When people think of Recruiters, they think of agents. When they think of agents, they think of someone like Ari Gold - the crazy, fast-talking agent on Entourage.
This misconception is what causes so many job seekers not to trust Recruiters. In order to appreciate them, it's important to understand exactly how they fit into a job seeker's search strategy.
Recruiters and Headhunters are not your agents
They don't actually work for you.
They work for their clients - companies who need their help filling a job opening. One of the reasons Recruiters get such a bad rap is because of the misconception that a Recruiter's job is to find a job for their candidates and job seekers get annoyed when a Recruiter doesn't find them a job.
Here's how Recruitment Agencies work
Agencies get hired by companies. Although some agencies are retained, most work on a contingency basis, which means that they only get paid (about 15 - 30% of the successful candidate's base salary) if they find the perfect candidate for the job. If they don't, they get zilch. It's not uncommon for a Recruiter to work on a position for weeks even months and end up with nothing.
So speed is the name of the game. Because they're competing with other agencies, the first one to present the star candidate is the only one who gets paid.
It's not because they don't like you, but they simply don't have the time to target their search to jobs specifically for their candidates. The responsibility to find a job is all yours, you're the only one who can make your job search a priority. Recruiters simply facilitate the process by introducing you and preparing you to meet with their clients.
Recruiters can definitely add value to your job search, but it's important to know what to expect and how to work with them.
Make it easy for Recruiters to work with you
1) Take their calls
A Recruiter calls you at work in the middle of a hectic day. If you're thinking long-term, you'll ask for their number and call them back at a more suitable time for you. Many will be happy to talk to you outside of work hours. If you instead get annoyed and slam the phone down, you may have just missed out on your dream job opportunity or the chance to create a relationship with the Recruiter.
You never know when an interesting opportunity may come along and for this reason, so it's important to have a well-written AND current resume at all times.
2) Be honest
As a Recruiter, there's nothing that annoys me more than working with a candidate who's not telling the truth. I've worked with candidates who weren't honest about what they do at their current job, the fact they're now unemployed or that they recently got a new job, but don't like it enough to disclose this. Eventually the truth comes out through reference checks or employment background checks, which most employers request these days.
Being dishonest means you've ruined that relationship. Guess who they're not calling next time they have an awesome job? Recruiters from different agencies also talk to one another, especially in specific industries. Starting fresh with another agency isn't always an option.
3) Stay in touch but don't hound them
Whether or not a position they presented to you works out, it's always a great idea to stay in touch with Recruiters. Building a solid network is important for career growth. There's a fine line between staying in touch and calling obsessively. Calling every two days to inquire whether or not there is an opportunity for you doesn't make you look enthusiastic, it's overkill. Don't sound desperate.
4) Create a relationship BEFORE you need them
I can't stress this one enough. Waiting until you're no longer working to connect with a Recruiter is a mistake. Recruiters prefer to work with candidates who are employed or very recently unemployed. You can't build relationships with every Recruiter that calls you, pick a few and make sure you stay on their radar.
Treat them well before you need them and they will treat you like gold when you need them.
Like every profession, there are great Recruiters and not so great ones. The key is to create a relationship with one that is best for your needs. Working with Recruiters is a great way to get access to jobs that are not posted, but it's important to diversify your job hunting strategies.
Get Passionate About Your Career!
Learn more about how to create compelling resumes, interview like a pro and create networks that will help your career growth.
This misconception is what causes so many job seekers not to trust Recruiters. In order to appreciate them, it's important to understand exactly how they fit into a job seeker's search strategy.
Recruiters and Headhunters are not your agents
They don't actually work for you.
They work for their clients - companies who need their help filling a job opening. One of the reasons Recruiters get such a bad rap is because of the misconception that a Recruiter's job is to find a job for their candidates and job seekers get annoyed when a Recruiter doesn't find them a job.
