Yes, you heard me right. You can choose a Recruiter, instead of them choosing you.
Let’s begin by first realizing what a recruiter is there for; to fill a job by the company that is hiring them and paying them. It is important for you, the candidate, to realize you are not the Recruiters priority unless you can fill their job. They then get paid and all is good in the world. If you cannot make that recruiter money somehow, then you are taking their time and you will probably not hear from them.
So, how do YOU choose a Recruiter and gain control of the situation.
1. Do Your Homework – After you figure out what industry, field, position or company you want to work at, find out who is recruiting in that industry. It’s pretty easy.. go to Indeed.Com, Monster.Com, CareerBuilder.com and one of the many thousands of job boards. Most are recruiting firms placing the ads. Find out who is placing these jobs on the internet. Also, you can use LinkedIn and other sites or lastly, just google (ex. type in recuiter- accounting) to see which recruit places accountants, as an example.
2. Call the Recruiter – After determining which recruiter(s) you want to work with (choose 3-5), call them. Find out what they are looking for specifically. Tailor your resume specifically (there’s that word again) to the job and what they told you to do. Email then call that recruiter and while on the phone with them ask if that is what they are looking for.
3. Provide the Recruiter with information and leads to help them find you the job you are looking for. If you know hiring managers, tell the recruiter. Trust me; the Recruiter will help you if you are helping them.
4. Interview the Recruiter, not vice-versa, first — You want to find out several things:
- How long have they recruited that industry, skill, etc..?
- What are their success ratio’s? # interviews per submissions, # placements in the past few months, etc..
- What do they need from you to place them?
- What is their process?
- How do they follow up with you?
5. Don’t limit yourself to just one Recruiter — I mentioned earlier 3-5 recruiters. That’s a good number to ensure you’re covering lots of companies. If you are really good they will be fighting for you, even in a down market.
Even when the market is bad and there are hundreds of candidates for a few jobs, you can take charge. Sell yourself to the Recruiter once you know what it is they need. Provide them exactly what they ask for to place you. Ensure feedback by staying in touch with them. Provide them leads and information that can help them find job orders to place you.
A Recruiter is paid commission so ‘time is money’. If time with you is valuable to them, they will spend it with you. You choose who you want to work with because your time is valuable as well.
Now go find a Great Recruiter who can get you that job!!