The first call, and how to show up for it.

1. 01

   What you'd move for

   The kind of role, the kind of company, and where you want your career to go. "I'm open to anything" makes you hard to place. A clear answer makes you easy to remember when the right thing comes up.

2. 02

   Your number

   Have the base and total pay you're targeting ready before you're asked. Give a real range. If your number is higher than what you think the role pays, say so anyway. The recruiter needs to know what would make a move worth it.

3. 03

   Your timing

   How much notice you'd give, when you could start, and anything already on the calendar, like a bonus date, a vacation or a move.

4. 04

   Where you'll flex, and where you won't

   Location, days in an office, travel, title, how the pay is split. Say which you'd bend on for the right role and which are firm. A recruiter can work with a clear answer on both. "It depends" gives them nothing to go on.

5. 05

   The logistics

   Accept the invite and be on time. Take the call somewhere quiet with a good connection, where the recruiter can hear you and you can talk freely. Have your calendar open so you can offer times for next steps.

1. 01

   Treat the recruiter as an ally, not an obstacle

   A good recruiter wants you to get the job. The more they understand about you, the better they can represent you. Relax and talk like yourself.

2. 02

   This is the first interview, even if nobody calls it that

   How you treat the recruiter is the first thing anyone in the process sees. Your tone, how fast you reply, whether you're on time, whether you do what you said you would. The hiring manager will ask what you were like to deal with, and the recruiter's answer travels with your resume.

3. 03

   Get ahead of the hard questions

   Short stints, gaps, a layoff, a role that didn't work out. You'll be asked, and a calm, honest answer in one or two sentences is always better than a vague one.

4. 04

   Say what's giving you pause

   What could stop you from saying yes to this one? A doubt about the company, the scope, the manager, the commute. Raise it now. Concerns are easy to work through early and expensive to discover late.

5. 05

   Be open about what else is in motion

   Other conversations, a pending offer, how far along you are. It helps the recruiter move at the right speed and manage the process around you.

6. 06

   Ask about the job and the process

   What is the role, and why is it open? What does it pay? What can you tell me about the company, and when can you share the name? What are the steps, and what happens after this call? You should leave knowing whether you want it and what comes next.

It helps to know what the person on the other end is trying to work out.

1. 01

   Can you explain your work, and what you owned?

   In plain words: what you were responsible for, the decisions that were yours, and the results you can put your name on. "We" is fine for the team's wins. A recruiter is listening for the "I."

2. 02

   Do your moves make sense?

   Nobody needs a perfect path. A recruiter needs to follow the reason behind each change.

3. 03

   Does what you want line up with what's out there?

   If your number, level or location is far from what the market offers, a good recruiter will tell you. A mismatch isn't a failure. It only means this isn't the one.

4. 04

   Would they put you in front of their client?

   That's the real decision on a screen: whether the recruiter would feel good putting you and your story in front of the people hiring. It covers how you've handled everything so far, not only what you said on the call.

1. 01

   Send what you said you'd send, the same day

   Availability, references, a work sample. It's the simplest way to show you're serious.

2. 02

   Reply quickly, even if the answer is no

   It's always fine to say something isn't for you. Recruiters remember the people who told them straight.

3. 03

   Not sure? Hear it from the company

   If you're on the fence and the recruiter offers the interview, take it. It's always better to get another perspective from someone who works there.

4. 04

   Keep them posted

   A new conversation elsewhere, a change in timing, second thoughts. A short note keeps the recruiter working for you.

5. 05

   Play the long game

   This role may not be the one. A good recruiter sees new roles all the time, and the people they call first are the ones they know and trust. Stay in touch, and treat this call as the first of many.