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Working with a professional
recruiter
Following are a few of the many reasons why a person,
who is considering a career move, should use/work with
a Professional Recruiter.
Talking resume.
Most times when a candidate sends a resume to a company
it is screened by a professional "screener"
in Human Resources. The "screeners" do not
necessarily understand a particular field but rather
they use key words to screen-out candidates who do not
"appear" to have the required skills. As you
already know, one of the most successful candidates
can very easily be screened-out by someone who does
not necessarily know that particular industry.
If you work with a recruiter who has a successful relationship
with a particular company they usually go directly to
the hiring manager. In most cases the Professional Recruiter
already has an established relationship with the hiring
manager and the hiring manager instantly recognizes
you as one of the best potential candidates.
Confidentiality.
Most Professional Recruiters work with candidates in
a very confidential manner. In fact, if you think about
it, sending your resume out onto the Internet is like
posting a sign in front of your manager’s office
door telling him/her that you are looking for another
job. In addition, sending your resume blindly to a company
is risky. How do you know who will see the resume and
what they will do with it? A Professional Recruiter
will always tell you what they are doing with your resume,
why they are doing it, and where they are presenting
it.
Faster Process.
Let us think about your options and the average time
it takes to send your resume to a company, interview
and get a job offer.
Option 1: Sending your resume to Human Resources. You
send your resume "blindly" to Human Resources.
The HR person waits until they receive all resumes for
that particular opening … usually about 2 weeks.
Then, they screen through the resumes looking for key
words that match their requirements. If your resume
is recognized it is then forwarded, with many others,
to the hiring manager. He/she again screens out most
of the resumes. He/she then sends the resumes he/she
is interested in back to HR. HR has a scheduler call
the candidate and set up an interview to meet with them
and possibly the hiring manager. They do this with several
candidates. After the interview, you wait patiently
for feedback. Weeks go by but no one calls. Finally,
you decide to stay where you are at or even take another
less desirable position. Two weeks later, you get an
offer letter…you cannot do anything about it.
Option 2: A Professional Recruiter calls you with an
opportunity. Note: He/she has already decided you are
a match. This is their job. You confirm that you are
interested and you authorize them to present your information
to the hiring manager. As soon as you hang up the telephone
the Professional Recruiter calls the hiring manager
directly and presents your skills. The next day the
Professional Recruiter calls you back to set up an interview.
You finish the interview and call your Recruiter and
give him feedback from the interview. An hour or so
later, the recruiter calls you with feedback from the
hiring manager. You two discuss the opportunity and
money. The Professional Recruiter works as a third party
negotiator to keep the offer from becoming personal.
Days later you have a job offer. In some positions this
can take as little as a few days.
Preparation for the Interview. Prior to the interview,
the Professional Recruiter will prepare you by offering
interviewing tips and suggestions, company information
and a description of the hiring manager’s style
and personality. The reason he/she does this is to better
prepare both parties for the interview. When this is
done properly, both parties feel as if they already
know each other when they meet. You can then concentrate
on the opportunity itself and if it is of interest to
you. Remember this when going to an interview. There
are three main questions you need answered. 1) What
does the company want to accomplish when filling the
open position (job duties)? 2) Are you capable of doing
it (does your skill-set match)? 3) Do you want to do
it (does the position provide challenge and opportunity)?
Here are a few basic facts to keep in mind when you
begin working with a Professional Recruiter.
The Recruiters job:
- To help an employer locate and secure the most qualified
candidate.
Use your Recruiter as:
- A professional member of your personal job-search
network.
Choose a Recruiter who:
- Works in your specific field.
- Has a successful track record with the level and
type of position you want.
- Has a stellar reputation.
- Passes a reference check.
- Fits your personality.
Maintain a relationship with
your Recruiter by:
- Giving informative updates about yourself and your
skill-set.
- Having periodic contact and discussions.
- Expecting a give and take relationship.
- Allowing him/her to offer professional career advice.
Avoid Recruiters who:
- Show unethical behavior.
- Charge the candidate a fee for their service.
- Release your resume or other personal information
without permission.
- Have a personal chemistry that does not click with
yours.
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