Recruiters — They’re Great. Seriously.

Recruiters. Scam. Unresponsive. Sales. Robots.
Those are some words I’ve seen and heard used to describe recruiters. I’m not a recruiter, but I’ve worked with a bunch of them and I just wanted to let everyone know that they’re great. Seriously.
I don’t doubt that there are recruiter horror stories. Mostly because no job field can go without those stories. They’re what keeps the world interesting.
My Story
I recently made a career switch from customer support to UX/UI design and it was not easy. Before customer support, I worked in retail for many years. Trying to explain to non-retail companies that my skill sets are, in fact, directly transferrable was the hardest hurdle to get over.
At the time I was looking to transition into the field of UX/UI design, I had a very secure full-time, remote support job. I knew I could take my time and job hunt if I wanted to, but I was so hellbent on making the switch ASAP that I applied to everything and anything that was available in my area.
I applied for a position which turned out to be represented by a staffing agency, Creative Circle. The rep had contacted me attempting to schedule an in-person interview, one which I rescheduled twice due to nerves about the the switch and the reputability of working with a recruiter.
When I was eventually convinced to go in, I didn’t imagine that my new life’s path would unfold the very next day.
It was a Wednesday when I got a call from the recruiter who told me that a local agency was interested in meeting with me and wanted to set up an interview. I went in for an interview on Thursday and got the job offer on Friday.
Pros and Cons
Great story, right? Who doesn’t love happy endings?
Now let’s break it down. While I’m a huge advocate for working with recruiters, I also won’t lie about the drawbacks it comes with.
The Good
- Building relationships with recruiters is probably one of the best decisions you could ever make especially if you’re looking to switch careers. It’s like having 10 extra sets of eyes looking out for jobs on your behalf. It definitely gives me peace of mind knowing that someone else is genuinely interested in helping me (and the company they represent) find the right fit.
- Most of these staffing agencies work on W-2 contracts. What does that mean for you? They take care of paycheck tax deductions and some even offer benefits.
- Recruiters care. They really do. You, as the candidate, need to remember that they’re essentially representing three viewpoints — the agency they work for, the client they represent, and you. They’re trying to act in everyone’s best interest so cut them some slack if they don’t respond or end up sounding too sale-sy. It’s part of their job and they deserve respect for the work that they do.
The Bad
- While I defended this earlier, it is a ‘bad’ — being ignored is one of the worst feelings in the world especially if you’re on the job hunt. I’m someone who thinks of all the worst-case scenarios so I don’t end up too disappointed. Having worked in support, I’d definitely appreciate a follow-up that confirms that I haven’t been forgotten and that I’ll be followed up with soon.
- You’re sent jobs you don’t qualify for. Part of being in an agency’s database means you’ll be sent jobs that may match items listed in your candidate profile. However, that doesn’t mean that the job will match your skill sets. It’s up to you as the candidate to make sure you qualify — remember, if a recruiter is going to represent you, you need look good for the client.
- Some may not see this as a bad thing, but I’ll list it here anyway for those who have only ever had full-time permanent roles in their careers — you’ll need to be open minded about contract and freelance positions. Not all roles presented are full-time permanent (which equates to a form of job security). You’ll need to figure out which is more important to you in that moment. Trust me, this gave me anxiety for weeks.
Closing Thoughts
This is by no means a comprehensive article about working with recruiters. It doesn’t even reflect all my thoughts and opinions, but it does highlight some notable points.
I’ve had recruiters who would contact me on LinkedIn or by email with a role, asking for my resume. I would respond with a thank you, confirm interest, attach resume as request, and eagerly await their response. Crickets. I would always ask myself, “Why contact a jobseeker about a role and not respond?” Oh wells.
However, the recruiters I have worked with have all been phenomenal. They’re truly amazing at what they do and deserve a chance to be treated with respect. If you have a bad experience, just let it go. At the end of the day you have to remember that it’s a job and they work for a business. Businesses are about making money. Some go further than that and foster relationships. These guys have to cover both areas.
Recruiters — they’re great. Seriously.