Recruiters, also known as search professionals or headhunters, are those who seek out qualified candidates to work for employers. Some recruiters work for search firms, while others work directly for companies, aiming to fill the organization’s job vacancies.
Benefits of working with a recruiter
Although recruiters work for employers, they can assist in enhancing your job search process. Connecting with a recruiter can help you find job openings and secure an interview with a potential employer. The key is to find the recruiter who best fits your needs.
How to find recruiters and search firms
Use directories: There are many online directories that allow you to identify search firms by geographic area and/or job specialty. Recruiterly.com, Online Recruiters Directory, i-Recruit, and Searchfirm.com are all free services that help you target recruiters relevant to your needs.
Search on Google: Perform a Google search using your location and keywords like “search firms,” “executive recruiters,” and “employment agencies,” and it will provide you with a list of agency websites in your area. For example, try “search firms in Atlanta.” If you receive many listings, try a more targeted search such as “executive search firms for sales professionals in Atlanta.”
Ask for recommendations: One of the best ways to identify firms is to ask for recommendations from your contacts based on their personal experience. Privately reach out to colleagues, members of professional associations, LinkedIn connections, college alumni, friends, neighbors, and family members to inquire about their personal experiences with recruiters. Additionally, your contacts might speak to their recruiter and recommend working with them.
Use LinkedIn: You can search on LinkedIn using keywords such as “recruiter” or “search firms” to generate a broad list of companies. You can follow them and see their job listings. Looking for a recruiter at a specific company? Narrow down your search by starting with the employer. Search for the employer’s page on LinkedIn by typing in the company name in the upper left search bar. Then click on the “People” tab and enter your search term, for example, “recruiter.” A list of employees with that job title will appear. From there, you can reach out to internal recruiters.
Check professional association resources: Review job listings in professional publications and note the agencies that advertise to your group members. Some professional organizations allow recruiters to present at conferences or provide vendor tables to facilitate personal networking.
How to ensure you get the perfect recruiter for you
Don’t submit your resume to every recruiter: It’s best to identify one or two recruiters that specialize in your field and start building relationships with them. Job seekers often make the mistake of submitting their resumes to every recruiter, hoping to increase their chances. However, recruitment agencies typically work within the same group of clients. If you submit your resume to several agencies for the same role, it puts the hiring company in a difficult position to determine which agency to collaborate with. In many cases, the hiring company may choose to ignore the candidate altogether rather than enter into a dispute with competing agencies over who deserves the referral fee.
Dress to impress the recruiter: When meeting with a recruiter, you should wear appropriate clothing, just as you would for a job interview. Recruiters want to know they are being represented professionally. Choosing the right attire for the interview shows them that you understand how to make a good impression and how to behave in a corporate work environment.
Ask
The right questions: Interviewing the recruiter is a two-way street, just like job interviews. Come to the conversation prepared with questions that help you determine if this is a partnership worth pursuing. For example, you might ask: How long have you been in recruiting? What is your specialty in recruiting? (Make sure this aligns with the type of job you’re looking for) Do you have client companies looking to hire someone with my experience and skills? How many people with my work background have you helped get hired in the past six months? Can I talk to some of your clients to ask them about their experience?
Send thank-you notes: Sending a thank-you note to the recruiter is courteous, but in addition, it shows that you understand business etiquette. Most recruiters will remind candidates to send a note after the interview, but sending a message to the recruiter shows that you don’t need to be reminded.
Be professional: Treat the recruiter the same way you would want to be treated. Let them know if you can’t make an appointment, or if your long-term goals have changed, or if you’re waiting for a job offer from an interview you had last week. This will help you build a relationship with the recruiter, as well as show them that you have the integrity and professionalism their clients are looking for.
Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/how-to-find-a-recruiter-2063689
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