Recruiters
Executive recruiters, search firms, headhunters-these are some of the better known and colorful names associated with placement firms that locate employees for employers. There are two basic types of recruiting firms, contingency and retained.
Contingency Recruiters
Contingency recruiters are hired to find candidates usually no lower than $30,000. They're hired to find candidates for professional, harder-to-find technical, middle management, and occasionally higher level management positions. They are paid only if they find the candidate who wins the position. Contingency firms sometimes have "exclusives," but most of the time they don't. Typically, they will send as many resumes of qualified candidates, and at times not-so-qualified candidates, as they can find for the position.
I have found that candidates who submit their resumes to, and try to arrange get-togethers with, contingency recruiters stand a fairly good chance of being considered. Although contingency firms are loathe to admit it, I have seen cases where the recruiter, upon finding a good prospect, will try to locate a corporate client whom he or she believes might be interested in this prospect. For this rea son, I recommend that, if qualified, you contact contingency firms and continue to contact them on a discreet basis.
Retained Recruiters
This firm is hired by an employer to locate a specific type of individual for a specific type of job. Almost always, the individual they are looking for will fall in the $75,000 and up category. The recruiter will receive a fee of anywhere from 30 to 40 percent of the position's total compensation for the first year, plus out-of-pocket expenses-whether or not they find the winning candidate. For this reason, they are very particular as to whom they send to interview. After all, they won't receive many assignments unless they produce satisfactory results.
Many times, retained recruiters will work closely with the employer to help create or define the exact description for the position. They will work with the employer to define the position's duties and responsibilities, as well as requirements such as education, prior industry and job experience, and personal attributes. The retained recruiter has an exclusive assignment; his or her loyalty is to the company who hired him or her. In other words, he or she is not in business to get you a job.
Typically, the retained recruiter will personally interview a number of people for the position. If you are selected, the recruiter will prepare a report addressing your potential as a candidate for the position. This report, along with your resume, will be presented to the employer for consideration. Usually, the recruiter will present three to five candidates whom he determines appropriate.
Why do employers hire retained recruiters? Perhaps they are looking to replace a problem or unproductive executive, but they don't want to let this person go until they find his or her replacement. The employer may wish to keep the search confidential. In this case, the recruiter acts as the middleman. Should any advertising be done, it will be done by the recruiter, without revealing the employer's name. The employer may also be looking for a senior level management position or a hard to find management position. A retained recruiter will be focused on filling the employer's position. Both employment agencies and recruiters will often want to have exclusive rights to represent you. They will tell you that you don't want the town papered with your resume. What will employers think? Poppycock. I look at finding a job like trying to sell a house. No more exclusives for me. I've been burnt a few times, having spent many anxious and futile hours waiting for my realtor to call. Now when I sell my house, I throw my hat in the ring and may the best man or woman win.
Some Recruiter Basics
It is natural that recruiters prefer to present employed rather than unemployed candidates to their client companies. But, if you're unemployed, don't let this deter you. Call to sell yourself. Send a resume and cover letter anyway. After all, losing your job in today's highly volatile job market is not an uncommon occurrence. If they like what they read, you will hear from them.
Bear in mind, a recruiter who fills ten or eleven positions a year is considered successful. Because client search requirements are often so stringent, the more candidates they know about, the better their chances of finding the right person. If you don't contact them, how will they know you're available and how great you are?
Also remember, a recruiter will usually submit two or three qualified candidates for employer consideration. This increases his or her chances for success. Don't expect to be the one and only candidate for a position. So, treat him or her with kid gloves. Being one of three candidates is better than not making the cut.
Contacting Recruiters
The bible for executive recruiters is called the Directory of Executive Recruiters and is published by Consultants News, Templeton Road, Fitzwilliam, NH 03477. Here you will find contact and specialty information for recruiters, contingency and retained, from across the country.
Besides falling into contingency and retained categories, most search firms devote their attention to a few specific occupations-engineering, finance, the food industry, etc. You must seek out and contact the appropriate agency for you.
Recruiters come and go like ships in the night. It's a tough business. How would you like to look for work for someone else every day of the week? Because they come and go with such rapidity it is essential that you use only the latest edition of this directory (or any directory for that matter).
As so often pointed out, a job search is a numbers game. Being such, you should seriously consider doing at least one mass mailing. Select those firms in your field and in your geographical target area and mail them a resume and cover letter. Never mention salary in your letter; it's too easy to be immediately disqualified.
Many firms have connections or offices in other cities. If you're from Boston and a recruiter there likes what he learns about you but doesn't have a job order, he will contact these other professional connections. Then, should you land one of these other positions, he will receive some type of compensation.
Don't be afraid to use mailing labels in your mass mailing. Recruiters are too busy to worry about how impersonal address labels may be. They are interested in top-notch people, not in mailing labels. You can purchase such labels from Consultants News. Don't waste valuable time typing up your own labels. You could and should be doing many more potentially rewarding things than typing mailing labels. One of these things is to recon-tact each of these agencies somewhere down the line, in two or three weeks.
After you have landed a position be certain to let all of your contacts know. In the case of recruiters, your employment will demonstrate your worth to them. You could very well be placed in their files for future consideration. Wouldn't this be an ego booster? It would be especially rewarding to be contacted out-of-the-blue if the job you are holding turned out to be less than you hoped it would be.
