The right recruiter can bolster your chances
➔ Like most everything else, not all recruiters are created equal. It’s up to you to select the right recruiter for your job search.
Some recruiters may focus on one or a small set of industries; some only may handle executive positions; some may only work with salespeople. Keep in mind, however, that recruiters don’t work for you, they work for the company. And typically they are paid by the company. You need to keep that in mind if you’re working with one.
Are you in the eight percent?
But, according to industry experts, since recruiters fill eight percent of all jobs, they’re probably worth your while.
There are two kinds of recruiters: retained and contingent. A retained recruiter is hired by the company to fill a particular position. A contingency recruiter is paid only if one their candidates is hired for the job. As such, the approach taken by the respective firms is entirely different.
A retained recruiter will search and screen candidates to find the best possible candidate for the employer. The contingency recruiter uses the shotgun approach and will blast your resume to as many companies as possible in the hope that they can land you a spot. A company may hire several contingency recruiters at once just to land one of their candidates in the job.
Which one is right for you? Only you can answer that. As we noted earlier, it will depend on the type of job you’re looking for and in what industry – or possibly also what geography – you’re looking.
Not sure what to do, or with whom you’re working? Ask around. Talk to other job seekers. Seek out an interview with a recruiter (or two) to determine if the two of you are a good fit. Think of meeting with a recruiter as an informational interview. In other words, do your homework.
The bottom line is that you need to be aware of which kind of recruiter with whom you’re dealing and what kind of recruiter can best assist you in your job search.