.

"As any smart entrepreneur would do, I read a lot of books and keep myself educated on negotiation, sales, and persuasion techniques. I never shy from a challenge and always have my agency's profitability and reputation in mind. I also put myself in my client's shoes and think of ways to add value to their pain points. (Situation) For instance, last month, I had a client who did not want to give me an exclusive job order. She wanted to see how fast I could work compared to other agencies she occasionally works with. (Task) I knew it was up to me to change her mind about giving her job order to multiple agencies. (Action) I spoke like an entrepreneur and moved the conversation away from how I would benefit from an exclusive job order. Instead, I focused on the benefits to her if the job order was exclusive to me. I used my persuasion gift, and the client agreed to give me the job order exclusively for 30 days. (Result) I presented my client with three strong candidates after just two weeks, and she made a job offer to one of my candidates yesterday. My next step is to ask this client for full exclusivity on all upcoming projects."

To be a successful Agency Recruiter, you need to think like a business owner, a sales professional, a job seeker, and a hiring manager - all rolled into one! This multifaceted skill set requires you to be highly entrepreneurial by nature.Ways that you might display an entrepreneurial mindset: - Looking at challenges from all sides, all the time. - Happily face challenges and learn from them. - Embracing a lot of variety in your day. - Exploring new ways to provide value to your clients. Discuss the ways that you have embraced an entrepreneurial mindset in your recruitment career. To make your answer more memorable, be sure to give a specific story-based example using the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

What are your top 3 most important activities as an Agency Recruiter?

"My top three most important activities as an Agency Recruiter are to develop a solid candidate pipeline, create trusting client relationships, and dive into business development efforts. These three tasks will ensure that I have a strong amount of job orders, enough candidates to quickly fill my positions, and a great reputation to lean on when I ask my clients for referrals."

The interviewer wants to see that you have a full understanding of your responsibilities as an Agency Recruiter. By accurately discussing what you believe to be your top three activities in this role, you will show the interviewer that you have a solid understanding of the job and the needs of their agency. If you are currently working as an Agency Recruiter, discuss your daily and weekly activities. If you are new to the recruitment world, lean on what you know from research and the job description or job posting.

When interviewing a candidate, what is the most important question you could ask?

"One question that I always ask, no matter the role my candidate is seeking, is 'Describe for me in detail your ideal opportunity.' This question puts the responsibility on them to tell me, very specifically, what they seek in a job. I ask them to include details regarding their ideal workplace environment, team size, location, industry, and more. If their response feels like a solid match, only then will I submit their resume and profile to my client."

There are a plethora of essential interview questions that, as an Agency Recruiter, you could ask a job seeker. The most crucial first step is for you to ensure that the opportunity you are presenting is a fit for your candidate. If you do not qualify your candidate correctly, they could be a big disappointment to your client; making you appear unprofessional and inexperienced. Show the interviewer that you are capable of digging deep in your candidate interviews.

Tell me three details an Agency Recruiter should never include in a job posting.

"It took me around two years as an Agency Recruiter to feel completely skilled in the art of job postings; however, I believe I now have a highly effective formula. First, I would never include details about my client that would give away who they are. This omission is so that other recruiters do not try to poach my client but also so that candidates do not go to the client directly. This protects my clients' time. Next, I am sure never to say 'she' or 'he.' Keeping pronouns general is critical. I also avoid unintentionally biased wording that may indicate an age preference, such as 'work hard, play hard environment.' Lastly, I never include boring phrases like 'responsible for...!' Candidates will always prefer the job posting that sounds engaging and compelling."

The interviewer is checking to see how skilled you are with crafting compelling job postings that benefit your agency, protect your client, and attract the right candidates all at once. When writing a job posting, you must consider unconscious bias, keep your client names private, all while making sure that the right keywords are present so that your posting is optimized. As an Agency Recruiter, you will be writing job postings regularly, as new job orders come in or as clients tweak their requests. Discuss what you think should be left out of a job posting.

How do you use data and analytics in your recruitment process?

"Many recruiters rely on their intuition, which is an important factor in the process; however, should not be 100% of the work. I analyze data from clients' past hires, successes and fails of the past, employee attrition data, and more. Then, I make hiring recommendations on what I see to be working for my clients' competitors. Most recently I helped a client to reduce their workforce by replacing three low-performing employees with one full-time and one part-time staff member. My client was thankful that I took the time to analyze their issues before recommending they continue to overstaff."

