She Thought She Was Getting an Offer
READ TIME: 3 MINUTES
They Thought They Were in Final Rounds. They Weren’t.
This week, I had two clients who believed they were at the finish line.
They weren’t.
Ashley had completed the exercise. Strong presentation. Positive feedback.
Rob had also passed the exercise round. Waiting on next steps.
Two similar scenarios, two different outcomes. They partnered with the recruiter to drive next steps.
How to Turn a Recruiter Into Your Internal Advocate
Once you pass the recruiter screen, the game changes.
You’re no longer trying to “get through.”
You’re building an ally.
A strong recruiter can become your internal champion, just like in sales, the person advocating for you when you’re not in the room.
Most candidates never leverage this.
Why Would a Recruiter Partner With You?
Because their job is simple:
Fill the role with the best candidate.
That’s their quota.
That’s their scoreboard.
If you make their job easier — by being prepared, proactive, and coachable — they have every incentive to help you win.
A great recruiter will:
Share insight into the hiring team
Clarify what to expect in interviews
Flag red flags before you walk into them
Help position you internally
But only if you ask.
Ashley thought she had just completed the final round presentation interview. I started asking her questions from the list above, turns out she didn’t know. She picked up the phone called the recruiter and found out
She was expecting an offer as the next step, instead she got the real information and continued to prepare.
Smart Questions to Ask Your Recruiter
Treat this like a sales process. You would never walk into a deal blind.
Ask:
Who am I meeting with? What’s their role?
What should I expect in this interview?
Will there be role-plays or presentations?
What does the full interview process look like from start to finish?
What’s the timeline?
How many roles are open?
How many candidates are in process?
Where am I positioned relative to other candidates?
Is there anything I can do to strengthen my candidacy?
Most candidates don’t ask these questions.
The candidates who land offers do.
This information changed the game for Ashley.
Move Like You’re Running a Deal
The interview process is a deal cycle.
Get clear next steps.
Confirm timelines.
Follow up with intention.
Between interviews, send:
A concise recap email
A thoughtful follow-up insight
A short video reinforcing your fit
Momentum matters.
Time kills deals.
It also kills strong candidates.
Be respectful.
Be professional.
Be persistent.
Rob was in a similar position to Ashley.
He had passed the exercise round and was waiting.
When he pressed the recruiter for details, he learned:
He was a finalist
Four roles were open
Multiple candidates were presenting after him
He proactively followed up with the hiring manager on Monday when other candidates were presenting to reinforce his value and differentiators.
Why?
In sales, being the first vendor to present often lowers your odds of winning.
The same can happen in interviews.
Don’t assume momentum.
Create it.
By Tuesday, he had an offer in hand.
If you’re in process right now, hit reply and let me know what’s one way you’ve partnered with a recruiter to gain an edge?
Your next offer might depend on it.
To clarity and confidence in your career path,
Amanda
See you next Sunday.
