As a creative professional, you know that finding a new position can sometimes be challenging. Even when the creative job market is doing well, finding a job that is the perfect fit for you and your skills can take extra time. This is why a recruiter can serve as a tremendous asset during your search!

“When you’re looking for a new position, it can be tough to determine what opportunities are the best fit for you,” explains Anjelica Jones, a Staffing Manager in the Execu|Search Group’s Creative & Digital division. “Having someone in your corner you trust to have an expert-level knowledge of the market can be imperative to you finding your next job.”

If you’re looking to begin and maintain a relationship with a creative recruiter soon, here are four ways to ensure the relationship is a good one:

Focus on in-person networking

The best way to find a recruiter who will be most aligned to your goals is to attend in-person networking events. “When you start a relationship with a recruiter, you’ll want to look out for someone you can build an easy rapport with, as well as someone who may have a similar background to you,” Anjelica says. “From there, they’ll be able to hone in on specific positions that best suit you and your needs. The best way to do this is by attending a job fair or networking event, as it’s the best way to connect with someone in the creative field. ”

Be professional

While you may be tempted to try and form a comfortable and easy-going relationship with your recruiter, you don’t want to go about it at the expense of making a poor first impression. “In the hopes of building a good rapport with us, many make the mistake of treating their meeting with us as a casual conversation over coffee,” Anjelica says. “However, being too casual is more of a red flag than an indicator of a good relationship. It says to me that you aren’t going to take an interview seriously.”

Be prepared

Your past work experience is one of the first things you should be prepared to discuss with your recruiter. For them, forming a solid understanding of your background will help them understand the direction you want to go in. According to Anjelica, design-minded professionals will want to prepare their portfolio and a thorough description of each project you wish to present to a recruiter. For creative professionals who don’t focus specifically on design work, Anjelica says having a deep understanding of past experience and projects will help outline a map for your career goals.

Keep lines of communication open

Regardless of your ultimate goal, candidates should still be open to following up with their recruiter every few weeks. If you want to develop a strong relationship with your recruiter, you should be open to checking in with them every few weeks or so,” advises Anjelica. “Whether you discuss something as simple as how your placement is going, or would like to get advice on how current market trends relate to your career, these quick chats help us act as your true career partner.”