A recruiter is a person who often works within a company’s human resources department to synthesize job descriptions, coordinate talent acquisition, and streamline the hiring process. Recruiters work with [hiring managers](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/hiring-tips-for-managers) to finesse job postings and then use those templates to source strong candidates. Recruiters will share job openings on employment and networking websites and travel to schools and job fairs to represent the company name, broaden the job search, and meet interested candidates from different backgrounds.
You can reach out to a recruiter to express interest in job opportunities or apply to a job posting. There are three main ways to contact a recruiter:

1. __In person__: You may attend a job fair at college or an open house for a company. Dress nicely, bring printed [resumes](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-a-resume), and look up the recruiter’s name in advance. Know what type of job you want so you can ask specific questions about job opportunities.
2. __Via email__: If recruiters publicly list their emails, contact them to express your interest in the company. You should note how your experiences and [skill sets](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/hard-skills-vs-soft-skills) align with the brand—keep it short and sweet, writing only a paragraph or two. The goal is to get on the recruiter’s radar, so they consider you when job listings arise. You can also reach out if you have specific questions about a posted position.
3. __Networking sites__: Be sure to update and edit your networking profile, and then feel free to send a short message to the recruiter. Make an excellent first impression by crafting a clean message, sharing your contact information, and having a call to action. Go into the message knowing what you want: It may be career advice or answers to specific questions about job postings or company culture. Politely ask if the recruiter has any free time in the next week to discuss over a phone call, and be sure to make yourself available to their schedule.
When corresponding with recruiters, consider the following tips:

1. __Do your research.__ Before sending your resume to a company’s recruiter, do some research to learn more about the kind of work the company does and whether your skill set is a match. You can tailor your resume to those needs to strengthen your job search.
2. __Send a follow-up email__. After meeting with a recruiter, send a [follow-up email](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-follow-up-after-an-interview) within three days to thank the recruiter for their time and information. You can also send a concise and professional thank you message after a recruiter accepts a connection request on a networking site.
3. __Follow the submission guidelines__. When submitting an application to a recruiter, follow the submission guidelines. For example, do not send the recruiter your [cover letter](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-the-perfect-cover-letter) and resume if the posting states to deliver it to a particular email address. You may, however, reach out directly to the recruiter if you have questions or want to briefly state how excited you are to apply, thanking them for the clear job posting.

Get the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com/) for exclusive access to video lessons taught by business luminaries, including Chris Voss, Sara Blakely, Robin Roberts, Bob Iger, Howard Schultz, Anna Wintour, and more.
Recruiters share open positions and can hold the key to new opportunities for job seekers. Learn how to contact recruiters and correctly correspond to land a dream job.

Recruiters share open positions and can hold the key to new opportunities for job seekers. Learn how to contact recruiters and correctly correspond to land a dream job.

How to Reach Out to a Recruiter

A recruiter is a person who often works within a company’s human resources department to synthesize job descriptions, coordinate talent acquisition, and streamline the hiring process. Recruiters work with <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/hiring-tips-for-managers' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/hiring-tips-for-managers","linkCopy":"hiring managers","category":null}'>hiring managers</a> to finesse job postings and then use those templates to source strong candidates. Recruiters will share job openings on employment and networking websites and travel to schools and job fairs to represent the company name, broaden the job search, and meet interested candidates from different backgrounds.

What Is a Recruiter?

You can reach out to a recruiter to express interest in job opportunities or apply to a job posting. There are three main ways to contact a recruiter:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. In person: You may attend a job fair at college or an open house for a company. Dress nicely, bring printed <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-a-resume' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-a-resume","linkCopy":"resumes","category":null}'>resumes</a>, and look up the recruiter’s name in advance. Know what type of job you want so you can ask specific questions about job opportunities. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Via email: If recruiters publicly list their emails, contact them to express your interest in the company. You should note how your experiences and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/hard-skills-vs-soft-skills' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/hard-skills-vs-soft-skills","linkCopy":"skill sets","category":null}'>skill sets</a> align with the brand—keep it short and sweet, writing only a paragraph or two. The goal is to get on the recruiter’s radar, so they consider you when job listings arise. You can also reach out if you have specific questions about a posted position. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Networking sites: Be sure to update and edit your networking profile, and then feel free to send a short message to the recruiter. Make an excellent first impression by crafting a clean message, sharing your contact information, and having a call to action. Go into the message knowing what you want: It may be career advice or answers to specific questions about job postings or company culture. Politely ask if the recruiter has any free time in the next week to discuss over a phone call, and be sure to make yourself available to their schedule. </li></ol>

3 Ways to Contact a Recruiter 

When corresponding with recruiters, consider the following tips:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Do your research. Before sending your resume to a company’s recruiter, do some research to learn more about the kind of work the company does and whether your skill set is a match. You can tailor your resume to those needs to strengthen your job search. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Send a follow-up email. After meeting with a recruiter, send a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-follow-up-after-an-interview' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-follow-up-after-an-interview","linkCopy":"follow-up email","category":null}'>follow-up email</a> within three days to thank the recruiter for their time and information. You can also send a concise and professional thank you message after a recruiter accepts a connection request on a networking site. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Follow the submission guidelines. When submitting an application to a recruiter, follow the submission guidelines. For example, do not send the recruiter your <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-the-perfect-cover-letter' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-the-perfect-cover-letter","linkCopy":"cover letter","category":null}'>cover letter</a> and resume if the posting states to deliver it to a particular email address. You may, however, reach out directly to the recruiter if you have questions or want to briefly state how excited you are to apply, thanking them for the clear job posting. </li></ol>Get the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a> for exclusive access to video lessons taught by business luminaries, including Chris Voss, Sara Blakely, Robin Roberts, Bob Iger, Howard Schultz, Anna Wintour, and more.

3 Tips for Reaching Out to a Recruiter

Recruiters share open positions and can hold the key to new opportunities for job seekers. Learn how to contact recruiters and correctly correspond to land a dream job.

Recruiters share open positions and can hold the key to new opportunities for job seekers. Learn how to contact recruiters and correctly correspond to land a dream job.
