You are reading the FRACAT Blog Archive (also known as "FRACAT 1.0") for all posts prior to October 29th, 2007.
The Top 18 Things Job Seekers Must Know About Headhunters / Recruiters
I was rereading Jason Alba talking about his experience with recruiters and was reminded yet again of things that I need to make clear.
The laundry list below doesn’t just apply to me, but most recruiters as well. If you’re going to get along with recruiters and use them to improve your career, these are the things that you need to know.
DISCLAIMER: This is harsh, unadulterated, unaltered truth. It often isn’t pretty, but I’d rather you have the truth and be hurt (but successful) than not know the truth and feel good about yourself (while unemployed).
THE TOP 18 THINGS JOB SEEKERS MUST KNOW ABOUT RECRUITERS
- You Are Not My Client - The client is the person who pays the bills and that ain’t you. Please don’t take that attitude that I’m dependent on you for my livlihood because…
- I Can Find Another Just Like You - There are lots of people with your skills. I present candidates who are skilled, pleasant, easy to work with, and aren’t going to jerk me around. However…
- I’m Lazy - I’d rather not have to search around for another one of you if I don’t have to. So, please be pleasant, easy to work with, and don’t jerk me around. And don’t call me every day to “check in”, because…
- I’m Busy - I’m dealing with many different openings and a lot of candidates. I’m making lots of calls, having lots of meetings, conducting a ton of interviews, and so I feel like the proverbial one-armed paper-hanger. If you want to get in touch with me…
- Send Me An E-Mail - Yes, it might take a few days for me to respond. Generally, that means I didn’t have anything for you anyway. If I have something perfect for you and I see your e-mail (yes - I see them all go by), I will immediately call you. And when I do…
- Answer Your Stinking Phone - Yes, I know you’re at work. However, I also know you just answered that call from Bill who wanted to see what you’re doing for lunch. And your wife who is upset that the grass is wilting. And your buds who are doing the Fantasy Football / Baseball / Hockey / Tiddliwinks league with you just to trash talk.
Yes, I’ll leave you a voicemail. And Yes, I know you don’t want to return it until you get off of work. But you’re going to forget, so…
- Return My Voicemail With An Immediate E-Mail - Just let me know that you’ve gotten my message and yes you’re interested in a new job (because otherwise I’ll assume you’re not and won’t call you again - for anything). I also need you to understand…
- I Probably Won’t Tell You My Client’s Name Immediately - There are a number of reasons for this. Often, it’s because my client doesn’t want everyone blabbing about the position that they’re hiring, which gets back to the guy they’re firing. However, it’s also because…
- I Don’t Trust You Either - You’ve been burned by recruiters. Well, guess what. I’ve been burned by candidates. I’ve had intelligent-sounding candidates decide to go around me and directly to the company involved. That’s like stealing from me and I don’t take that kindly. Second only to that is…
- You Ignoring What I’ve Written Wastes My Time - If I post a job, send you a job description, or tell you what I need, I’m not doing it for my health. I’m doing it because that is what I’m looking for.
If I’m looking for a Microsoft-centric BI Consultant, don’t send me your resume with the headline “Microsoft Consultant!” and it have nothing to do with my job. Just because some of the words are the same doesn’t mean you’re perfect for the job.
That type of response just uses up my precious time, which bugs me because…
- My Time Is Not Free - I’ve got to talk to a lot of people today. And you might not be one of them. And if you waste my time telling me, “I know you’re looking for a Houston-based Sharepoint Developer, but I’m just in Dallas and I’ve done a bunch of development and I’m sure I could do Sharepoint if you’d give me a chance.
I can’t give you a chance because…
- I Work On Commissions - That is, I only get paid when I find the perfect candidate for a job opening that I’ve got. And I can only get my candidates interviewed when I send over perfect matches.
And if I send over a “just give him a chance” candidate, I lose credibility, might not get my next candidate interviewed, wouldn’t make commissions, and would therefore go hungry. And I like food! Besides, if you’re not a good fit…
- You May Be Talking To The Wrong Guy - I can only successfully specialize in a few things. For me, it is primarily functional IT positions. If I expand what I do too much, I will end up flailing around in too many different areas and won’t make any money.
Before you send your resume out of the blue, how about finding out what my specialty is? No, I can’t help high level IT executives. There are too many of you out there and too few openings.
