Why Work with a Good Recruiter

BLOGGER'S NOTE:  During November's midterm election, a friend on Facebook shared what I thought was a brilliant idea.  Anytime someone made a negative political comment on his Wall, he responded not with scathing sarcasm or a caustic rebuttal, but a pic of a baby animal.  Because what's less polarizing then a small fuzzy ball of cuteness?  In this same spirit, I'm writing this post.

Several weekends ago, I attended a friend of a friend's dinner party. Though I'm well adept in situations where small talk is essential to social survival,  in no way was I prepared for one particular conversation I had this evening.

While appetizers were passed and first rounds of cocktails consumed, I started what I assumed an innocent and non-threatening conversation with a bored-looking man in an ill-fitting, but expensive-looking blazer.  "So, how do you know Ted (the friend of my friend)?" I asked.  Giving me a semi-uncomfortable, I'm only here for the craft beer look he responded, "Our wives work together at X (unnamed company)." Awkward Silence...

"Oh, that's interesting (it wasn't)...  I do a lot of work for X." More Awkward Silence...  I persistently continued, "I recruit for several managers in X's marketing department."  "You're a recruiter?" he asked.  Relieved that I'd finally gained some interest, "Yes, I'm a.... "  With an epic eye roll and not so subtle teeth sucking he interrupted, "The recruiter's I've worked with have been WORTHLESS! One I worked with last year...  HORRIBLE!! The WORST experience EVER!"

Even More Awkward Silence…  Caught completely off guard, I responded with the antagonism of a schoolyard taunt, minus the "oh yeah?!?!" and asked, "What do you do?"  He slowly and confidently (dare I say arrogantly) pulled the glass from his still pursed lips while giving me a look of simultaneous disdain and superiority, "I'm a lawyer."

A RECRUITER AND A LAWYER WALK INTO A BAR...
Before I get threats from the pro-lawyer contingent of cyberspace, let me just say that I'm far from a lawyer-hater.  Many of my dearest and smartest friends have law degrees.  This, however, doesn't negate the age-old stereotypes and jokes that lawyers unjustly encounter.  So why the same negativity for recruiters?

Over the years, I've heard my share of "bad recruiter" stories from both job seekers and hiring managers.  "He never called me back!  She didn't understand my experience!  I never got any feedback on my interview!!"  Certainly all legitimate complaints, but please believe me when I tell you that like lawyers, there are good recruiters out there.  Here are five reasons job seekers should work with them. 

FIVE: GOOD RECRUITERS KNOW STUFF AND HAVE ACCESS 
Not only do good recruiters have significant insight into the job market, they are well connected to hiring managers, HR reps, and internal corporate recruiters.  They also will know about opportunities that aren't posted to a company's external job board.  In fact, many of the companies I work with do not post contract jobs.  Instead, they directly engage industry-specific recruiter to find well-qualified candidates.  In the event that they do not have an opportunity or cannot place a job seeker with a unique skill set, a good recruiter will offer to connect them with skills-appropriate contacts in their own vast professional network.

FOUR: GOOD RECRUITERS ARE RESUME ROCKSTARS
Who better to help a job seeker tell their professional story then someone who's reviewed hundreds of resumes and often received hiring manager feedback?  A good recruiter that's who.  They won't just tell a job seeker that their resume is great when its not.  They, however, will provide constructive feedback based on the type of roles a job seeker is looking for.  A good recruiter also will know how to customized a resume using a well-written professional summary, key words, and last but certainly not least action-oriented bullet points outlining specific accomplishments.

When I work with a candidate whose resume is getting them nowhere fast, I take time to help better position their experience by maximize their skills as relevant to a specific role. This is done through what I've coined as the essentials to a great resume - Relevance, Breadth & Depth, and Consistency (see previous posts).  Though I'm not a magician, nor play one on TV, I do know a few tricks that will get a hiring manger to pull a candidate's resume out of the proverbial black top hat, and so do good recruiters.

