Go to the people who know where the job openings are located. Who are they? Recruiters, networked friends, work associates and people from your past. Let’s focus on recruiters.
How do they find you? Through direct referrals from others, industry connections, research periodicals, association memberships, and files from past resumes sent to them.
How do you become known? Have a strong online presence, contact recruiters in your field of competence with a compelling resume, use LinkedIn research, contact industry specialists through Google (example: “logistics recruiters in Chicago”), write articles for periodicals and join an association in your field. This would be a good start. Contact a few recruiters per week and over time you’ll be in everyone’s files within your specialty.
UNDERSTAND THE GROUND RULES
- Retained recruiters have an exclusive job search with a company
- Contingent recruiters do not have an exclusive and are competing for candidates
- Agency recruiters are hired by candidates to find them jobs for a fee
- Executive recruiters work for the company and are paid by them, not you
- If a recruiter doesn’t have an opening that fits you, there’s no reason to call you
- However, if they do call, you’ll know that they’re very interested in you
- Recruiters will automatically put your resume into their data base for a future search
- They may never call or may call two years later. Just don’t depend on it
- If you can’t explain what you do, the results you’ve achieved, how you’re different from your peers, what you’re looking for and why, recruiters won’t be able to help you
- Recruiters are “gate keepers” and conduits to hiring managers. What you tell them will be transmitted to the organization. Use it to your advantage.
WHAT TO DO WHEN THE RECRUITER CALLS
- Be pleasant and listen fully to what the recruiter has to say
- Give them an overview of your experiences as it parallels their search
- Be clear in explaining what you do and the target for your next position
- Tell the recruiter that your interested in learning more at a convenient time and place
- If you’re clearly not interested, tell the recruiter you’d like to think about who would be a better fit for the opportunity, and you’ll call back with names and contact points
- Get the recruiter’s full name, company and contact information
- Why? You may want to keep in touch. If you become a source for them, recruiters will value your help. You’ll be on their mind when something comes up for you
- Follow through on your commitments to them and touch base once a year
Recruiters are not your “buddy”, but they can be your “best friend” when they have the search of your dreams.
Take control of your future: Contact Bill Kaufmann as a coach. Send comments, questions or get a free resume review: mygreenerfuture1@cox.net