Rest assured that we scan every incoming resume, keep them on file and review them when we receive new assignments to determine if any candidates "fit" the description. At that time, we'll call you to see if you're interested.
We also may return your phone calls; members of my firm always do. However, telephone conversations from candidates who call to, "Just check to see if you received my resume," are the bane of my professional existence.
This is a practical, not a personal matter: Recruiters don't have the time to conduct "courtesy" interviews with people they don't know. (However, we may make exceptions for very senior officers of large corporations.)
Most job seekers realize that recruiters can't help them unless they have a suitable assignment. But some otherwise capable professionals are so traumatized by unemployment that they forget this reality. They may even call monthly "just to check," obviously not recognizing that this immediately puts them in our "never-consider" file. As one colleague puts it, "If the Lord himself asks for help finding a new position, and I don't have an assignment for a Lord, there's nothing I can do to help."
People assume that executive recruiters are aware of all kinds of job openings. Not true. We only know about our current assignments, and a few others we may have discussed with clients. Typically, we don't share information about our searches with other recruiters. Consequently, candidates who are expert networkers may know of more job opportunities than we do!
Now, if I already know you, it's a different story. Perhaps I called you in the past and you were courteous and helpful. Possibly we were introduced by a mutual friend. Making this connection requires networking, which is harder and often seems self-serving when you're unemployed. Perhaps the moral is: When employed, nurture your network.
