Working With Headhunters . . .

I received the following email yesterday from a candidate I don't know.  I was surprised at his previous experiences with recruiters. 

I realize how anxiety provoking it is to be out of a job, and I understand how people in that position need and want help.  I also realize that people without jobs frequently turn to recruiters they may know or have heard of, for assistance and support.  They want that recruiter to "help them find a job". 

Here's the email I received:

“My name is Jeff and I live in Schaumburg, Illinois. I saw your information on RecruitingBlog.com.  I have been out of work for the past six months and working towards finding full time employment.  Over the years I have not been impressed with  or feel very  good about recruiters  and what they do. However, recently I offered another opportunity to three different recruiters  that I would work with  them follow their instructions, guidance,  speak with them whenever they contacted me and really believe that my opinion of them would change.

I can tell you now   that I have wasted my time and my original impression of recruiters is the same. They can not be trusted to work for a job seeker and a  potential employer  equally.  If you would like in another e-mail  I would be very pleased to name the three recruiting forms that I am speaking  about and offer you specific instances of my frustration  and disappointment with recruiters.

If  you can guide me in the right direction or forum that I can publicly state the recruiting firms,  specific instances of their lies and deceit without being sued I  WANT TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH RECRUITERS so other job seekers that are   looking for employment do not waste one more moment of their time like I did with these recruiters.

I look forward to hearing back from you. Bob please do not be like the other recruiters  that I have spoken with and just dismiss my opinion and no follow through on your part. Granted, not all recruiters are painted with the same brush however, when multi bad experiences  are the outcome of dealing with recruiters a large generalization  of all recruiters  is the end result.”

I (obviously) felt like I needed to try to respond to this candidate.  If I didn’t respond, I’m sure that I’d simply be additionally re-enforcing his perspective of how incompetent and untrustworthy recruiters are.  As I was writing my response, it occurred to me that his disappointment and my response might provide some sort of perspective for others who are considering working with recruiters.  As I’ve mentioned previously in this blog, “Retained Recruiters Add Value To Relationships”.

"Thanks very much for your note.  I’m sorry to hear that you have not been satisfied with your experience with the recruiters you mention.

I hope you’ve had a chance to visit our website (below), to find out a bit more about my company and me.  There is additional information available at my LinkedIn profile.  I encourage you to invite me into your LinkedIn network.  I also invite you to follow my blog “The Perfect Fit” at www.TheMarketingHeadhunter.com.  I hope you'll add it to your feeds.

I am not in the business to “bash” any of my colleagues in the field, although it is clear that some do the job better than others.  I do not know any of the recruiters you mentioned personally.  I do know that some recruiters have different approaches than others.  There is no one “right” way to do our job.  I also know that there are always two sides to every story, so I’m not willing to make a judgment on what other recruiters did or didn’t do, or why they acted the way they did. 

For example, I’m a “retained” headhunter for marketing and advertising.  Clients pay a portion of our fee “up front”, establishing a mutual commitment to working the search and succeeding together.  As a retained recruiter, I try to add value to every contact with a new candidate, just as I do with a client.  I’m sure you realize that the realities of time sometimes makes it very difficult to stay in touch with candidates to the degree we’d really like.  Retained recruiters do not “find jobs” for candidates, and rarely “market” candidates to prospective employers.  We are hired to help our clients identify, recruit, qualify and hire premier performers for the requisites of each search.

Last week alone, I had (at least) four different requests to meet with candidates and help “advise” them.  As much as I would love to do that, practically speaking it’s impossible.  It’s one of the reasons I started a blog . . .to try to give back and add value.  I talk about issues surrounding the hiring process.

You could post a blog discussion on Recruiting Blogs, or LinkedIn (although I didn’t find you there).  I’m sure there are other blogs, forums, chat rooms, etc., where you could vent your frustration.  I know for a fact that you are not the only person who is unhappy with recruiters.  All I can tell you is that I also know that there are a large number of recruiters who take pride in their work and consistently succeed for both their clients and their candidates. 

For my part, I make every effort to try to insure that my candidates and clients are not disappointed with their experience with my firm.  My LinkedIn Profile (http://www.linkedin.com/in/grobertbishop) contains 20 recommendations.  There are additional testimonials available on my website.
  
My advice for anyone seeking the help of recruiters in the future is to do a thorough job of researching who the best headhunters in their field of interest are.  They shouldn’t be too difficult to find.  As a marketing headhunter, I make a consistent effort to be involved in the marketing and advertising communities that I work in, and I try to give back to those communities and industries as best I can.  I’m proud to be involved in the marketing community to the degree that I am.  Other successful recruiters also involved themselves directly in the field(s) they work in.

I’m sorry I can’t be of more specific help regarding “where” you can let everyone know your disappointment.  I hope that your future experiences with recruiters is significantly better than your past ones.

Thanks for your time Jeff.  Have a great day!"

I believe there is value for a candidate and/or a potential client to develop a relationship with a recruiter . . . even before you might “really need” that recruiter.  While the recruiter can add expertise and value to those relationships, it’s incumbent on the recruiter to fully explain how that relationship works, and properly manage the candidate, or client’s expectations.