As an Agency Recruiter, your clients will respond best to your interview and hiring recommendations if these suggestions link back to data. Show the interviewer that you understand how to leverage data and analytics in your recruitment process. If possible, give a specific example of a time when the use of data and analytics led to a successful placement.

How do you use social media and other online tools in your recruitment process?

"I am still shocked when I hear that some recruiters do not use social media in their recruitment process. It's incredibly useful for targeting high-quality candidates. I begin with LinkedIn, using my subscription to its Recruiter platform. From there, I search for potential professionals on Facebook and even Twitter. Other tools that I lean on regularly include our company's applicant tracking system. I will also ask for referrals quite often from candidates that I have worked with in the past."

A great Agency Recruiter will have many tools at their fingertips, allowing them more speed in their research. The fastest acting Agency Recruiter will almost always win the placement, so it's important to the interviewer that you know which tools are available to you, helping you to succeed. List a few of the top resources that you use in your recruitment process. If you'd like, you can also ask for recommendations on tools. Show that you are eager to learn and lean on resources other than yourself to reach the finish line.

Talk to me about your level of proficiency with the LinkedIn Recruiter platform.

"I have used LinkedIn Recruiter for about four years now, and I log into it every day. I appreciate the features such as candidate spotlights, allowing me to see the best matches for my job postings much faster. Also, I can identify candidates who have not completed their application which is an excellent feature. I am highly proficient in LinkedIn Recruiter and can even train newer recruiters on the platform, if needed."

LinkedIn Recruiter is a widely used online talent solution that many recruitment agencies utilize. LinkedIn Recruiter subscriptions can be costly for an agency, so the interviewer would like to know that you can fully utilize the platform's features, making their investment worthwhile. With LinkedIn Recruiter, you can easily search, connect with, and reach out to talented professionals across the globe. The platform also acts as a candidate relationship management system, allowing you to prioritize tasks and track conversations with viable candidates.

As an Agency Recruiter, which publications and resources do you turn to the most to keep yourself educated?

"It's important that I continually educate myself and remain up to date on changes and hot topics in the recruitment industry. Top resources that I turn to include the Undercover Recruiter blog and Forbes magazine online. This year, I want to expand my knowledge by attending coursework on diversity and inclusion in recruitment practices. Do you have any further recommendations? I am eager to build on my skills and knowledge continually."

There are a plethora of resources available to you as an Agency Recruiter. You could discuss any tools that your employer provides you, some you found on your own, or those that other recruiters have recommended to you. The interviewer wants to see that you have a keen interest in learning and staying on top of the ever-changing recruitment game. This question offers an opportunity for you to ask for recommendations if you are comfortable.

How often do you look for opportunities to approach potential new clients?

"So far this year, I have acquired 4 new clients and have taken on 18 new job orders. I first look for new opportunities with existing clients or clients who have been silent for some time. Next, I will ask for referrals from my active clients and then perform warm business development calls. I look for new opportunities every day, as the growth of my employer is a key component to my success as an Agency Recruiter."

The interviewer wants assurance that you will keep your eyes open for opportunities to secure new clients or revive a client who has not placed a job order with your agency in some time. Discuss the ways you approach business development opportunities. Be sure to show that you are enthusiastic about helping your agency succeed. If you have a real-life example of a time when you approached a client and landed a new opportunity, this is a great time to include a story-based example. When delivering your story, try using the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to ensure your example is clear and engaging.

How do you properly qualify potential new agency clients? Is it necessary to you to that your clients are ethical, or will you take any job order?

"The agency I currently work for is very selective on who they take on as a client. We have an online questionnaire, then a phone or in-person meeting. Whenever possible, I will make a site visit to see the environment in which my successful candidate would be working. I look for red flags such as a high employee turnover, bad vibes in the office, any discriminatory language used in meetings, and more. If I would not place a friend in the role, I do not take on the job order."

