Recruiter Recruting Companies how to Find a Recruiter
Many job seekers hold the misconception that once their resume crosses a recruiter's desk, their search is over…that their phone will ring and they will land their dream job. That’s not quite the case, and recently, I asked several recruiters about their recruiting activities to help dispel the notion that using a recruiter is going to solve your job search problems.
Before you contact a recruiter, be sure you understand the basic differences between two types of recruiters – contingency and retained. Contingency recruiters often represent the candidate, while a retained recruiter represents the client. When working with a recruiter who has been retained to fill a position, you need to realize that unless your qualifications are an exact match to their clients’ needs, you won’t be considered for any opening. That doesn’t mean the recruiter isn’t interested in you but it does mean that his/her focus is filling the position for which they have been retained, i.e., promoting the candidate who will, hopefully, be the best fit. Note - unless you are very, very high level candidate, you should NEVER have to pay someone to find you a job. I've known people who have spent thousands of dollars with promises of a recruiter / job placement company finding them a job to no avail. And no refund.
With today’s high unemployment rate, it’s understandable that people are desperate to find work, which can lead to a proliferation of resume distribution to several companies and numerous recruiters. Frequently, this also translates to literally hundreds of resumes received for ONE open position, even who do not meet the requirements/qualifications for that opening. If you aren’t hearing back from either the company or recruiter, it’s likely that either your resume isn’t compelling enough or that there are no openings which meet your qualifications - or a combination of both.
Because of this, many job seekers feel frustrated and not well attended to since no phone calls or contacts back are forthcoming. This can lead to recruiters getting a “bad rap,” when they really have done nothing wrong. When using a retained recruiter, it is not their job to find you a position no matter how much they like your qualifications, which is why using recruiters should be only ONE part of your overall job search strategy. Utilize personal and social networking (such as linkedin.com), identify opportunities on your own, perform company research, peruse various job board openings and consider mass resume distribution via a quality site. Routine follow-up and targeted cover letters also should be part of your search provided you have the qualifications listed in the posting.
Before you DO embark on your search and implement these search strategies, you should also make sure you are using a resume that impressively yet clearly states your qualifications, skills and achievements. If you don’t include accomplishments, it doesn’t matter how “pretty” your resume looks. A successful job search will be a combination of using the right tools (including recruiters), targeting the right audience, ensuring you have a quality resume and learning to be a bit patient as you compete with thousands of others who are in the same boat.
