How To Find And Work With A Recruiter

Want to access the hidden job market and find a job faster?

Working with a Recruiter may be just the ticket.
But how do you locate one?
What should you look for?
And what should you expect?
Where do you start looking for a Recruiter?

An excellent ways to locate a recruiter is the same way you'd look for most things in life -- ask around and do your research.

Other avenues include the Yellow Pages (look under Employment Agencies, Recruiters, Headhunters or Executive Search) and the Internet. Search for "Recruiter, Headhunter, Executive Search" plus any industry or geographic terms that apply to you; example: "recruiter, automotive, Atlanta").

Look for a Recruiter who specializes in the industry you're in and you want to stay in.

Recruiters really can't help those who want to change industries or careers or employees without direct industry work experience-- this is a common misconception
When companies hire a Recruiter they expect us to search and recruit the best of the best.

For example, if a medical device company wants us to find a sales person to join their company, they expect us to not only find someone with direct related sales experience and quantifiable accomplishments, but someone who is highly ranked against their peer group and understands the industry and their customers, usually someone from their direct competitors.

No company is going to pay a Recruiter for a person who wants to change industries or careers.

You're untested. No one really knows if you will be a success or a failure.
Companies can place an ad and receive thousands of resumes for candidates who are looking for a career change or want to transition to another industry,

however, they are not going to pay a Recruiter a fee for this.

What are the benefits of working with a Recruiter?

A good recruiter can introduce you to good jobs before they're ever advertised.
A good Recruiter will be blunt and honest with you.
This saves time and defines realistic expectations.
If your background and experience are not stellar, they should tell you! Hopefully, they will also give you good advice on another path to take if they cannot help you. If an opportunity is available in your industry, you may get a call from a Recruiter with information that very few people are going to know about.

Usually the Recruiter will not tell you the name of the company until he/she has an opportunity to discuss you with the Client. This is the reason a Recruiter calls you first to "gain your interest in the position" and approval to discuss you with the client.

A good Recruiter handles all communication under the strictest of confidence. After review of your qualifications with the Client, and the Client wants to proceed, the Recruiter will contact you immediately with the name of the Company and specifics about the job and help you prepare for the upcoming Interview.

A good Recruiter will offer tips on interviewing.
The Recruiter will probably know at least a few of the questions/concerns the hiring manager is going to ask you.

Recruiters should never put words in your mouth, but they can at least tell you what to expect.

How much, if any, should you pay a recruiter?

As a candidate/job seeker, not one red cent!

The hiring company should pay the recruiter to fill the position.
This is known as either a contingency or retained search.

Is it OK to work with more than one recruiter?

In a word, maybe.
If you're a generalist, not a top performer with the background, experience and quantifiable accomplishments,

I view recruiters as strong horses that you hitch to your wagon -- you want to have as many pulling as you can.

Every Recruiter understands that you want a job and that you'll work with whoever can help, so don't worry about hurting their feelings.
BUT... if you're a specialist or a very strong candidate (not a job hopper) and someone with a great background, experience and a proven history of quantifiable accomplishments, a Recruiter will take you to market and shop your qualifications around heavily to companies. In this case, it's wise to stay loyal to that Recruiter. Otherwise, the Recruiter may feel cheated if you use someone else and drop you quickly if they find out you're working with other Recruiters.Reason: Why should a Recruiter spend the time marketing you to his/her best Clients when you may not be available when a great position is lined up?

How can job seekers get the most from working with a Recruiter?

It may help to call and offer to sit down face-to-face with a Recruiter.
However, only 5-10% of job seekers do this.
Always send your resume (email in Word format), salary history and anything else that differentiates you from the other job seekers.

I have Senior Executives/Managers contact me daily trying to impress me with facts like: I led and managed 75 departmental employees"...this means nothing to me. I immediately asked them:

"Did you lead and manage those 75 people and increase sales by 25% and company profits by 34% last year or did you lead and manage those 75 people and put the company into bankruptcy?...You must "quantify" your accomplishments in numbers, percentages, values and awards to show your are different from the masses...this is what makes you a great candidate.

In today's market, email/phone is the most efficient way to communicate with your Recruiter.
The Recruiter will contact you when you fit an opportunity and discuss your interest.

You can research your way to better results, too.

For example, if you call up and say, 'I've prepared a list of 15 companies I should be working for -- companies that need me -- and here's why, the Recruiter will be all over you, because you've just made their job easier and you have taken steps to map out your next career move.

You know what you want, why you deserve it based on quantifiable facts and where your next career step should be! To further assist your efforts, you can do corporate research and find target companies at both www.hoovers.com and www.referenceusa.com.

So there you have it - some tips from the trenches on how you can find and work effectively with a Recruiter. There's one for almost every career and level of experience, so why not hook up with one this week? Like a dentist, doctor, lawyer or an auto mechanic, you may find it best to have a relationship in place with a recruiter before you need their help. It's a small world and getting smaller. Around the next corner may be the career opportunity you've been looking for! There's