SOME DOs & DON'Ts WHEN WORKING WITH RECRUITERS...
The following is for the benefit of those jobseekers that have truly never worked with a recruiter...and for those who like to "run game" on recruiters and pretend they have never used a recruitment service to find a job!!!!
First, I'd like to share a bizarre, but extremely relevant story.
A colleague of mine has "Jane" as a candidate. Jane is an accomplished Finance professional from the world of Advertising. She has a strong educational background, 2 jobs over a nine year period (STABLE!!!???) and has held progressive roles that suggest her abilities are extraordinary.
BTW- The advertising industry is an industry that is dominated by recruiters! Meaning that perhaps 1/3 of the positions filled/openings above entry level are "called out" by agencies to recruiters
Jane is in the industry 10 years and therefore you would assume is familiar with most things inherent to the business of advertising.
My colleague has an opening with a Media giant that represents both a 20K increase in salary and the next level in title & responsibility. He has "pitched" this position/company to Jane and she is very excited about pursuing the opportunity. In his conversations with Jane he makes sure that she has not been in contact with the company he wants to send her to...and he asks her about her job search in general..."Are you far along in your search?"...Are you working with other recruiters?"...What is your availability for interviews?"...etc, etc, etc.
My colleague arranges for Jane to meet the Director of Human Resources and the Hiring Manager on the same day. Jane arrives for her appointment at 9am and has a successful interview with both Human Resources and the Hiring Manager. She is out of the interviews by 10:45am and calls my colleague to share her perspective on how things went. My colleague then has a conversation with his HR contact who also has only positive thigs to say.
Later that afternoon, my colleague receives a call from his HR contact. It is now around 3pm. His contact called him puzzled as to why Jane...whom she met several hours before...would once again be sitting in her reception area. My colleague has no explanation for this either. Before his contact has an opportunity to approach Jane, she is greeted by a Hiring Manager from a different department than the one she interviewed with earlier and brought back for an interview. Both HR and my colleague are intrigued and "irritated".
The long and short of this story is that Jane...an advertising industry veteran...was contacted by another recruiter... about a different opportunity...at the same company. Rather than reach out to my colleague...WHO WAS REPRESENTING HER ALREADY...AND HAD ARRANGED AN INTERVIEW WITH BOTH HR AND A SENIOR EXECUTIVE EARLIER THAT DAY...she decided that "this opportunity was different in title, was in a different department...and probably would not affect her candidacy for the position she had interviewed for earlier in the day"!!!
WRONG DECISION
Instead... Jane had ben convinced by another recruiter(anxious to earn commission) that this would further demonstrate her desire to be employed by this agency. The reality could not be further from the truth. This second trip of the day was for a position...that at best was a lateral move...both in title and salary. Now, how do you think the HR professional felt about Jane's judgement and integrity?????
This "polished", "bright", "accomplished" industry professional saw nothing wrong with returning to a company she had interviewed with six hours earlier...through a different recruiter...for a position she knew nothing about...that ultimately paid 20K less than the position she had a successful interview for earlier the same day!!!!
Needless to say, this candidate was not invited back for either opportunity. Her return the same day via a new recruitment resource was seen as a severe error in judgement/integrity. Not to mention, the position she came back for was far junior than the one she was originally introduced for. Jane's lack of desire to examine this situation further, reach out to the parties already involved...was viewed as a defect of character and judgement.
When all was said and done...Jane's explanation was that she never worked with a recruiter before and was not sure how things work!!!! This was a weak arguement based on her tenure and the industry she was in.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT WITH RECRUITERS
>There is no obligation of "exclusivity" when working with recruiters. Only, that it is understood that if you are introduced by a recruiter to a particular company...that agency/recruiter becomes the "agent of record" for ALL opportunities there. Most employers will "credit" the agency that submits the resume first with the right to represent you as a candidate. Therefore, it is extremely important to share where you have been submitted through other recruiters to avoid confusion and duplication of effort
>Communication is the key!!! Keeping your recruiter "in the loop" on the status of your search, your level of interest, all motivating factors in your decision, availability to interview and any plans to travel (either during the interview or in the near future that need to be communicated to a prospective employer)
>Use the recruiter as a "go between" for ALL communication regarding opportunities/interviews scheduled for you!!! For instance, do not call the VP of Marketing at the company you met with 2 weeks earlier through your recruiter...looking for a "status update" on your search. CALL YOUR RECRUITER...and he/she will get that info for you. Outside of a "THANK YOU" letter...all communication/correspondence should be via your recruiter. There is a "protocol" adhered to by recruiters and their Clients...and this is all part of the deal
The moral of the above story is to always ASK questions. If someone is hustling on your behalf to introduce you to opportunities you would not otherwise have entre into...you owe that recruiter the courtesy of open & honest communication!!!!
The bottom line is that jobseekers should use ALL resources afforded them...but understand the "accepted practices" of working with recruiters!!!!!!