Responsible Agency Recruiters and their agencies will always interview their clients before agreeing to take on their job orders. Some of the things you should look out for is a history of constant employee turnover, sexual harassment accusations, stories of discrimination, poor health and safety records, and lousy employee reviews on review sites such as Glassdoor. If a client mentions they have burned through multiple recruitment agencies, this is another major red flag. Discuss with the interviewer your thoughts on ethical hiring and your process when it comes to onboarding new clients.

Walk me through the types of placements you have made in your agency recruitment career. In which industries are you most interested?

"Before becoming an Agency Recruiter, I worked in medical device sales for ten years. As a result, I have a solid reach into the medical network in our area. I also have a deep understanding of how to spot excellent medical sales candidates. I applied to this Agency Recruiter position, knowing that you serve many US medical companies I am already familiar with. I have a history of making successful placements in the medical industry and look forward to continuing this success with ABC Recruitment Agency."

Any industry can call for a recruiter's assistance; however, certain industries are better known for regularly engaging recruitment agencies. These industries include: - Healthcare - Manufacturing - Food & Beverage - IT & Software - Accounting - Office & Admin - Engineering (all types)Share with the interviewer what your specialties are as an Agency Recruiter or which areas interest you the most. Perhaps you have a degree in a specific field of work. Maybe you worked in high-commission sales in the past, making you great at spotting terrific sales candidates. If the agency you are interviewing for has a specific niche, avoid singling yourself out or talk yourself out of the role. Be sure to qualify yourself by highlighting your industry experience and making the connection between this experience and the recruitment agency's client focus.

Do you have experience writing resumes, and coaching candidates on how to best present themselves to a client?

"In my 15-year career as an Agency Recruiter, I have coached and helped hundreds of candidates. I have a certificate in resume writing and also have formal training in interview coaching. I am ready to help any candidate to put their best foot forward since this work amounts to an equally beneficial result for my candidate, the agency, and my valued client."

As an Agency Recruiter, much of your work will be prepping candidates to put their best foot forward when they meet your clients. Preparation could include coaching them on highlighting their best skills and achievements in their resume or working with them on answering tough interview questions. Discuss the experience you have working with your candidates on a deeper level to ensure they are fully prepared to give your client an exceptional first impression.

Recruiting in an agency environment requires a lot of selling. Do you have any sales training?

"I have taken a few Dale Carnegie sales courses including 'Winning with Relationship Selling' and 'How to Cold Call and Build New Customers.' The greatest things I learned were how to take the stress out of cold calling when looking for new clients or shopping a candidate for an important new client. I built my confidence through these courses and am better at appealing to my clients' needs."

Many Agency Recruiters will run a 360 desk. The term 360 means that the recruiter will handle everything from acquiring new clients, landing new job orders, finding the right candidates, placing them, and all the paperwork required from start to finish. Many of these tasks require the same skill set that a professional salesperson would have. Discuss any sales training you have and how you believe it will help you succeed in this role. If you do not have any sales training, you could ask the interviewer for recommendations of online sales courses or other helpful resources to grow your sales skills.

Do you have experience using an Applicant Tracking Systems? Which ATS do you know best?

"For the past 3 years I have used Taleo, first as an HR assistant and then as an Agency Recruiter. When I sent my online job application to your agency, I noticed that your talent portal is run by Taleo. The features I use most in this system include the quick applications overview, email templates, and the social job sharing feature."

Most recruitment agencies will use an Applicant Tracking System. An ATS collects and stores job applicant resumes, personal information, interview notes, documentation, and candidate history. When a job seeker applies online to one of your agency's job postings, their application, documents, and notes will automatically populate into the agency ATS, allowing you to quickly see how well they match the role to which they have applied. Some of the most popular ATS will even allow you to email a job seeker directly from the system, book interviews or push out bulk SMS messages. Popular Applicant Tracking Systems include Taleo, Bullhorn, Kenexa, SAP Success Factors, and JazzHR. Discuss what you know about ATS features, and which systems you have used the most.

Do you have experience guiding candidates through job offer negotiations?

"I keep my clients and candidates close, to ensure that proposals do not go sideways due to lowball offers from the company, or unrealistic expectations from the job seeker. Just this year, I have worked on 18 different job offers, helping both parties come to a satisfactory result. I keep up to date on market trends, what competitors are offering, and what employees are earning based on their location, education level, and years of experience. I am 100% comfortable taking full control during job offer negotiations."

