The Communication Highway

Technology is advancing so fast most of us cannot keep up with the new trends and software and gadgets.  Over the years I've found that many people that have a career in Technology, don't always embrace it after-hours.  My brother has been a programmer within Healthcare IT for over 20 years.  He didn't get his first Smart Phone until 2015.

With all this new technology there are now multiple ways to communicate with others through social media (Facebook, LinkedIn etc), email, telephone, text, Skype and the list goes on.  How is one to know the best way or fastest method to reach their recruiter?  Ask! That's how!  Always inquire with your recruiter what method of communication they prefer.

A few things to keep in mind when contacting your recruiter:

• Recruiters at any given time could have up to a hundred candidates submitted to various job opportunities AND on top of those folks, they are also responsible to communicate with and care for everyone they have placed on projects.  This means that recruiters are typically open to answering communication 24/7 if the need is urgent.
• ALWAYS include your first & late name when contacting your recruiter.  Recruiters receive 100s of emails, phone calls, texts etc. a week.  If you do not include your name in the text, email, voice mail, how are they to know who they're to respond to?  (I regularly get emails saying "do you have any upcoming go lives?" with nothing else, no phone, no name, no resume.  If your email address doesn't have your name it in, how am I to know who I'm communicating with?  I also will receive random texts that go something like this:  "Hi!  Any word from the client yet?".... What client?  Who are you?  There is unfortunately no way for me to memorize every phone number of every person I've submitted to a client.)
• Don't be offended if the Recruiter responds asking "who is this?".  Recruiters typically keep good track of who they've submitted and who they have working on projects, but we don't always remember everyone's phone number or email address. 
• All recruiters utilize a database to keep track of candidates, consultants, activity and so-forth.  Anytime you update your phone number or email, it is best to notify the recruiters you work with.  With this being said - most data bases will allow Recruiters to search for someone via email or phone - but providing your name in your communications will net you a much faster response.
• Social Media - for me Facebook is a professional no-no.  I strongly believe that Facebook (Instagram, Snap Chat etc) is for friends and family and not for work related communication.  LinkedIn is for business!  Save your professional communications for professional web sites.  If a recruiter contacts you via Facebook, ask for their email/phone and reach out to them that way.  Facebook can be professional suicide.  If a potential employer is scrolling through your Facebook feed - you never know what they might be turned off by - political posts, cat videos, family conversations.
• Message Alerts - we all get message alerts on our phone.  Personally I receive text messages, Skype messages, LinkedIn, Pinterest messages, Snap Chat Messages, Facebook messages, email messages from both personal and business accounts and phone calls.  To cut down on the noise & insanity I've turned off every alert except for email and text.  Typically the best method to reach your recruiter will be phone or email, followed by text and LinkedIn and so on. 
• Which brings us back to - Ask... Each recruiter will have their preferred method of communication and they'll be happy to let you know the best way to reach them and at what times, just remember to include your name when you reach out :)