How Can I Hire A Recruiter To Find Me A Job?

FYI - They prefer to be called "Recruiters." / iStockphoto.com (keport)

One of the most frequent questions I get as a career coach is, "How can I hire a recruiter to find me a job?"

While developing relationships with agency recruiters, also known as headhunters, can be valuable to your job search, you usually can't hire one. Recruiters are hired by companies to find talent for their difficult-to-fill job openings.

In other words, employers pay recruiters to hunt down talent, screen candidates, and present the best qualified individuals to hiring managers and human resources staff. And these companies pay handsomely for these services, an amount in the neighborhood of 25% of the first year salary of the person they hire.

Or more, depending on the complexity of the search, or the level of the role they're looking to fill. A retained search firm hired to find a C-level executive often charges in the neighborhood of 33% of the candidate's first year total compensation (plus expenses). Let's say the search firm places a CEO with a base salary of $400K and a projected bonus of $100K for total $500K in cash compensation. At 33%, they're set to receive a check for a cool $165K for their services. It's not hard to figure out where the recruiter's loyalty lies.

That said, relationships with recruiters are a critical part of the job hunter's toolbox. A good recruiter with an established practice may have connections – and access – to potential employers. And many hiring managers are willing to take a plugged-in recruiter's calls for a couple reasons - they present good candidates, and they may have job opportunities for the hiring manager in the future.

Want to get the most out of your job search by working with recruiters? Here are eight strategies to keep in mind as you build relationships with recruiters.

1. Be smart about which recruiters you contact. Do your research - agency recruiters typically focus on particular disciplines or areas. If you're looking for a job in the finance arena, focus on getting to know recruiters who who place finance staff – a connection with an IT recruiter, for example, may be great in terms of helping you understand the general job market or making a periodic connection, but you'll be an outlier rather than their core audience. And you'll be taking up valuable time the recruiter could otherwise be using to place candidates in their area of specialty.
    

2. Approach the recruiter with tact and diplomacy. Handle your initial contact with respect. Be professional - send your resume with a brief, well-written cover note explaining why you're contacting them, and the value you can add to their practice. Keep in mind, they are under no obligation to work with you, much less find you a job.
    

3. If the recruiter calls you, go through the screening process. The recruiter will want to evaluate your skills to see if you're going to be a fit for any openings they're currently working or for any future potential opportunities. Don't be offended, they're doing their job. And don't hesitate to ask if you think you're a fit with the types of roles they fit. Who knows - your skills may be quite in demand. By the way, headhunting is a fast-paced business, so don't be offended if the call is brief and direct.
    

4. Be responsive. If you've made it this far, and the recruiter reaches out to you again in the future, it means that you're on their radar. Reply promptly to any emails or calls, or you'll miss out on being considered for potential opportunities. Take too long to respond and you'll be labeled as unreliable, and shuffled to the back of their candidate list.
    

5. Be straightforward with the recruiter about your situation. Keep in mind that candidates are their inventory, and they reflect the recruiter's ability to present quality, reliable talent. If you've got an offer on the table or in the works, tell them. Share your target salary range. And tell the recruiter if you've already applied to a company for which they're considering submitting you, either directly or through another recruiter. They're going to present you to an employer with this criteria. And be consistent - surprises kill deals, and if you tell an employer a different salary range than you told the recruiter, for example, you will be persona non grata.
    

6. Be valuable to remain front of mind. Recruiters are taught that everybody they contact will be either a A) Potential Client; B) Potential Candidate; or C) Potential Referral Source. It's not unusual for somebody to be all three at different times in the relationship. Ask what kind of jobs the recruiter is working on, or what kind of candidates they are working with. Even if you're not a candidate at this moment, if you can provide some potential leads on either of the other two categories, then the smart recruiter will remember that you did them a solid to help put money in their pocket.
    

7. Feel free to work with more than one recruiter. Some recruiters have exclusive relationships with companies, so you may need to reach out to multiple individuals to be sure that you capture more potential opportunities out there in the market. But working with too many recruiters may dilute your brand;  2, maybe 3 agencies, are ideal.
    

8. Most recruiters call when there is a meaningful update. If an appropriate amount of time has passed and you would like an update, call or email the recruiter. You should expect timely responses - if they don't get back to you, it may send you a message as to how relevant your application is to their workflow.

