When you’re applying for a job, it’s easy to feel like you can’t trust recruiters. After all, they are being paid by the company that’s hiring you, and they need to be looking out for their employer’s best interests.

But the truth is, recruiters are just like any other job seekers: they want to make sure that the company they represent is getting the most out of its employees. And if you’re willing to help with that, then it’s in both your and the recruiter’s best interests to make sure you’re ready for a position at that company.

The first step toward getting hired by a new employer is finding out if they want to talk with your current or previous employers, and here’s how recruiters do it:

Recruiters often ask questions about what kind of work experience you have before moving forward with the interview process. This allows them to see if you’ve done any kind of consulting or freelancing while working elsewhere. It also helps determine what kind of role might be right for you at the new company!

Why do some recruiters call your current or previous employer?

Whether you’re looking for a new job or just trying to get your resume noticed, you might be aware of the fact that recruiters are always on the lookout for talented candidates.

And if you’ve been laid off or recently hired into a new role, it’s likely that recruiters have already reached out to you—even if they don’t know yet that you’re looking for work again.

Recruiters can sometimes use information from past employers when making hiring decisions, even if they do not know anything about the candidate’s skill set or experience level at their current job.

This information can help them make better decisions about who should be hired and what type of person they should hire—even though they do not know anything about that person’s background!

Recruiters will call your current and past employers because they want to find out what they can offer. If they can help you land a new job, then they’ll do their best to make sure that happens. But if not, then they’ll at least try to find other opportunities that might be right up your alley!

Are recruiters supposed to call your current or previous employer?

Yes, recruiters are supposed to call your current or previous employer.

Let’s say you’re applying for a job at an office where you used to work. The recruiter should know that and not call your old boss or HR manager, who might be less likely to give you a good reference.

If you’re applying for a job with a different company and don’t have a connection there—or if it’s just one of those weird things that happens sometimes—the recruiter should still call your previous company and let them know about your interest in the position.

This is all normal! You can use a generic cover letter or resume when applying for positions within the same company and when applying to companies outside of your network so that the hiring manager doesn’t have any reason to question why they received multiple applications from someone who works at another company.

What usually happens when recruiters call your current or previous employer?

When recruiters call your current or previous employer, they’ll probably want to know about you. They’ll want to know where you went to school, what experience you have in their industry, and what you’re doing now. If you’re looking for a job, they’ll ask questions about your resume and why you’re looking for a new position.

They may also want to know if there are any other positions like yours in the company. It’s important to be honest with them—if you say no, then it shows that you don’t want the position, and it may hurt your chances of getting it later on down the road.

If a recruiter calls your current or previous employer, you’re probably going to be asked a lot of questions. Here’s what typically happens:

• The recruiter will ask to speak with your manager.
• Your manager will tell them that they won’t be able to speak with them because they need to talk with you first.
• The recruiter will try to get you on the phone by asking if it’s okay for them to call back later or if they can send an email instead. If this happens, don’t be afraid to say no! You’ve decided that this person isn’t a good fit for you and your company, so why should you help them find out more about working there?
• If you have time, it’s okay to give them some background information about yourself and your work experience—but try not to go into too much detail!

Should I wait for the recruiter to call my current or previous employer?

It depends on the recruiter, but in most cases, you should wait for the recruiter to call your current or previous employer. If you want to know why, read on!

The reason for this is simple: if the recruiter calls you and asks you questions that are specific to your current or previous job, it will be difficult for them to understand how you fit into their team.

If they’re calling about your previous job or current role, the recruiter might not understand how well those skills translate into their team. That could lead them to make inaccurate assumptions about the kind of person they want on their team.

If the recruiter is calling about a different job or role altogether, then it’s possible that they don’t have any positions open right now that would be a good fit for you—which means that they won’t ever get back in touch with you again if they do decide to hire someone new.

Conclusion

If you’re still looking for work, it’s likely that you haven’t heard from a recruiter yet.

That’s okay—it’s not uncommon to go on job interviews and never hear back from potential employers. But if you want to make sure that doesn’t happen, it’s important to write a resume that speaks to your skills and experience so that recruiters can see how great you are at what you do.

If you need help with preparing an application-ready resume, consider having our team of expert resume writers help you out!