It's interesting to me to see which posts elicit responses and which do not. If you haven't been following the saga surrounding the provocative email I received from candidate Jeff, you might start by reading Working with Headhunters and then Working with Headhunters, Part II.
Here's another thoughtful comment that was emailed to my by my friend John Salazzo, Director of Marketing for Craftsmen Industries, the leading manufacturer of customized vehicles for the event and promotion industry.
I’ve been on the other side of the equation for years, hiring and working with recruiters. You know I haven’t worked with you yet so please realize this is from my experience with others. There are two important points I’d like to make.
Point One is that many recruiters don’t really do their homework and confuse quality with quantity. Some just aren’t good listeners and feel that through their salesmanship they can convince a company that the three selections are right for them when they are not. Additionally, the fee structures are high, especially when the recruits they send are not the right fit. One more thing, some recruiters take weeks to “comb over resumes”, I can tell you from this side, we all feel its an excuse for the high rates. Its especially true when the 3 resulting candidates are completely unimpressive.
Point Two is that many unemployed people are scared, desperate and naive about recruiters. They need to understand that they are the inventory for the recruiter. You work for the Company, he is your client. If there is no demand from a client for their skill and qualification set then they won’t get contacted every week by the recruiter. I don’t touch the spaghetti sauce until I’m making spaghetti—sorry for the poor metaphor. Recruiters can get a bad wrap from both sides. The candidates feel they are ignored after several very good conversations with the recruiting firm (“why don’t they call anymore”) and recruiters get burnt by candidates and companies. The candidates inflate their resumes and experiences, which makes the recruiters look bad and the companies either try to “backdoor” the recruiter or don’t really know what they are looking for.
It’s a tough business, especially now. I hope your experiences have had none of the above. I’ve used recruiters in Boston, NYC and London and there is a common thread. Recruiters are in business to make money. They exist to deliver a quality product at a perceived value, to meet a requirement. Like I said, it’s a tough business but I’m glad folks like you are in it."
I would love you to post that response as a comment on my blog at www.TheMarketingRecruiter.com. Your comments are well put and to the point. One of the reasons I’m writing this blog is for exactly these sorts of reasons. I’m trying to help candidates better understand what recruiters do and how they do it. Your note moves that conversation forward.
Thanks John.
I understand that many candidates don't know what to expect from a recruiter. I try to manage expectations from the first contact. I try to be clear on my website, when I talk about "What should you look for in a recruiter?"