You should also be aware that… - I Can’t Help You If You Don’t Know What You Want To Do - My job is to find people who are currently doing X job at another company. If you don’t know what you want to be doing, what do you expect me to do for you?
“Hello, Mr. Client. I have a great candidate here who doesn’t know what he wants to do, isn’t sure where he wants to do it, but would be a great addition to one of your teams. Somewhere. Doing…uh…something.”
Also understand…
- I Can’t Place You Doing Something You’re Not Doing Now - So, if you’ve been in technology for 20 years and decide you want to become a ballerina, I’m not the guy to talk with.
Even if I were a ballerina recruiter (they have to exist somewhere, right?), they’re looking for candidates who currently are ballerinas. A recruiter cannot help you change careers. Yes, you may be different, but…
- You’re Not An Exception - Just because you have a high opinion of yourself doesn’t mean that you are an exception to what I can / will do and what I can’t / won’t do. It doesn’t mean I should burn up tons of hours with you.
What it means is that you are a high-maintenance candidate and, given the choice, I’d rather not work with you. Do you need help on your career? Then discover…
- I’ve Got a Treasure-Trove of Information Here. What Does It Tell Me That You Won’t Use It? - Use the search bar on this blog. Go to the articles section and find some information there.
There is a ton of information. If you have all of this at your fingertips and still ask me the same questions, it’ll tell me that you’re lazier than I am. Which makes you a bad candidate (but perhaps a good recruiter…)
Even with all of the above, however…
- I Really Do Want You To Find Your Dream Job - And I’ll help where I can. Most of us got into this line of work because it is rewarding to find someone a good job and to be a key in making sure companies have quality people.
However, you have to understand that when it comes down to you getting your dream job and me getting paid so that my family can eat, I pick my family every time.
There. The unvarnished truth. I truly hope that it helps you out in your dealings with recruiters.
If you’re a job seeker: Be equally brutally honest - what do headhunters need to know about you?
If you’re a recruiter: What did I miss that job-seekers need to know?
Enjoy the Search!
Dan
—–
Daniel R. Sweet
Owner / Author / Chief Cook-And-Bottle-Washer
FRACAT.com - Free Resume and Career Toolbox
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielrsweet
Call Me On Jaxter: http://www.jaxtr.com/fracat
Photo by: oskay
Stumble it! 
add to del.icio.us 
April 5th, 2007 at 9:18 am
Dan, this is why you are one of my favorite blog reads :)
April 5th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Daniel,
I got to this from Jason’s Twitter post. It was so insightful that I dugg it. You could tailor most of this information to business brokers and others who work on commission. If a business or recruiter/job seeker relationship is going to work both sides have to bring value.
Janet
April 6th, 2007 at 4:39 am
Slightly, high handed.But some points do have a ring of truth.
April 6th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Thanks for your comments, folks.
Jason - I call the voice that this is written in my “Grumpy Old Man” voice. I guess I’ll have to do more GOM posts…
Janet - I hadn’t thought about the wider application to commission-oriented folks. Thanks for that!
Ottayan - I don’t know if you are around recruiters much in your daily life, but I guarantee you that this is a rather tamed down version of waht they say in the “back room”.
Dan
April 10th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Great way to help us, contractors, to laugh at our own narrow perspective, expand our view, and help recruiters who are trying to help us.
April 10th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Dan,
As a job candidate in IT who has spent months looking for work, I certainly agree with everything you have stated from your perspective.
But, to be brutally honest, you are an exception to your profession - because most recruiters are lazy far beyond your definition.
They do not know their client, they do not obtain concise and coherent job requirements from their client and they do not know Information Technology!
How can they possibly expect their perfect-fit candidate to get the job? Maybe a miracle is going to happen on the interview?
Wrong.
A misinformed and unprepared candidate will fail every time.
May 2nd, 2007 at 1:01 am
Hi, that is a beautiful piece. Coming from a country to where the recruitment is itself being out-sourced, let me tell you things are no different.
The IT recruiter is all the same. Add to that s/he works when her family and friends are sleeping and sleeps when they are working only adds to the ‘charm’ of being a recuriter, leave alone the packages and the incentives and the commissions and the flab you collect around your midriff and elsewhere and the medical bills that begin to accumulate over a period of time.
I think what you mentioned are universal, most of them if not all of them.
But it was refreshing to read the blog and all those 18 points.
Yes. We RECRUITERS ARE PEOPLE! and we do need be respected!