I'm sure that most of you reading this blog have had your phone absolutely blown up by recruiters for the last......three...or make that three hundred months! Your options are vast for jobs, and you just might be considering being a bit more selective as to which calls you choose to answer. As a recruiter myself, I understand and realize that we sometimes are considered little more than tele-marketers. :-{ Most of us hope that we are bringing something to you that is useful, interesting and financially helpful to you and your situation. But, if you decide to use a recruiter, below is some information that might help you in your decision process. And...if you think I might "be your gal", give me a call at 770-325-0234!
Deciding whether to use a recruiter in your search for employment can be a confusing process at best. There are as many choices in recruiter personalities, styles, offered opportunities, etc. as there are professions out there. The most important aspect is to find someone who has a compatible personality, work ethic and delivers what he/she promises.
First, you might want to understand what drives a recruiter. It may be only money; it may be a desire to help people, it may be pressure from a manager or a combination of any or all of those, which is more likely the case. Staffing firms have a variety of structures to pay their recruiters; some may be straight salary, some may have commission only and others may have a combination of the two. My company falls into the later category, and is very fair; I might say, even brilliant in their pay structure. No one here asks for a raise; they simply help more people find work, and their commission increases.
You will also want to do some investigating of the company itself. Ask the recruiter who owns their company or the name under which they are publicly traded (if they are public) and do a search for their financial stability and years in business. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any "dings" or something more serious against the organization.
A really good way to test your recruiter is to ask him/her to call you back on a specific day and see if they follow up. I'm not going to say that I've never made a mistake and forgotten, but a good recruiter will find a way to make good on promises. Once again, finding a good match for your personality is key. You may be someone who doesn't like a lot of "checking in" phone calls, or you may enjoy a weekly conversation to touch base with your recruiter. alk to a few and get a feel for the one that makes you the most comfortable!
