How to Work with a Recruiter

A good recruiter serves as your personal career counselor, willing and able to help you develop and implement your career plans and professional goals. A recruiter should be a professional friend that you can trust and vice versa.

There are two types of recruitment firms: retained and contingency. You should always find out the type of firm before sharing your resume with a recruiter. Retained search firms spend time at the client site, get to know their candidates extremely well, meet in person or via videoconference, and focus on finding the best possible candidate who will match the position and the corporate culture. Retained firms work exclusively, act as consultants and are paid to conduct the search, regardless of the source of the candidate hired. They are interested in long-term successful placements. Contingency search firms may or may not work on exclusive assignments. Always ask if the firm has an exclusive relationship with the employer. Regardless of the arrangement, contingency firms are only paid after a candidate is hired. They rarely meet their candidates or clients. Some contingency firms will send your resume to clients without your permission a situation that could prove embarrassing. Contingency firms are not generally as interested in long-term placements as retained firms. Working with a recruiter Finding jobs in an unsteady market can be difficult. Many opportunities are never advertised on the Internet or in trade publications. Recruiters maintain special relationships with industry "insiders" and cultivate substantial networking opportunities. You may find recruiters to be the best possible resource as you strive to further your career. What can recruiters do for you and your career? A recruiter is your friend. A good recruiter is your coach, someone who: preserves your confidentiality; explains the position clearly; gives you appropriate feedback; remains in close contact with you before, during and after a search; and serves as an advocate for you. In working with a recruiter, you are essentially forging a special relationship. You and the recruiter have to get to know each other, respect each other and trust each other. As a professional, you are trying to build your career and maintain a solid reputation in the industry. You want a recruiter who understands your background, where you've been and where you want to go. Also keep in mind that recruiters have a reputation to uphold. They achieve success by making their clients happy, which means finding the best possible candidate for each job.