"CHARACTER IS LIKE A TREE AND REPUTATION LIKE ITS SHADOW. THE SHADOW IS WHAT WE THINK OF IT, THE TREE IS THE REAL THING" - ABRAHAM LINCOLN
First, I'd like to share a bizarre, but extremely relevant story.
A colleague of mine has "Jane" as a candidate. Jane is an accomplished Finance professional from the world of Advertising. She has a strong educational background, 2 jobs over a nine year period (STABLE!!!???) and has held progressive roles that suggest her abilities are extraordinary.
BTW- The advertising industry is an industry that is dominated by recruiters! Meaning that perhaps 1/3 of the positions filled/openings above entry level are "called out" by agencies to recruiters
Jane is in the industry 10 years and therefore you would assume is familiar with most things inherent to the business of advertising.
My colleague has an opening with a Media giant that represents both a 20K increase in salary and the next level in title & responsibility. He has "pitched" this position/company to Jane and she is very excited about pursuing the opportunity. In his conversations with Jane he makes sure that she has not been in contact with the company he wants to send her to...and he asks her about her job search in general..."Are you far along in your search?"...Are you working with other recruiters?"...What is your availability for interviews?"...etc, etc, etc.
My colleague arranges for Jane to meet the Director of Human Resources and the Hiring Manager on the same day. Jane arrives for her appointment at 9am and has a successful interview with both Human Resources and the Hiring Manager. She is out of the interviews by 10:45am and calls my colleague to share her perspective on how things went. My colleague then has a conversation with his HR contact who also has only positive thigs to say.
Later that afternoon, my colleague receives a call from his HR contact. It is now around 3pm. His contact called him puzzled as to why Jane...whom she met several hours before...would once again be sitting in her reception area. My colleague has no explanation for this either. Before his contact has an opportunity to approach Jane, she is greeted by a Hiring Manager from a different department than the one she interviewed with earlier and brought back for an interview. Both HR and my colleague are intrigued and "irritated".
The long and short of this story is that Jane...an advertising industry veteran...was contacted by another recruiter... about a different opportunity...at the same company. Rather than reach out to my colleague...WHO WAS REPRESENTING HER ALREADY...AND HAD ARRANGED AN INTERVIEW WITH BOTH HR AND A SENIOR EXECUTIVE EARLIER THAT DAY...she decided that "this opportunity was different in title, was in a different department...and probably would not affect her candidacy for the position she had interviewed for earlier in the day"!!!
WRONG DECISION
Instead... Jane had ben convinced by another recruiter(anxious to earn commission) that this would further demonstrate her desire to be employed by this agency. The reality could not be further from the truth. This second trip of the day was for a position...that at best was a lateral move...both in title and salary. Now, how do you think the HR professional felt about Jane's judgement and integrity?????
This "polished", "bright", "accomplished" industry professional saw nothing wrong with returning to a company she had interviewed with six hours earlier...through a different recruiter...for a position she knew nothing about...that ultimately paid 20K less than the position she had a successful interview for earlier the same day!!!!
Needless to say, this candidate was not invited back for either opportunity. Her return the same day via a new recruitment resource was seen as a severe error in judgement/integrity. Not to mention, the position she came back for was far junior than the one she was originally introduced for. Jane's lack of desire to examine this situation further, reach out to the parties already involved...was viewed as a defect of character and judgement.
When all was said and done...Jane's explanation was that she never worked with a recruiter before and was not sure how things work!!!! This was a weak arguement based on her tenure and the industry she was in.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT WITH RECRUITERS
>There is no obligation of "exclusivity" when working with recruiters. Only, that it is understood that if you are introduced by a recruiter to a particular company...that agency/recruiter becomes the "agent of record" for ALL opportunities there. Most employers will "credit" the agency that submits the resume first with the right to represent you as a candidate. Therefore, it is extremely important to share where you have been submitted through other recruiters to avoid confusion and duplication of effort
>Communication is the key!!! Keeping your recruiter "in the loop" on the status of your search, your level of interest, all motivating factors in your decision, availability to interview and any plans to travel (either during the interview or in the near future that need to be communicated to a prospective employer)
>Use the recruiter as a "go between" for ALL communication regarding opportunities/interviews scheduled for you!!! For instance, do not call the VP of Marketing at the company you met with 2 weeks earlier through your recruiter...looking for a "status update" on your search. CALL YOUR RECRUITER...and he/she will get that info for you. Outside of a "THANK YOU" letter...all communication/correspondence should be via your recruiter. There is a "protocol" adhered to by recruiters and their Clients...and this is all part of the deal
The moral of the above story is to always ASK questions. If someone is hustling on your behalf to introduce you to opportunities you would not otherwise have entre into...you owe that recruiter the courtesy of open & honest communication!!!!
The bottom line is that jobseekers should use ALL resources afforded them...but understand the "accepted practices" of working with recruiters!!!!!!
"CHARACTER IS LIKE A TREE AND REPUTATION LIKE ITS SHADOW. THE SHADOW IS WHAT WE THINK OF IT, THE TREE IS THE REAL THING" - ABRAHAM LINCOLN