THREE: GOOD RECRUITERS UNDERSTAND
In many ways, a good recruiter is like a therapist.  They understand a candidate's background and provide the information necessary to overcome obstacles in getting a job.  Specific to a graphic design role, not only must a good recruiter be familiar with the programs a designer works in, they should know how to evaluate a portfolio.  This knowledge often comes from being committed to learning on the job, or having prior like professional experience.
 
My years in marketing by far have made me a better recruiter, as I know first-hand how to evaluate a marketing professional's skill set and experience.  I also speak the same language as hiring managers, which often lends instant credibility when representing a candidate.  Though some good recruiters may not have the same experience as their candidates, they've done their homework and know what skills, tangible and intangible, sell candidates to hiring managers.

TWO:  GOOD RECRUITERS ARE HONEST (Often Brutally So)

A good recruiter sets appropriate expectations.  They know that telling a candidate what they want to hear versus the truth isn't in anyone's best interest.  They let their candidates know that even though they consistently solicit post-interview feedback, hiring manager often do not provide it.  A good recruiter also understands that "urgent" hiring needs generally take much longer than anticipated and continually updates their candidate on the process. 

One of the first things I tell potential candidates is, "I want to make sure I'm setting your expectations appropriately..."  If a candidate doesn't possesses the necessary skills for a role, I'll tell them.  If a manager doesn't think a job seeker's personality is fit for their internal culture, I'll tell them.  If a talent I'm interviewing has bad breath, dresses inappropriately, or never makes eye contact, it's not fun but I'll tell them.

ONE:  GOOD RECRUITERS CALL BACK 
I would say the number one complaint that job seekers have with recruiters is that they often don't call or email back.  I will admit, I'm guilty of committing this cardinal recruiting sin not once but many times, and believe most good recruiters are as well. In our collective defense, good recruiter do call back. They call back candidates that are fits for their roles.

At the risk of sounding whinny (when has this stopped me before), I get more then my share of candidates who aren't even remotely qualified for positions I fill. Now, I'm not saying that a candidate must meet every single bullet point in a job description, but the majority of their experience must be relevant. Not clear? Here are a few examples:

• Short order cook with career in food service applies for an IT Analyst role
• Recruiter posts kindergarten teacher position and nuclear physicist applies
• Applicant allergic to animals decides dog walking job sounds "fun"

Are these examples exaggerated?  Unfortunately not.  As someone very dear to me often says when exasperated, "For the love of Mary Stuart Masterson..."  If job seekers want their calls and emails returned, their experience needs to be job-relevant.  And let me tell you, "I'm a quick learner," or "I don't have any manufacturing experience, but my father worked in manufacturing his entire career," will not get someone an interview with a good recruiter. For candidates whose experience is more relevant, but still  not an obvious fit...  Most recruiters work at least a dozen or so jobs at once, sometimes with over 100+ candidates.   They cannot remain competitive if they're constantly reaching out to candidates that don't fit the bill.  If, however, those skills are transferable to another role, a good recruiter will follow up.

HOW TO FIND GOOD RECRUITERS?
So how are "good recruiters" found?  The best way to source a well-respected recruiter is the same as finding any highly regarded professional; through referrals. Job seekers should ask others in their professional networks who've done contract work or been placed in a perm role what firms or recruiters they worked with and found success.

Keep in mind that not every recruiter will be a perfect match. A job seeker should find agencies that place roles within their professional vertical - Marketing & Creative, IT, Industrial, or Accounting & Finance to name a few.  Unless a recruiter is able to guaranty placement and is requiring exclusivity (not common and not preferred), job seekers should work with multiple industry-specific recruitment agencies.  This not only provides opportunity to find a recruiter that a job seekers connects with and trust, but allow them to have more professionals working on their behalf.

STILL WRESTLING (Baby) ALLIGATORS

A week after my brush with the "law"-yer, I got a call at work from his wife.  She'd heard good thing about me from several colleagues and was interested in partnering on an upcoming contract need.  After discussing the role and chatting about more personal matters - mutual friends, new restaurants, and the best blow out in the city, I jokingly relayed the dinner party conversation I'd had with her husband.  As our laughter subsided , she sighed and quite appropriately responded, "What do you expect?  He's a lawyer!"