We get it recruiters, your job is not to find us a job. Your job is to fill the position you are being paid to fill. Last night there was a heated debate on twitter among recruiters about candidates, about clients and their priorities. There were those saying, “we should spend more time with candidates.” There were recruiters shouting, “we have to prioritize our time with those who pay our fees.” It is sad that recruiters do not represent candidates in the US as they do in the UK.
NEWSFLASH: You are NOT the recruiters priority. Never lose sight that recruiters follow the money, they are retained by the client, and their allegiance is to the client, not to you. Therefore, it is important to reach out to jobsearch focus groups, your contacts on linkedin, twitter, professional associations, and people like us who are willing to help you for free, without strings, or fees.
I recommend only spending 1/4 of your job search reaching out to recruiters, and the rest of your time networking with people in your industry. People in transition have to be realistic. The recruiters job is not to help you find a job. Their job is to help the employer find the perfect candidate to fill their position. So long as you know that going in–you will not be disillusioned. Let’s face it, you do not want to waste your time. Keep a recruiters role in perspective. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not coming down hard on recruiters. They have to earn a living. Finding candidates for employers is what they do. I like my colleagues. I used to be a recruiter myself, so I feel their pain. With that said, many of them will spend time with people in transition. People like Paul Paris (Paris22) Bill Boorman (@BillBoorman) and Jeff Lipschultz (jlipschultz),and last but not lead @animal. These people are great resources (on twitter) for jobseekers.
If you can afford a job coach. I recommend JanetWorthington. I just hired Janet to assist me in my search. She volunteers on Paul Paris’s site and is willing to help people there too (free of charge). Being in transition can be disheartening. It can be a morale buster. When you are feeling low, turn to someone in your support system who can lift you up!
Today, on Paul Paris’s radio show Janet Worthington and her son Jeremy we discussed job search strategies. A job coach can be very helpful to you in your search. Another simple measure is volunteering on an industry specific committee. For instance, I am a new volunteer on http://recruiterreqsjobseekers.ning.com . This site is free for people in transition. I volunteered to be a guest blogger and job coach. Paul Paris is a contact I met on twitter. There is nothing more gratifying than helping fellow job hunters, and it is good experience. Furthermore, it gets me in front of recruiters who can help me with my search.
Social media is another excellent resource for networking. I have been using twitter with great success to connect with people in my industry. That’s how I met Paul Paris, Janice Worthington and Karla Porter, and others. I’ve joined professional committees, and learned about inexpensive conferences and meetings that will help expand my contact network and may lead to me to my next position.
Follow smart people in your industry. At the twitter search box input the name of your industry. See who pops up. Follow the leaders. Follow the people they follow. Read the #hash tags they note in their posts. Join in the discussion. Get involved. Don’t be afraid to get your feet wet. Start listening to the HR blog radio shows. @paul22 blog radio show is outstanding, as is @animal’s. If you need a word of encouragement, I’m in your corner.
Networking with people you already know can help you get face time with the hiring managers you want to reach. I also recommend preparing a company list you can share with your friends and colleagues. They might know someone in that company who can help you. If you are not comfortable with narrowing your search by company, be sure to specify what industry and job you want. Most people want to help you; however, they can’t help you without your guidance. So, be clear about what you are looking for, so that people know exactly what you are looking for, and can be of maximum assistance to you in your search.
My favorite saying is simply this: you are either networking or not working. This holds true even after you secure a position. The power brokers, and the thought leaders are the people who are well connected and have access to the best resources in their industry.
The current job market is beginning to turn around. However, it is still up to you to be your own recruiter.
The bottom line is this: you have to be your own best advocate. Learn all you can about the free resources available to you and USE THEM! Looking for a job can be a drag, but looking for a job can also be fun and exhilarating. Interviewing can be a process of discovery. You are a resource person, not a job beggar. You are the brand. Learn how to build your brand, and as author William Bridges says, “It’s you and company.” This is one of my favorite books for those in transition.
Just give me a shout. @HRMargomargorose@rocketmail.com And I’m sincere when I say I really care!
Margo has clearly stated the fact that recruiters are paid by the clients, not their candidates. Although, recruiters would have no one to place if they didn’t have relationships with candidates.
Much of this is a matter of timing. Job seekers should consider identifying a few recruiters to have a long-term relationship with. Throughout a career, transition is necessary (or an unexpected bonus). Having a long-standing relationship with a recruiter could prove to have benefits down the road.