One of the most exciting parts of your job as an Agency Recruiter is when your client tells you they are ready to make a job offer to your candidate! Congratulations - you did it! Now, it's time to hit the job offer stage.Many things can get in the way between a job offer and acceptance. As a talented Agency Recruiter, it's up to you to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. The task of navigating a job offer includes controlling the conversation regarding salary and counteroffers. If possible, talk about the experience you have with job offer negotiations, giving a real-life example of a challenging offer you navigated.

Why would a client prefer to hire a temporary employee vs. a permanent employee?

"From discussions with my clients, they prefer hiring temp employees when they have an increase in projects and work, but there is an end in sight. I have one logistics client, for instance, who has a 1-year contract with Kraft. When the contract is over, it may not be renewed. They need resources to serve their clients' needs; however, they do not need a long-term employee commitment. Our agency staffs about 60% of this clients' warehouse, taking care of payroll, temp employee issues, and more. This service saves them a ton of time and energy."

There are a few primary reasons why your client would lean towards temporary placements over permanent hires. It may seem more expensive to have a temporary employee, but the math will often make more sense to an organization. Some of the reasons why a client may prefer a temp:- Temp employees fill employment gaps while companies formally assess their hiring needs. - Companies gain ideal staffing levels without the commitment of hiring a permanent employee. - Temp employees usually do not require perks like paid vacation, workers' compensation, or health insurance. - A staffing agency handles a temp workers' payroll, truancy, and other matters, saving the company a lot of time and resources. - When a temp employee does well, the company can hire them down the road. Moving a temp employee to a permanent role after they have proven themselves through excellent performance is a safe bet!Discuss with the interviewer the reasons why you believe your clients prefer temp hires over permanent employees.

Walk me through your process after receiving a new job order.

"The first thing that I do after taking a new job order is I enter all of the job details in our system. I scan our ATS for potential matches and start calling every candidate who is an 80% match or more. If I strike out there, I will post a job ad and then push it out by email and SMS to candidates in our system. Most of the time, these actions will result in a few great candidates who I will then bring in for an interview, hopefully, same-day."

The interviewer would like to know that you are well-organized and fully understand your responsibilities as an Agency Recruiter. If you have many years of recruitment experience, this question should be simple for you to answer. If you are newer to your recruitment career, think about the tasks listed in the company's job posting.

What is the most critical area of training for a new Agency Recruiter?

"Fast and accurate research, in my opinion, is the best skill for a new Agency Recruiter to have. For that reason, I believe that keywording, SEO, and boolean training is critical. A new recruiter can then dig up excellent candidates for an agency's talent pool and uncover new client opportunities. I am highly skilled in these areas and more than willing to train new Agency Recruiters on these topics. In my current position, I have trained approximately 12 new Agency Recruiters in the past three years, all of whom have proven to be skilled researchers."

New Agency Recruiter training can be intense and will cover a broad range of topics, including: - Cold calling - Business development - Employment diversity - Business ethics - Health and safety - Legal practices - Candidate selection - Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) - Boolean search and keywording This list is to name just a few areas of training! Discuss with the interviewer what you believe to be the essential skill for a new Agency Recruiter. Then, express how strong you are in that particular topic. If you are a more seasoned recruitment professional, you can also talk about your experience in training new Agency Recruiters.

How do you help your clients to make sound hiring decisions?

"I must act as a solid hiring partner with every client. I support my clients by helping them with interview questions, candidate engagement strategies, teaching them the red flags to look out for in a job seeker's interview answers, and walk them through best practices in salary negotiations. Many of my clients lean on my expertise when it comes to being competitive in their market and industry."

There are many ways that an Agency Recruiter can influence a hiring manager and help them through a challenging hiring process. A skilled recruiter will act as a partner to their clients, be a listening ear, an educated hiring partner, and a person with sound judgment to explore ideas and thoughts. Discuss how you help your clients make the best hiring decisions.

How many permanent placements did you make last year?

"Last year, my goal was to place 35 candidates. I wanted to reach my stretch bonus and I achieved this by placing 42 candidates in total. It felt great! My average placement-per-quarter is around ten candidates."

