WORKING WITH A RECRUITER

There are a lot of good recruiting firms out there and there are a lot of bad ones just like in any profession. Choosing the right one to work with will enhance your job search and not make it harder. The choice of using a retained firm or a contingency firm is like flipping a coin. Neither one will work any harder for you than the other. If they don’t have an open job order, assignment, that fits your background when you contact them your resume will end up in the same place; their computer for future reference.

When choosing a local recruiting firm to work with, make sure that they don’t mass mail your resume. They should never send out your resume unless you approve where they are sending it. They should always tell you who the company is that they are representing, after they qualify you, before they present your background to that company.

When working with a local recruiting firm make sure you meet with them face to face. They should always ask you in for a face to face interview. If one states that you should just send your resume to them; don’t work with them. A good firm will want to interview you to find out your career objectives so they don’t waste your time. Your career objectives should be just as important to them as the companies they represent.

When working with an out of state recruiting firm, they should phone interview you at length and have you fill out an out of state application along with a skills matrix. After they qualify you they should tell you who the company is that they are going to submit your background to. If they won’t tell you the company then don’t work with them.

The actual recruiter that you work with should have at least 2 years experience in recruiting and should have worked in the field that they are recruiting in. You must feel comfortable with the recruiter that you work with. Once you choose a recruiter be very honest with him/her, just as you would expect them to be honest with you.

A good recruiter can open doors for you that you would never be able to open yourself.