5 Myths About working with a Recruiter – For the Inexperienced Job Seeker
A job search can certainly be a stressful experience for any potential candidate. It is especially daunting for those who have been employed with one or two companies for their entire career, have just been laid off and are now facing unemployment for the first time in their lives. Nowadays, most companies partner with staffing agencies to supply them with the best possible candidates for their jobs.
Many times candidates are unaware of what is out there, and most importantly unsure about how to successfully build a relationship with a recruiter. This relationship comes with uncertainty and some pre-formed ideas about having someone search for a job for you. So, you post your resume and you are getting bombarded by hungry recruiters left and right and have no idea whose best interests are in mind. That being said, you may have your doubts and questions about trusting someone who you do not know to take your career into your hands.
Below are 5 of what I believe to be the biggest myths I’ve heard about working with a recruiter.
1.) Recruiters treat candidates like a number
While it is common for a recruiter to proactively reach out to 20-30 potential candidates a day, recruiters like anyone else, have to prioritize their day and simply cannot spend 30 minutes on the phone with every single candidate that they are working with on a daily basis. They do not have time to respond to 100’s of resumes they receive every day. That being said, it does not mean that they are not trying to help you! It’s important to make sure that you set the groundwork for your relationship with your recruiter and set touch points weekly, email is fine. Trust me, when a recruiter has a job that is a potential match, they might feel as though you are the unresponsive one!
2.) Using a recruiter will cost me money
When working with a staffing agency, your recruiter is a free service to you. This means you have absolutely nothing to lose by working with assistance to find another job.
3.) A recruiter will submit me to a job, and I’ll never hear back from them
The recruiting relationship is a two-way street. (see #1) It’s important that you ping your recruiter(s) at least once a week to check in on certain opportunities or anything new on the horizon or anything you’ve been working with them on recently.
I’ve always said: Finding a job is 100% of a candidate’s job, finding a candidate a job is 100% of a recruiters job, but hiring/interviewing is ONLY 10% of a hiring managers day to day responsibilities. There’s no need to think a recruiter is ignoring you if they haven’t gotten feedback.
There are many instances where a potential role/opportunity is a perfect fit, and the recruiter hasn’t had a chance to call you yet, so checking in can certainly keep you front of mind.
4.) Recruiters are going to do all of the work for me
It’s a two way street here. A recruiter’s job is to connect candidates within desirable opportunities. This is what they do all day (see #3). However, this doesn’t mean they do everything for you. Some of the best candidates will proactively reach out to recruiters, do a resume review together, share ideas and companies they would like to work for, and even more importantly network to build a long lasting relationship. It’s best to put effort into working with your recruiter as much as possible in order to maximize the work they put into you.
5.) Most recruiters have money instead of the candidates best interests at heart
Most recruiters intend to coach candidates and build a long lasting relationship. This means resume coaching, interview preparation, and career mentoring. However, this isn’t always the case. Most recruiters are coached to simply blast your resume to as many hiring managers as possible, with no tact or thought going into it. It’s on the job seeker to identify this immediately. While yes, you may land the job you desire by pure luck, odds are you are going to miss opportunities that a more skilled, relationship type recruiter may have for you.
To Sum it all Up…
Candidates who are new to the job market in a very long time face a tough task of finding their new opportunity and partnering with the right resource to make that happen. Sometimes a bad experience with a recruiter or interview can be discouraging, but Aquinas recruiters are your best resource for getting back into the workforce not only for your next job, but potentially your career. Whether you are a Software Developer, a Data Analyst or an Aerospace Engineer, it’s a two way street. The candidates who put the most effort into finding their next opportunity and building a relationship with their recruiter will truly maximize their partnership.
By: Rich F.
