Attracting the Aid of an Executive Recruiter:
Some job hunters view Executive Recruiters as elite Corporate Agents in touch with the most desirable job openings. With one call to a Recruiter, they think an unhappy Executive can take his pick of promising new positions.
Not so. Recruiting Firms won’t find you a job and they don’t work for you. They are paid by the Client to find Candidates with specific credentials to match current openings. Most people we contact are currently and successfully employed.
The Search Firm may recommend you if your credentials are ideal, and they parallel a Search they are conducting. But with Prestige, if you are not from an Industry we specialize in, your file will most likely get tossed.
Then if we are so picky, how do you get our attention?
Start by developing relationships with Recruiters early in your career. Always be pleasant and helpful when a Recruiter calls. Most savvy Executives cultivate friendships with Recruiters because they know it can boost their careers. Even if you’re happily employed, always treat that person well because it can have a “long-standing” effect on your career.
Helping Recruiters is a smart move. Such friendly dealings can cement a relationship for life. And, if you’re asked to consider an undesirable position, talk to the Recruiter anyway to reinforce the relationship. Then when an appropriate opportunity arrives, you will be one of the people the Recruiter remembers.
Seek out Recruiters at Conferences, Trade Shows and other Industry functions. That is the best time to buttonhole a Recruiter. They can’t see everyone that sends them a resume, but if you meet in person, you are more likely to be remembered.
RESUMES
Make sure your resume is impeccable and shows a progression of increasing responsibility before sending it to a Search Firm. Add a (3) three paragraph cover letter stating your intentions. The first paragraph should explain why the person is corresponding, the next paragraph should state any preferences as to position, responsibility, geography, etc., and the final paragraph should state current or most recent base salary, bonus and prerequisites.
Where you will get eliminated is if a Search Director has to delve into the resume in detail to see what you’ve done and where you’ve done it. Especially if they don’t recognize the Company; always explain the Company you worked for. Many job seekers think that everyone knows who “ABC Corporation” is or what they do.
Research Departments at large Firms normally make initial cuts on resumes, eliminating those which indicate objectives that don’t match those of typical Searches. If the resume is not Industry related, out they go.
Remaining resumes are then compared to the requirement of current Searches; the remainders are stored for future consideration. Don’t take it personally if you aren’t contacted right away. Even if your credentials are fine, the Firm might not have anything that suits your talents, and months or even years later, the Firm will have new Assignments that may match your qualifications and contact you to determine your interest.
TELEPHONE FOLLOW-UP
Recruiters say they don’t mind if you follow up your resume with a phone call, as long as you don’t expect too much. Phone calls are time consuming to any Search Firm, especially if they are not productive. So when you do call, let it be for a reason, not idle chat or discussions about the weather. It can get to be counter-productive if you are simply calling to confirm receipt of your resume or a gentle reminder you are still available. So please say so to the message taker, that way the Recruiter will know the purpose of your call.
“If I have a need for your skills, I won’t just beat a path to your door, I’ll beat your door down.”
PO Box 421 · Reedsburg, WI 53959-0421
www.prestige-inc.com · Email: prestige@prestige-inc.com
Phone: (608)-524-4032 · Fax: (608)-524-8577
CHECK CREDENTIALS
Expect to be asked a lot of questions, but if you aren’t interested in the Company or position, say so politely. Explain why and ask to be remembered if something more in line with your goals turns up. Recruiters don’t like being misled and it can embarrass them with Clients if you say at the last minute you are not interested. Candidates’ credentials are checked extensively and if you stretch the truth, it will be found out.
Be patient about the hiring process. Recruiters can’t force a Company to hire you and frequently are as frustrated as you by indecisive hiring Managers who can’t decide whom they want. A careful selection of Candidates must be introduced to help Clients decide what they’re really looking for. A highly motivated Candidate can become impatient by the weeks and months of screening, but it is just a part of the process.
How to Enlist the Support of an Executive Recruiter
Executive Search Firms carry a mystique that often deters job-hunting Executives from making unsolicited contact. Candidates tend to believe that Recruiters are too inaccessible or specialized to have interest in a resume that arrives unsolicited. Such a belief could not be more wrong, especially if your timing is right.
Almost every reputable Search Firm saves the resumes it receives from job hunters in the Industry they represent. The advent of computerized record keeping allows Firms to categorize arriving resumes by Industry, Specialty, Location, and Compensation Level and can retain them indefinitely. In the event that a person’s qualifications closely match the needs of a new Assignment, there is a good chance you will be contacted regarding your interest.
If you have the right background, it makes sense to contact Search Firms because it’s possible you could be brought into the loop of a Search at any time. If you don’t make yourself known, you greatly decrease your chances of being contacted. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Many Candidates think they can increase their odds by inflating their salaries. They need to remember that the biggest motivator for making a career move is for more compensation. If you inflate your salary, it may take you out of contention. And, if you are asked to provide proof later, it will definitely jeopardize your credibility.
A resistance to relocating is another barrier that excludes many Candidates from consideration. Few Recruiters limit their Clients to (1) one geographic area. By sending your resume to a Recruiter, unless you state otherwise, you implicitly acknowledge your willingness to move for the right opportunity. Think seriously about whether you would relocate and under what circumstances before becoming involved in a Search. Be honest about relocation and remember to update the Search Firm if your situation changes.
