by Karla Williams
In my experience everyone hates recruiters until a recruiter
works with you to land you the job of your dreams. And as an experienced recruiter, I’m ok with
this because I know that I provide a valuable service to both the companies
that engage me to help them fulfill their talent needs as well as to the
candidates that value my expertise and my contacts and that I ultimately end up
representing.
The fact of the matter is that there are only 5 - 10% of the candidates that are available in the current market, working and disengaged, that top recruiters will actively represent. You see, top recruiters, the type of recruiters who you want to know, the type of recruiters that earn in the mid six figures year after year, the type you want to know you will only represent the best of the best. If this sounds elitist, believe me, it is.
To the average job seeker, I’m sure you are phenomenal in the performance of your duties and at executing successfully in your chosen vocation – but so am I and so are good recruiters. We sell talent – because most people can’t sell themselves. In fact most people don’t even know that they need to actively and aggressively sell themselves continuously - but most importantly while they are still employed. And most companies are too busy doing what it is that they do to maintain the multitudes of contacts that a successful recruiter maintains as a matter of course.
This is what a recruiter brings to the table. Contacts. They are your employment agent.
So instead of figuring out whether you should engage with a recruiter and what value they bring to the table - resolve to engage with anyone that can further your goals. Get your name out there, meet third party
recruiters, meet in-house recruiters, meet managers in the companies where you
want to work.
It won’t be a waste of
time the next time you find yourself out of work – or you find yourself in a
situation in your current employment where you need resources – NOW!. Imagine how much respect you will garner in
your next job if your manager, peers, and subordinates know you as the “go to”
person in your organization – the person that can get things done – not
necessarily because of what you know – but because of who you know – and more
importantly - who knows you.
That, among a multitude of things, is what recruiter knows.
Hey - I can't tell all my secrets!
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