Kevin Suksi, Vice President and Cofounder of Orion Solutions Group, a full-service staffing and human capital firm, contributed to this article.

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Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

I Just Got a Job Offer! What Do All The Words in this Letter Mean?

Sign it! Sign it! / iStockphoto.com (Grinvalds)

Congratulations! After five weeks and multiple rounds of interviews, the company decided to extend you a written job offer!

The recruiter emails you the offer and... holy cow, this thing is long. The letter has to be at least two pages long and filled with business speak. What do I make of all this? And why did the company feel the need to send me their own version of War and Peace?

Believe it or not, that lengthy letter you're holding in your hands is a well thought out document, that – if well written – details most of the things about compensation, terms, and conditions, and the other effluvia you need to consider prior to accepting a job offer.

Let's go through the components of a typical offer letter. But first, there are two important items I'd like to mention:

I am not an attorney, nor do I presume to give legal advice. This is a general guide to reading a job offer; if you have serious questions or concerns about the wording of an offer, I advise you to find appropriate legal counsel. But that's not me.

This article details what you will typically find in an offer. There are as many variations to offer letters as there are companies extending employment, so how much or how little documentation a company chooses to include in the letter can vary wildly - from the verbal offer to a lengthy contract.

Let's talk about the components of an offer:

1. Salary: How much the company pays you to do your job. This will usually be presented as an annualized figure., such as $35,000 per year, and broken down into per-pay-period amount, such as $1,346 per bi-weekly. The reason for this is that unless you sign a serious contract (like a Major League Baseball player or head coach in the NCAA) your pay is not guaranteed. Your job is likely at-will, meaning that once you stop working, so does payroll. This will often tell you if or when you will be eligible for the merit increase (i.e. raise) based upon your performance appraisal and the regular salary review cycle. Some companies don't give regular raises - be warned.
    

2. Incentive Compensation: Many companies give out bonuses to employees in certain jobs if they, the company, and or their business unit meet some combination of performance goals. This is usually presented as a percentage of salary, such as "12% of eligible earnings." Keep in mind, this is just a target; companies often give more or less (or none) depending upon how that performance turns out. Often, the letter will state that you will have to be employed on a certain date and have worked a certain period (like the previous full year) to collect this. Terms will often be detailed in the offer letter.
    

3. Long-Term Incentive: Higher-level folks, like executives, often get offers for stock options and the like. It's usually detailed in here.
    

4. Sign-on Bonus: If company really wants you to join, they may throw some extra cash at you to help influence your decision. They'll detail the amount they're offering you - and they'll detail how they'll claw back a portion of the bonus or the entire amount in case you leave before a certain time (like 1 or 2 years of employment) – companies often include this language to encourage employee retention. My advice: If you're not sure you're going to love the job, put the money in escrow so that you can hand it back when you leave.
    

5. Relocation Assistance: Moving the old homestead from Texas to California for the job? The company may offer you relocation assistance in the form of mover services or a cash allocation so that you can handle the move itself. The specifics of the actual relocation itself usually reside in a separate policy document, so ask for this if they offer you a relocation package. Again, the company may try to claw back a portion or all of your relocation expenses if you leave the company too soon, and these costs can really add up to major cash.
    

6. Tuition Reimbursement: Your new employer may pay some or all of the tuition for you to get that degree you've wanted to pursue. There are two catches. First, the degree usually has to be something that will add to the company's benefit in your current role (in other words, if you work in Accounting, they'll more likely approve tuition for an MBA than for a Theater Arts Degree). Second, clawbacks in case you leave usually apply.
    

7. Health & Wellness Benefits: This explains the benefits you will typically qualify for - such as health insurance, long- and short-term disability insurance, life insurance, dental insurance, etc., and when you're eligible to get these benefits. The letter will usually tell you when and how you qualify, but won't get into the nitty–gritty of what your benefits cost you (your premiums and copays) and what's covered. You'll need the benefits brochures - ask for them.
    

8. Vacation, Holidays, Sick Time: Also known as PTO (paid time off). Here you'll find out how you accrue days off, and how many you can accrue. Each company's paid time off policy works differently, so read this carefully; some companies offer separate vacation days and sick days, and others will lump these all into a time bank where you draw it down regardless of why you're missing work. Incidentally, if you have vacation time already scheduled to take place after you start, this is a good time to mention this to the recruiter, so that you can get the time approved, even if you haven't accrued the time.
    