Agency Recruiters work fast, so the interviewer wants to know about the work volume you have handled in the past. For instance, if you made only three candidate placements in a year, that likely means that you will not work well in a fast-paced agency environment. Some Agency Recruiters will place a dozen or more candidates per quarter amounting to nearly 50 placements per year. If you work for a boutique firm, that number may be less. Discuss with the interviewer how many placements you are accustomed to securing, assuring them that you are a high performing Agency Recruiter.

Are you comfortable being paid on a 100% commission basis?

"I can assure you that my performance is always top-notch, and I am comfortable being paid based on my performance. I have earned solely on commission plus a minimal draw for many years, first as a car salesperson and most recently as an Agency Recruiter."

Many Agency Recruiters work on a 100% commission basis; however, not all of them. It's vital that you fully understand the pay structure offered by the recruitment agency before accepting any job offer. The interviewer would like to know if you are happy with being paid solely on your performance. Whether the job pays 100% commission may not be the exact point of this question. Assure the interviewer that you are confident in your ability to be a top performer, regardless of commissions or a comfortable base salary. Show that you can work hard and be paid based on your performance alone.

If you had a highly skilled candidate, but their appearance was terrible, would you present them to your client?

"Honesty is important when dealing with job seekers. Being straightforward is great, but I also have to be kind. If I had a highly skilled candidate, but their appearance was terrible, I would let them know that their presentation was not the best. I would first ask their permission to give them feedback on their appreance and then be prepared with resources and examples they could turn to for help. For instance, a fashion blog, a great hairstylist, or a list of my favorite self-care products."

The appearance of your candidate can be just as important as their skill set. If your candidate is meant to be placed in a client-facing role or in a sales position for instance, it is especially important that they are presentable and professional. As an Agency Recruiter, you know that you would not send your client a restaurant management candidate who had poor hygiene or a legal assistant who wore sweat pants to an interview. The interviewer wants to see that, no matter how talented your candidate is, you would be comfortable handling the situation appropriately. Yes, it's uncomfortable to tell a candidate that they need to clean up their appearance; however, you will come across uncomfortable situations like this as an Agency Recruiter. Discuss how you would handle the dilemma. If you have ever experienced this situation, you can give a real-life example by telling your story using the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

What steps would you take if your newly placed candidate quit without notice?

"This situation is very disappointing, but it happens even to the best recruiters. In fact, I recently encountered this scenario. (Situation) My newly placed admin candidate quit without notice after just four days on the job. (Task) After she walked off the job, the candidate called me, and I fulfilled my responsibility of asking discovery questions to uncover the core issue without showing frustration to the candidate. (Action) Then, I held an immediate phone meeting with my client. I apologized profusely, discussed what went wrong, and then committed to a replacement within a suitable timeframe. After I hung up the phone, I made backfilling the position my priority. I documented my client's situation and flagged the candidate in our system as a 'no hire' so that other recruiters in the agency would not entertain her for future opportunities. (Result) In the end, I found a replacement in just five days. I check in with this candidate regularly to ensure that he's satisfied in his new position."

Agency Recruiters have to face the fact that job seekers can often face self-doubt. Some candidates are not always upfront about their job search, and they may be weighing other options that they have chosen not to disclose to you. As an Agency Recruiter, you will come across candidates who don't show up to work, quit their job without notice, or decide partway through their probation period that they want to leave their new job in accounting and become a dolphin trainer (seriously- it's happened!). The hiring authority wants to see that you can handle these cases with poise and professionalism, jumping into action to repair your client's situation immediately. If you have encountered this situation, provide a story-based example using the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This approach will make your response feel more engaging and memorable.

How would you make an average candidate appear more attractive to a client?

"I often see candidates who can be an excellent match for my clients; however, their resume is vague, a total mess, or shows unexplained gaps. It's important to me that I present only the best to my clients so for that reason, I will coach these candidates on how to write a proper resume. Often I will work with them on these documents, ensuring they put their best foot forward."

As an Agency Recruiter, you will find that many qualified job seekers look plain terrible on paper. Even the most talented people are not great at writing a resume, after all. The interviewer would like to know what you do to make a candidate appear more enticing to a client, before submitting their resume. Discuss the steps that you take to repackage or coach a candidate, making them easier to place with your clients. Express your interest in helping people to find suitable jobs, while also touching on why it's important to represent your agency in a professional light.

