There is a lot of confusion about working with recruiters, also
known as search professionals, headhunters, or godly-miracle working-job
finding people. We often receive calls and messages asking for assistance from
people about to graduate, individuals searching for a new career path, or those
unfortunate souls who are no longer employed. While we are always excited to
review the resume of a new candidate and help in any way we can, the questions
above illustrate a common misconception into what we, recruiters, actually
do.
Here are some things to keep in mind while working with
recruiters.
First, be responsive to a recruiters inquiries. It
is important to remember that there are thousands of fish in the 'employment'
sea, so if we are attempting to network with you we see value in your
employment profile. It should also be mentioned, that due to the nature of our
work, we often have leads on confidential and unlisted positions that may be the "dream
opportunity' you didn't realize you were searching for. Therefore, it is always
recommend to at least join a recruiter's professional network regardless of your
employment status. Not everyone has a background that is congruent with a
recruiter's preferences, so if a recruiter connects with you, please consider it
a compliment.
Second, always be upfront and specific. If
you are currently interviewing for another position, be honest and tell
us. This will not prevent us from considering you as a candidate as
we understand that every interview does not result in a hire. But, if we are
excited about your background for a position, knowing upfront that you are in
talks for another position will stop us from misrepresenting you and by-proxy
ourselves.
Also, keep in mind that being specific about your career needs and
non-negotiable aspects of your job search will ultimately save frustration for
both you and the recruiter. For instance, if you are searching for a particular
type of company, a target salary range, or distinct set of benefits, let us
know in advance. Our goal is to fill a position with a perfect candidate,
creating a consistent partnership between our clients and candidates, your needs
and desire will play a huge roll in fulfilling that goal.
Third, be respectful of a recruiter's time. It's
safe to say that your recruiter is simultaneously working on multiple job
searches at anytime. It is also safe to assume that due to those job searches,
we are interviewing and reviewing dozens of candidates each week. With
that being said, a scheduled interview represents time given, out of a very
limited schedule, to get to know you as the perfect candidate. When a candidate
misses an interview without the courtesy of a heads up, monopolizes a conversation
for 30 minutes, or takes an interview at an inappropriate time or place, it
paints a picture of disrespect and chances are you will not be a candidate we
decide to present, regardless of your qualifications.
Fourth, stop concerning yourself with how recruiter's get paid. Just know that you are not paying us for the work we do. Yes, this
means that we work for the client and not the candidate, this does not mean
that we are not excited to network with you, as you provide the talent that we
represent! The pride of our business is our candidate network.
Final Thoughts: While working with a
recruiter, it's important to trust them. Contacting the employer directly
can put the client and the recruiter in a tough position and chances are your
application/resume will be dropped as a direct result. It is also important to
remember that it is in the recruiter's best interest to maintain a healthy
working relationship with as many candidates as possible. This inherently means
that having your best interest in mind directly relates to the success of our
business. But it should also be mentioned that common courteous and interview
follow ups are imperative with regards to a productive rapport.
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