Here's how Recruitment Agencies work
Agencies get hired by companies. Although some agencies are retained, most work on a contingency basis, which means that they only get paid (about 15 - 30% of the successful candidate's base salary) if they find the perfect candidate for the job. If they don't, they get zilch. It's not uncommon for a Recruiter to work on a position for weeks even months and end up with nothing.
So speed is the name of the game. Because they're competing with other agencies, the first one to present the star candidate is the only one who gets paid.
It's not because they don't like you, but they simply don't have the time to target their search to jobs specifically for their candidates. The responsibility to find a job is all yours, you're the only one who can make your job search a priority. Recruiters simply facilitate the process by introducing you and preparing you to meet with their clients.
Recruiters can definitely add value to your job search, but it's important to know what to expect and how to work with them.
Make it easy for Recruiters to work with you
1) Take their calls
A Recruiter calls you at work in the middle of a hectic day. If you're thinking long-term, you'll ask for their number and call them back at a more suitable time for you. Many will be happy to talk to you outside of work hours. If you instead get annoyed and slam the phone down, you may have just missed out on your dream job opportunity or the chance to create a relationship with the Recruiter.
You never know when an interesting opportunity may come along and for this reason, so it's important to have a well-written AND current resume at all times.
2) Be honest
As a Recruiter, there's nothing that annoys me more than working with a candidate who's not telling the truth. I've worked with candidates who weren't honest about what they do at their current job, the fact they're now unemployed or that they recently got a new job, but don't like it enough to disclose this. Eventually the truth comes out through reference checks or employment background checks, which most employers request these days.
Being dishonest means you've ruined that relationship. Guess who they're not calling next time they have an awesome job? Recruiters from different agencies also talk to one another, especially in specific industries. Starting fresh with another agency isn't always an option.
3) Stay in touch but don't hound them
Whether or not a position they presented to you works out, it's always a great idea to stay in touch with Recruiters. Building a solid network is important for career growth. There's a fine line between staying in touch and calling obsessively. Calling every two days to inquire whether or not there is an opportunity for you doesn't make you look enthusiastic, it's overkill. Don't sound desperate.
4) Create a relationship BEFORE you need them
I can't stress this one enough. Waiting until you're no longer working to connect with a Recruiter is a mistake. Recruiters prefer to work with candidates who are employed or very recently unemployed. You can't build relationships with every Recruiter that calls you, pick a few and make sure you stay on their radar.
Treat them well before you need them and they will treat you like gold when you need them.
Like every profession, there are great Recruiters and not so great ones. The key is to create a relationship with one that is best for your needs. Working with Recruiters is a great way to get access to jobs that are not posted, but it's important to diversify your job hunting strategies.
Get Passionate About Your Career!
Learn more about how to create compelling resumes, interview like a pro and create networks that will help your career growth.
An article by Dougles Chan - The Recruitment Guru. Also known as the Zhuge Liang for
recruitment. A recruitment coach & mentor that specialized on coaching recruitment
business owners and staffing agency recruiters.
Author of 8 books. 25 years in recruitment business coaching & mentoring. Focus countries will be in Singapore, USA, UK, Australia and others.
He created the recruitment agency market tumour law, C-Marketing, V-Marketing and blog marketing for recruitment agencies and staffing agencies.
He also specialized in business, sales, marketing, digital marketing, SEO, SEM, and social media recruiting. For 1 to 1 private consulting or recruitment coaching, please check here. He also write articles related to how to start a recruiting business.
Author of 8 books. 25 years in recruitment business coaching & mentoring. Focus countries will be in Singapore, USA, UK, Australia and others.
He created the recruitment agency market tumour law, C-Marketing, V-Marketing and blog marketing for recruitment agencies and staffing agencies.
He also specialized in business, sales, marketing, digital marketing, SEO, SEM, and social media recruiting. For 1 to 1 private consulting or recruitment coaching, please check here. He also write articles related to how to start a recruiting business.
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