Agency Recruiter Interview Questions

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1. How is your recruitment performance measured in your current role?
2. How do you treat candidates that your client does not select for the job? Walk me through your process.
3. Tell me about a time when you were unsuccessful in filling a job order. How did you handle the situation?
4. What would you do if a client asked something unethical of you?
5. As an Agency Recruiter, how do you maintain relationships with your values clients?
6. As an Agency Recruiter, are you accustomed to working in a bullpen environment or do prefer a private office?
7. Talented Agency Recruiters are entrepreneurial. Give me an example of how you have embraced an entrepreneurial mindset.
8. What are your top 3 most important activities as an Agency Recruiter?
9. When interviewing a candidate, what is the most important question you could ask?
10. Tell me three details an Agency Recruiter should never include in a job posting.
11. How do you use data and analytics in your recruitment process?
12. How do you use social media and other online tools in your recruitment process?
13. Talk to me about your level of proficiency with the LinkedIn Recruiter platform.
14. As an Agency Recruiter, which publications and resources do you turn to the most to keep yourself educated?
15. How often do you look for opportunities to approach potential new clients?
16. How do you properly qualify potential new agency clients? Is it necessary to you to that your clients are ethical, or will you take any job order?
17. Walk me through the types of placements you have made in your agency recruitment career. In which industries are you most interested?
18. Do you have experience writing resumes, and coaching candidates on how to best present themselves to a client?
19. Recruiting in an agency environment requires a lot of selling. Do you have any sales training?
20. Do you have experience using an Applicant Tracking Systems? Which ATS do you know best?
21. Do you have experience guiding candidates through job offer negotiations?
22. Why would a client prefer to hire a temporary employee vs. a permanent employee?
23. Walk me through your process after receiving a new job order.
24. What is the most critical area of training for a new Agency Recruiter?
25. How do you help your clients to make sound hiring decisions?
26. How many permanent placements did you make last year?
27. Are you comfortable being paid on a 100% commission basis?
28. If you had a highly skilled candidate, but their appearance was terrible, would you present them to your client?
29. What steps would you take if your newly placed candidate quit without notice?
30. How would you make an average candidate appear more attractive to a client?

Agency Recruiter Interview Questions

1. How is your recruitment performance measured in your current role?

2. How do you treat candidates that your client does not select for the job? Walk me through your process.

3. Tell me about a time when you were unsuccessful in filling a job order. How did you handle the situation?

4. What would you do if a client asked something unethical of you?

5. As an Agency Recruiter, how do you maintain relationships with your values clients?

6. As an Agency Recruiter, are you accustomed to working in a bullpen environment or do prefer a private office?

7. Talented Agency Recruiters are entrepreneurial. Give me an example of how you have embraced an entrepreneurial mindset.

8. What are your top 3 most important activities as an Agency Recruiter?

9. When interviewing a candidate, what is the most important question you could ask?

10. Tell me three details an Agency Recruiter should never include in a job posting.

11. How do you use data and analytics in your recruitment process?

12. How do you use social media and other online tools in your recruitment process?

13. Talk to me about your level of proficiency with the LinkedIn Recruiter platform.

14. As an Agency Recruiter, which publications and resources do you turn to the most to keep yourself educated?

15. How often do you look for opportunities to approach potential new clients?

16. How do you properly qualify potential new agency clients? Is it necessary to you to that your clients are ethical, or will you take any job order?

17. Walk me through the types of placements you have made in your agency recruitment career. In which industries are you most interested?

18. Do you have experience writing resumes, and coaching candidates on how to best present themselves to a client?

19. Recruiting in an agency environment requires a lot of selling. Do you have any sales training?

20. Do you have experience using an Applicant Tracking Systems? Which ATS do you know best?

21. Do you have experience guiding candidates through job offer negotiations?

22. Why would a client prefer to hire a temporary employee vs. a permanent employee?

23. Walk me through your process after receiving a new job order.

24. What is the most critical area of training for a new Agency Recruiter?

25. How do you help your clients to make sound hiring decisions?

26. How many permanent placements did you make last year?

27. Are you comfortable being paid on a 100% commission basis?

28. If you had a highly skilled candidate, but their appearance was terrible, would you present them to your client?

29. What steps would you take if your newly placed candidate quit without notice?

30. How would you make an average candidate appear more attractive to a client?