More on working with recruiters can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/d7crgu
Cheers,
Jeff
If you think those radio shows are so wonderful why not link to them
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-ex-recruiter
(difficult URL with all those hyphens)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/animal
(ez URL)
Same with your own email and the other people you mentioned.
http://twitter.com/karla_porter
http://twitter.com/cincyrecruiter (she’s your friend isn’t she?)
Breaking paragraphs up creating more white space wd make your posting easier to read
It’s about time someone started shouting to candidates.
Recruiters work for their clients, the hiring authorities. They have no vested interest in grooming or counseling a candidate. Whereas each recruiter is different, if job seekers stop expecting recruiters to do more than evaluate them for a specific job, candidates can focus on what gets them a job.
If candidates embrace this concept much of the angst and anger directed towards recruiters would vanish and job seekers would spend their energy networking, improving their elevator pitch and doing the research required to get a job.
Recruiters are but one tool in the job search arsenal. In the last two years, not one of my clients was placed by a recruiter. And all my clients were hired.
Hope the post gets a lot of discussion so the word is out.
Rita Ashley, Job Search Coach
Author: Job Search Debugged.
The lack of service from 3rd party recruiters to candidates can be a real problem in the UK too Margo. There’s a lot of disatisfaction about the candidate experience.
Firstly it’s shortsighted…candidates are you future clients and they remember who has treated them badly. Also, you don’t know who your candidates know…they may be able to refer you to someone who is more suitable.
Secondly, it’s rude…candidates are fellow human beings who need our help. It really should not be that difficult to take some time to chat to candidates, give them some advice, maybe a few tips on their CV or LinkedIn profile, and recommend some routes to market. Just because they’re not right for your current jobs, it doesn’t mean that they won’t be right for future jobs.
I think that the sales model used by nearly all 3rd Party recruiters doesn’t help…recruiters are focused on the client and the deal, but there’s no deal without good candidates. And without a reputation for service, for courtesy and good candidate experience, you may well not attract the candidates you want.
I do think that there is a lot that jobseekers can do for themselves, through social media, through networking, through research and by being pro-active…but I also think that there’s a lot that 3rd party recruiuters can help with too.
The cultural differences between the US and UK are stark. It is sad that recruiters don’t have the time and are not compensated to pay more attention to candidates. Mervyn, in England, you have the luxury of being able to do so, and that is indeed a gift. I only wish recruiters in our country were able to do so. Fortunately, we have job search focus groups, networking and professional associations that offer support. And, more and more people are turning to social media successful to network to find positions. Thank you so much for your response.
hrmargo…Here’s another point of view…
I feel the need to chime in again.
If candidates take more responsibility for creating a compelling job search they would not expect or need a recruiter to help beyond the normal placement tasks.
There is so much information and advice on how to create a compelling job search and sweep recruiters of their collective feet, it is only the unprepared job seeker who needs recruiter support.
That being said, good recruiters build solid long-term relationships with candidates. They may turn into clients or may be right for a job down the line. But that does not mean the recruiter needs to coach or otherwise refine the candidates’ job search. It does mean the recruiter needs to be gracious and interested.
Rita Ashley, Job Search Coach
Author: Job Search Debugged
The definition of “recruit” is to enlist or enroll – in other words to bring someone IN. That said, as a Recruiter, I do try to be helpful and offer advice/support, but I also try to make sure that the people I meet who are in a job search understand how our firm works – we find people for jobs/not jobs for people. Unfortunately for me sometimes (and for them I guess) it’s often not the message they were hoping for, so it leaves them with negative feelings following the interaction.
For a job seeker, a Recruiter should be looked at like any other networking connection. If it makes sense to build/continue a relationship (and it doesn’t always), the relationship ideally should be mutually beneficial – help, referrals, contacts, advice, etc. should go both ways. Many job seekers see the relationship as one way – the Recruiter is here to help me get a job – and that’s not the case.
Your point about job seekers helping each other and providing advice and support is also very valid. Some in job search wonder what they can gain by hanging out with other job seekers, but from what I’ve seen, those types of interactions and networking groups can be some of the most helpful. Plus, it gives job seekers the opportunity to look outside themselves and to help others. That’s often the best way to get your own opportunity. Career Karma works.
Excellent feedback Jennifer. Thank you so much for your help. You were one of the first people I met with on this journey and I have benefited so much for our interaction both on twitter and in person.