When trying to set an effective strategy for contacting Search Firms, applicants should follow a few guidelines. First, call Recruiters who may have contacted you in the past. Next, talk to co-workers and other Executives in your Industry. Ask if they have even been contacted and get the names of specific Recruiters for you to write to.
A MATTER OF CONTENTION
Whatever size Search Firm you decide to target, how you get your resume into the right hands is a matter of contention. With the availability of email, fax machines, etc., we receive hundreds of resumes each week, and we would be on the telephone all the time if even a small percentage tried to call. We make our living by placing people and closing on Assignments. Candidates need to understand if we have a Search that parallels their background, “don’t they think it would be in everyone’s best interest for us to place or take a call?”
If your efforts to enlist a Recruiter’s support are successful, a checklist of points to be considered can make your relationship with the Search Firm more effective. Those include:
- Remember that the primary objective of a Search Firm is to serve the Client, not the Candidate.
- Be candid up front concerning your background, education and salary level.
- If a position is not of interest to you, say so immediately and briefly explain why. Ask to be kept in mind when a better match arises and recommend someone else for the position you were contacted on.
- Realize that not all of the Client’s information can be divulged during the early stages of a Search.
- If you are not invited to interview, understand that it is not a reflection on you personally. It is probably just not the right situation for you in this case.
How to Work Productively With Executive Recruiters
Many Candidates think Recruiting Firms will find them jobs. If they do not receive a reply after sending a resume, they become resentful. They believe Search Consultants have the power to whisk favorites directly into plush positions, so they go to great lengths to land in-person interviews. Such misconceptions waste job hunter’s and Recruiter’s time.
Recruiting Firms are paid by “hiring Companies” to find the best Candidates for specific job openings. You could be a water-walker, but if they don’t have a position open for a water-walker, they can’t get you in.
HOW THE PROCESS WORKS
Typically, an unsolicited resume that arrives at our Firm is scanned to see whether it matches any current Assignments. If it doesn’t, but looks promising, it will be entered into our database. It is often worth the extra effort to address your resume to an individual Search Consultant. ‘If someone digs out my name, I pay more attention to that correspondent.’ Our office processes resumes quickly, and looks at about (5) five or (6) six areas to determine if there is a match for any of our Assignments. If there appears to be a fit, we contact the Candidate to determine his/her interest. If those (5) five or (6) six areas are not evident, the resume will most likely be passed and saved for later consideration.
To work effectively with Recruiters who call, try to position yourself as a good source of information. Describe your background and experiences and note that you will keep them in mind if you hear of a potential Search Assignment or highly qualified Candidate for a lead. Honesty is critical to your relationship with Recruiters. Any lack of truthfulness will totally destroy your credibility. It will come out eventually. Always tell the truth, it’s easier to remember.
WHO TO CONTACT
If you rarely get calls from Recruiters, think about initiating contact. Try sending a letter indicating that you have noticed they recruit people in your Field and Industry and that you’d be happy to be a resource. Job seekers should be selective, but understand a Search Firm’s location is irrelevant. West Coast Firms have East Coast Clients and vice versa.
Once you have sent a resume, keep the Recruiter up-to-date whenever you find a new job or earn a promotion. Our Firm keeps promising resumes in our database for a long time. If you keep your information updated, we will be able to contact you should an appropriate opportunity come along.
12 TIPS ON RESPONDING TO EXECUTIVE RECRUITERS
1. Have a clear game plan and job-changing mind-set before you get the call. (This includes always having an up-to-date resume.) Be sure to cover yourself at work; despite all precautions and confidentiality, slip-ups sometimes occur. Tell your Superiors you are always getting calls from Recruiters, but that is doesn’t mean you are looking.
2. Be open; ask questions to help you determine the Recruiter’s needs.
3. Never stretch the truth about Job Experience, Education, Income, etc.
4. Bow out early if you are really not interested; offer to be a resource if not a Candidate.
5. Do your homework on the Client organization, once identified.
6. Don’t play hard to get. Keep appointments, return calls, and cooperate.
7. Sign the Reference Check Authorization if presented; it proves you have nothing to hide and fill out any forms quickly and completely. If you have concerns with any of the questions, answer as many as possible and request to address the others personally. Forms not returned are viewed negatively and are perceived as insincere or difficult Candidates.
8. Don’t cultivate an Offer just to get leverage where you are; such short term, self-serving strategies usually backfire.
9. Take a chance on romance. Even if you are secure in your job and not seeking to make a switch, at least listen to the opportunity as you may change your mind if the right situation comes along. A few moments of your time could make a major difference in your future. Especially if a Recruiter offers you a discreet interview with someone who has expressed an interest in you. Consider exploring the jungle, you may be pleasantly surprised.
10. Of 200 “suspects” uncovered in the initial research, perhaps 50 will make the first cut, (5) five will be finalists, and (1) one will get the Job. Don’t take it personally; the Search process aims for a perfect fit, and it is probably in your best interest.
11. Let the Recruiter run interference for you on Salary, Benefits and Perks. While compensated by the Hiring Organization, the Search Consultant can be your advocate too, and has a vital interest in your success.
12. NEVER, ever treat a Recruiter rudely. They have very long memories.