What Does a Recruiter Do – And Can I Hire One to Find Me a Job?

Agency recruiters, also known as headhunters, are hired by companies to:

·      Find talent for difficult-to-fill job openings.

·      Screen candidates.

·      Present the best-qualified individuals to hiring managers and human resources staff.

A successful recruiter is well compensated by the company that hires them. Their services with fees ranging from 25% – 33% of the first year salary of the candidate hired, so it is in every recruiter’s best interests to nurture the lucrative relationships with his or her corporate partners.

That means you, the job hunter, can’t usually hire one, but establishing and developing a professional connection with a recruiter is a valuable part of the job hunter’s toolbox.

A good recruiter has relationships with and access to a network of potential employers and is always searching for the perfect candidate to shoot through his or her pipeline. Here are eight things to keep in mind about recruiters.

Do your research. Agency recruiters focus on particular disciplines or areas. You’re going to gain traction with a recruiter when there is a strong symbiosis between your background/goals and the recruiter’s niche. If you’re in IT, find an IT recruiter, not one who specializes in finance.

Work with multiple recruiters. During your research, you will discover many recruiters have exclusive corporate relationships and that no one individual is able to cover all the employers you wish to target. You may want to partner with multiple recruiters to cast a wider net. However, working with too many recruiters may dilute your brand – think two or three agencies at most.

Ask for a referral. Reach out to your professional contacts and friends. If a recruiter placed someone you know ask them for a referral. That will work wonders for making initial contact. Referral or not, be professional. Send your resume with a brief, well-written cover letter explaining why you’re contacting them and the value you can add to their practice.

Expect a fast-paced screening process. The recruiter will want to evaluate your skills to see if you’re a potential fit for any current or future openings. Whether you are thinking long-term about your career or not, the recruiter must think that way. In just a brief interview, the recruiter will know if you are an immediate match for an open position, but will also try to determine if you are the type of candidate that matches well within his or her network of companies.

Be responsive. If a recruiter reaches out to you, make it a priority to reply or you may miss out on desirable opportunities. Take too long to respond and you may be labeled as unreliable and shuffled to the back of the candidate list. On the flip side, you should also expect timely responses with the caveat that recruiters will always contact you when there is a meaningful update.

Don’t play games. It is important to be straightforward with all the recruiters with whom you are working. They understand they are in competition with each other. Do not attempt to play recruiters against each other. They will know and not want to help you. Always be honest. For example, don’t tell a recruiter one salary range and an employer a different one.

Surprises kill deals. Keep recruiters updated about your job search, including actions you’ve taken directly or through another recruiter. A recruiter has many candidates at various stages of the hiring process and must rely on the candidate to keep them fully informed. Intentional or not, any discrepancy in representations regarding salary, for example, or duplicate applications from multiple recruiters makes everyone look bad, especially you.

Never give up. Recruiters love candidates who are ready to tackle every interview like it’s going to be the last one they will ever have to do. If you work hard to help them, a recruiter will work hard for you.

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

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, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercareerstrategies.com.