What Great Recruiters Do…
Whether new to the job market or seasoned industry professional, specialized staffing agencies can and should play an integral role in pinpointing your next professional opportunity.
Change is upon us. It’s here. Whether political, economic or labor force related, it’s here and it’s up to you to decide how you’re going to navigate through or around these waters. Specialized recruitment firms play a huge role in charting the course to your next career or gig (the “gig economy” is a very real thing).
Employment rates seems to be on an uptick and recruitment firms have a strong effect on these figures. Historically, companies of all sizes — in all industries — have partnered with staffing firms to handle open job requests that internal teams cannot handle (for a variety of reasons). As a Lead Recruiter in what is arguably the largest job market in the world, New York City, I can attest to the fact that good Recruiters have ins that you don’t and let’s face it… we’re not shady hustlers that want to take a job seeker’s money. Good Recruiters are hustlers, yes. Shady, no.
I want to talk about what to expect when you’re contacted by a Recruiter. Any good Recruiter worth their weight, will have already seen your credentials and will be able to have an educated conversation about your background. We’ll initially ask you to talk through top line details of where you’ve been, what you’ve done and what you’re looking for next. Your elevator pitch. If it lines up with what we’re looking for in a candidate, a solid Recruiter will want to schedule an in person meeting.
The in person interview should take approximately 30 minutes and will touch on a couple of points. A well-established Recruiter / Staffing Agency will tell you a bit about them: if they specialize in any particular vertical, how long they’ve been in business, how far their reach is and their process. The Recruiter should give you a strong understanding of their experience and background as well. Then the spotlight should turn to you. You and your Recruiter should discuss your background, experience, skills (portfolio review if applicable), goals for your next role. Expect questions will be peppered into your conversation. Discuss money. This can be a very touchy topic for some, but don’t let any preconceived ideas get in the way of open conversations about the subject. Be prepared to hear about what the current marketplace is and what similar candidates have successfully been placed at (rates) in the recent past. This is where things get muddied. People not in the know, believe that Recruiters will insist that you look for less money (freelance or full time rates) to the Recruiter’s benefit. That simply isn’t true. The more money you make, the more we make (depending on the staffing firm’s structure, of course). Any tenured Recruiter will want to set a candidate’s expectations properly and want the candidate to walk away from the interview feeling like a mutual understand and the beginnings of a successful, long term relationship has been forged. A candidate shouldn’t feel like there are questions still on the table but should walk away from their meeting with clear next steps.
Beyond the meeting, your candidacy should be taken very seriously. Your Recruiter and their team, should be in contact with you with appropriate job descriptions, walk you through the hiring clients’ process and guide you through the submission, interview and offer negotiation stages. Expect clear, honest and open critiques and feedback. The best way to continue career development is to be receptive to constructive criticism and be open to change.
One of the most important factors to consider when finding a Recruiter / specialized staffing agency is FIT. The Recruiter that is representing you to hiring managers should understand you, your industry, your background and your goals. You should feel comfortable with your newly forged relationship and genuinely want to partner with the gate-keeper of jobs and purveyor dreams.
