20 Questions

Questions to Ask Recruiting Coaches

Strategic questions to evaluate recruiting coaches, understand their approach, and assess their ability to help you achieve your career goals.

1

What's your approach to helping candidates find the right opportunities?

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Why this works

Reveals their methodology and helps you understand how they work with candidates to identify suitable positions.

2

How do you assess a candidate's fit for different roles and companies?

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Why this works

Shows their evaluation process and helps you understand how they match candidates with opportunities.

3

What's your experience with my industry and target roles?

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Why this works

Reveals their expertise in your field and helps you assess if they have the knowledge to help you effectively.

4

How do you stay current with market trends and opportunities?

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Why this works

Shows their commitment to staying informed and helps you understand how they keep up with industry changes.

5

What's your process for preparing candidates for interviews?

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Why this works

Reveals their approach to interview preparation and helps you understand what support they provide.

6

How do you handle salary negotiations and compensation discussions?

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Why this works

Shows their approach to compensation and helps you understand how they support you in negotiations.

7

What's your approach to building and maintaining relationships with employers?

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Why this works

Reveals their networking strategy and helps you understand how they connect with potential employers.

8

How do you measure success in your recruiting work?

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Why this works

Shows their definition of success and helps you understand what outcomes they focus on.

9

What are the biggest challenges you face in your recruiting work?

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Why this works

Reveals potential obstacles and helps you understand the realities of their work.

10

How do you handle candidates who don't fit traditional profiles?

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Why this works

Shows their flexibility and helps you understand how they work with diverse candidates.

11

What's your approach to working with candidates who are changing careers?

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Why this works

Reveals their experience with career changers and helps you understand how they support transitions.

12

How do you handle candidates who are looking for remote or flexible work?

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Why this works

Shows their approach to modern work arrangements and helps you understand their flexibility.

13

What's your approach to working with candidates who are looking for leadership roles?

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Why this works

Reveals their experience with leadership positions and helps you understand how they support career advancement.

14

How do you handle candidates who are looking for startup opportunities?

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Why this works

Shows their experience with startups and helps you understand how they work with entrepreneurial candidates.

15

What's your approach to working with candidates who are looking for international opportunities?

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Why this works

Reveals their global experience and helps you understand how they support international job searches.

16

How do you handle candidates who are looking for part-time or contract work?

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Why this works

Shows their flexibility with different work arrangements and helps you understand their approach to non-traditional roles.

17

What's your approach to working with candidates who are looking for consulting opportunities?

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Why this works

Reveals their experience with consulting and helps you understand how they support consulting careers.

18

How do you handle candidates who are looking for board positions?

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Why this works

Shows their experience with board placements and helps you understand how they support board-level opportunities.

19

What's your approach to working with candidates who are looking for nonprofit opportunities?

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Why this works

Reveals their experience with nonprofit sector and helps you understand how they support mission-driven careers.

20

How do you handle candidates who are looking for academic or research positions?

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Why this works

Shows their experience with academic placements and helps you understand how they support academic careers.

Best Practices for Working with Recruiting Coaches

Expert tips and techniques for getting the most out of these questions.

Best Practices

Be Clear About Your Goals

Clearly communicate your career goals, target roles, and what you're looking for in your next position.

Ask About Their Experience

Inquire about their experience in your industry and with similar roles to ensure they have the right expertise.

Understand Their Process

Ask about their methodology and approach to ensure it aligns with your needs and expectations.

Question Sequences

The Experience Assessment

1
What's your approach to helping candidates find the right opportunities?
2
How do you assess a candidate's fit for different roles and companies?
3
What's your experience with my industry and target roles?
4
How do you stay current with market trends and opportunities?

The Process Evaluation

1
What's your process for preparing candidates for interviews?
2
How do you handle salary negotiations and compensation discussions?
3
What's your approach to building and maintaining relationships with employers?
4
How do you measure success in your recruiting work?

Common Pitfalls

Don't Focus Only on Fees

While cost is important, focus on value and results. A more expensive coach who gets you better results is often worth the investment.

Avoid Generic Questions

Ask specific questions about their experience in your industry and with your target roles to ensure they have the right expertise.

Don't Ignore Red Flags

Pay attention to their communication style, responsiveness, and how they handle your questions. These can indicate their approach to working with candidates.

Conversation Templates

The Comprehensive Evaluation

1
Step 1: Start with: "What's your approach to helping candidates find the right opportunities?"
2
Step 2: Follow with: "What's your experience with my industry and target roles?"
3
Step 3: Deepen with: "What's your process for preparing candidates for interviews?"
4
Step 4: Conclude with: "How do you measure success in your recruiting work?"

Further Reading

"The Recruiter's Handbook" by Barbara Bruno
"The Complete Guide to Recruiting" by Barbara Bruno
"Recruiting for Dummies" by Max Messmer
Recruiting and staffing industry resources

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