Recruiting firms invest extensive time and resources to build relationships with companies that hire temporary and full-time resources. For candidates seeking to broaden the opportunities their exploring, recruiting firms can add value; primarily they can present you to companies and positions you may not be able to discover on your own. They can help you get into a company on a temporary basis and convert to full time as they firm up their longer term needs.
Recruiting firms will work diligently on your behalf to secure you a compelling opportunity that can expand your skill sets and enhance your market value.
Here are some other benefits to consider:
- Recruiters are performance-based; they get paid/bonused when they land a position for you.
- Many large companies will only hire contractors through approved vendors (recruiting firms).
- They can get you in front of key decision makers much faster than you can on your own.
- You can focus on your current project as your recruiting firm seeks out your next opportunity.
Unfortunately, for each value-added recruiting firm, there are other firms who are “pushers” who can be too forceful or pushy causing prospective employers to shun them and shun you too if your resume had been “pushed”. This can complicate your search efforts, rather than complement them, so you must know each firm’s reputation before putting your resume into their hands.
If you’re considering using a recruiting firm, there are some items you need to understand about the recruiting industry. The purpose here is to provide some insight (a look behind the curtain so to speak) that will enable you to select a recruiting firm that will truly add value to your efforts.
A snapshot of the industry
Over 70% of the larger recruiting firms share a similar business model (in regards to how their recruiting and sales teams operate). There are similarities in how firms build and reward their sales force (client interface) and recruiting force (candidate interface). Unfortunately, most recruiting firms may favor quantity over quality. The reason why this is relevant to you (the candidate) is because many recruiters you will interface with will be somewhat inexperienced and will most likely embrace a "body-shop” recruiting methodology that won’t help you much. In their hope of earning commissions from their clients, they expose higher quantities of candidates which dilute your chance of being “the one”. Higher quality recruiters carefully preselect a small set of candidates that all have a higher chance of being a fit for the client. When recruiters take care to select and match, the client is happier and so are the selected candidates.
Here are some other items to consider. Feel free to ask your recruiter these questions:
- How long have you had a relationship with your client?
The better the relationship the recruiting firm has with a client, the higher your percentages of success will be.
- Does your recruiting firm reveal their client (by name) to you?
Rule of thumb, if a recruiting firm does not reveal the client by name it may be best to not proceed with that opportunity/firm. Recruiting firms should reveal their clients by name (before they present your resume) which can minimize the likelihood of a double submission (your resume being presented by more than one firm). A popular (and untrue) myth is; the more my resume is submitted the better my chances are. WRONG! Often times, if a resume is a duplicate the end client will remove the candidate from consideration all together. There are always exceptions, however it would be best to get the client’s name before you allow your resume to be presented and request from your recruiter a submission confirmation email stating the position/client and job number you’ve been submitted to.
- Is your resume being directly introduced to HR/Hiring Manager or is your resume being funneled through a VMS (Vendor Management System)?
VMS tools have become quite popular, especially for larger companies that are outsourcing a significant quantity of positions. A couple of challenges (for the candidate) a VMS can present; first your resume can fall into a virtual "black-hole" or it ends on the bottom of a large pile of resumes.
- How long has the recruiter you"re working with been in the business?
I"m not knocking recruiters that haven’t been in the business long. However, if you"re working with someone that has been in the business a while, they have chosen recruiting as their career....not their "bail out" option. When you"re working with a “career recruiter,” you"re working with someone who has passion for being your advocate, working diligently to bridge the gap between the best candidates with the best opportunities. You should do your own research not only on the recruiting firm you’re interacting with, but more specifically the recruiter. You can view sites such as LinkedIn to view your recruiters’ profile. If they are a professional recruiter, you should be able to find them on the web and learn more about their credentials.
- If you’re Taking a Contract Assignment, are you being asked to concede on your rate/compensation?
Large companies will be more "price tag conscious" than small to mid-size organizations. Larger staffing companies have standard margins they need to achieve (between what they bill the client and what they pass to you). If their client is rigid on their budget and the recruiting firm won’t concede on their margins what is left? The candidate will be the one expected to take the hit. Don’t be afraid to stand your ground with the recruiting firm on your rate, often times they will meet your demands or at the very least, meet you somewhere in the middle. Be flexible, look at all the variables (company, industry, opportunity) and understand what the market is paying for a particular skill set.
Diversify the types of recruiting firms you’re working with. Work with larger recruiting firms that have a robust portfolio of clients. Work with smaller recruiting firms that interact with mid-size companies that are might be more focused on the talent vs. the price tag. Lastly, network with groups and associations, market yourself and keep abreast with your local business publication to stay aware of whose hiring or whose market performance is strong that may tend to lead to a significant hiring trend.
Now, go get "em!