9. Other Perks, Benefits, and Tools: Company phone, company car, discounts on corporate product, travel benefits, whatever, this will all be outlined in the offer letter.
    

10. Terms of Employment: The company will likely insert verbiage about your employment being "at-will" (in other words, you can quit or be fired at any time), or perhaps contractual terms. Either way, the company usually include a note about their right to change terms and conditions (on benefits, policies, or many other things) in the future.
     

11. "Employment is Contingent Upon"...: This is where the company details that the offer letter is only good if you pass the drug test and background check. Fail one or both of those, and the offer is null and void.
     

12. Place For You To Sign: Yep. The offer letter is a contract. The company wants you to sign the letter and send it back to make sure that everybody is on the same page and agrees to the terms. Keep a copy.

What may NOT be in the letter: Employers may have you sign a plethora of other documents once you walk through the door. These could include Non-competition Agreements (which restrict you from working for a competitor within a certain period of time), Nondisclosure Agreements (saying you won't share their secrets), Conflict of Interest Disclosures (preventing you from investing in or doing business for any organization in direct conflict with your employer's interests) and many more covenants. Companies have been known to terminate employees who refuse to sign such documents, so ask your questions up front.

Don't hesitate to ask the HR representative who extended you the offer if you have questions about its contents. It's better to know and to understand what you are getting yourself into.

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Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

5 Potent Action Verbs to Power Up Your Resume Today!

Just the boost you need! (Jirsak/iStockphoto.com)

When you present your resume, it's not about telling an employer who you are. It's about telling them what you can do for them.

In other words, you can tell an employer that you're ambitious and personable. Or you can show them!

Your accomplishments are your place to shine. Demonstrate what you've done for your current or past employers (or in your school projects, for that matter), and you help an employer visualize that you can provide similar results for them. A track record of success sells your ability to do more great things in the future. And the verbs you choose to illustrate your accomplishments have both overt and implicit meaning. They paint a picture of not just what you did, but how you did it – and often, that matters just as much.

Ready to power up your resume? Here are five potent action verbs you can start using today!

Verb: GENERATE
Definition: To bring into existence; cause to be; produce.
Why It's Potent: Demonstrates that you have the ability to build, create, or produce something. You don't just sit at your desk gathering dust, you get results. Implies positive action and activity.
Real-World Resume Example: "Generated $3M+ in annual sales through effective development and execution of marketing strategies."

Verb: INFLUENCE
Definition: To exercise influence on; affect; sway: to influence a person. To move or impel (a person) to some action.
Why It's Potent: People don't usually do things differently than they've historically done things just because you ask them nicely. Especially if you're not their boss. By influencing your boss, coworker, stakeholder, or anyone else to try a new approach, you've shown that you can change the status quo by getting other peoples' buy-in. Not an easy task, especially when you're asking for their time or money.
Real-World Resume Example: "Influenced clients to adopt new fashion home product line generating $1.2M in 2016 and projected to grow over 400% in 2017."

Verb: DEVELOP
Definition: To bring out the capabilities or possibilities of; bring to a more advanced or effective state.
Why It's Potent: This refers to developing people, by the way. If you're a leader, your ability to develop your staff if one of your key responsibilities. By helping others become the best they can be, you're building bench strength, enhancing employee engagement, and creating opportunities for the company's best and brightest.
Real-World Resume Example: "Developed high performing Team Lead into Director through coaching and mentoring."

Verb: COLLABORATE (OR PARTNER)
Definition: To work, one with another; cooperate.
Why It's Potent: Employers want people who can work well with others. Often that's essential in order to get things done. Showing a proclivity to partner up on projects provides tangible evidence that you believe in teamwork.
Real-World Resume Example: "Collaborated with industry partners to innovate products for market placement."

Verb: TRANSFORM
Definition: To change in form, appearance, or structure; metamorphose; to change in condition, nature, or character; convert.
Why It's Potent: Transformation is powerful stuff. You're seriously modifying the status quo for the better. Implies that you're a change agent.
Real-World Resume Example: "Transformed business into profitable operation within one year. Reduced expenses through operational efficiencies, renegotiated key vendor contracts, and reduced customer write-offs and outstanding credit."

(Definitions courtesy of Dictionary.com)

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Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.