I responded to your post on recruitingblogs.com, I just discovered you personal blog and see so many interesting and valid responses! I’m a little late to the party but I made it 🙂
If I may, here is the response I posted there:
Although an independent recruiter’s job is to find candidates for their client companies, most will take the time when possible to help. Whenever I have explained to someone that I find people for my client companies – I don’t find jobs for people – they have completely understood. Most have never had it explained to them and appreciate my explanation. It is wrenching to talk to people day after day that are out of work through no fault of their own….with excellent experience & skills and desperations starting to creep into their voices.
I am always looking for resources that I can recommend to these individuals. Thank you for providing one.
Fran, you are a dear, sweet person. The recruiting world needs more people like you!
Sorry, the last half of my response didn’t make the paste!
It has been wrenching to talk to people day after day that are out of work through no fault of their own….most of them likeable with excellent experience & skills and desperation starting to creep into their voices. Especially when you know that you can’t help them directly. I am always looking for resources that I can recommend to these individuals.
For a recruiter not having search assignments (or not filling them) is the same as being out of work. We are not bad guys that don’t care about people and just chase the money. Most of us help whenever we can.
Margo you said “It is sad that recruiters do not represent candidates”. There was a time, a long, long time ago, that recruiters did represent the candidates, and they charged the candidate a fee. Even the career counselors need to make a living…and who pays their fees? I think it’s a much more professional, although largely misunderstood, practice of our companies being our clients not the person looking for a job.
Thank you for doing what you do and providing another resource for candidates “in transition”. I will be passing along your recommendations to those in need of help I am unable to provide.
Well said, Margo. You must manage your own personal brand and tend to your own career garden. Nobody owes you anything – not recruiters, prospective employers, HR, your cats, etc. I’ve been laid off before and understand you have to take a deep breath, check yourself and elevate. Network, network, and network some more. Read and follow career development thought leaders. Listen and listen some more and learn, learn, learn. Then network some more. Launch your own personally branded blog. Participate in social media. You are what you tweet after all.
That must be why they call you The Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of HR ;-}
Bit late in the day for this one Margo but here goes! Clearly, we make our money and livelihood from the one who pays the bill – the client. However, a total focus on this is not healthy. If we spent all our time chatting to and coaching candidates and not working to fill the roles then clearly we would go out of business.
And of course, finding a job and developing your career is your own responsibility and if you dont work hard on your own career search and pitch then you cant expect someone else to make up for your lack of effort.
Having said that, as someone who has sat on both sides of the fence over the years, i have to say that the vast majority of the recruitment industry, especially in the UK and since the early 90’s, is way too short sighted when it comes to long term gains. Filling a role requires knowing someone who can fill it and if recruiters put more effort into nurturing relationships and building real networks, those potential hires would be less hard to find.
Im not one to do more than is absolutely necessary – i once worked for a very smart guy who taught me how to always look for the shortest route and how to avoid waste in time and resources. I have since applied that learning to everything. As a result, several years ago we got talking about how recruitment would be a lot easier, especially in niche areas, if the recruitment mechanism focussed on building a real network – a community. At that time we came up with the notion of future recruiters being community managers.
Frankly, a lot of people thought i/we were nuts at the time. We pushed ahead and three years ago started to take the process further. Since then, the whole social media and network thing has gone crazy and for the first time i can see that building such a community and being a community manager is possible.
A person at the heart of a community, a trusted member of it, who has complete access to it is very well placed to reach into that community and pull out just the right person should a company come looking for talent.
Still a long way to go. but with the dynamics of the marketplace and industry changing almost monthly its exciting times.
the big question for me though is that, with the dynamics changing so fast, what happens when the client is no longer the one that pays? ‘Monetising the candidate’ as we call it here is no longer taboo and i think its only a matter of time before the recruitment business model changes beyond recognition.
Ok, enough from me!
Hi Margo –
Just saw this post. I have been a 3rd party recruiter for 8 years. Yes, I do get hired by a company to find people for them. But I do feel the candidate is just as important as the customer. Many a times a candidate becomes my client. I do spend time with people that are looking for a job – that do not fit a search that I am working on, helping them make their resume stand out, giving them my perspecitve of the market as well as how to be found by other organizations and recruiters. I feel that is part of my job too. Maybe not the norm but being a recruiter you need to help people leverage their skills.
Best –
Chernee