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Friday, June 25, 2010

A Professional Recruiter - Pivotal To Your Success

As you put together your job search strategy, you should consider what role a professional recruiter could play in your search activities. If you are a high level executive then professional recruiters will likely have a pivotal role in your success. If you are more mid to lower level, however, a professional recruiter can be helpful but should not be relied upon as a primary source of potential jobs.

For high level executives

Many high level executives find that a professional recruiter can be a vital part of their job search. The key is for the executive to be smart about how he or she contacts recruiters and promotes their qualifications.

Be selective - You should only contact recruiters who have positions for which you are a perfect match. Check the recruitment firm's web site for open positions, and consider carefully the requirements for each job. Remember that recruiters receive literally hundreds of e-mails each day from job seekers; so only those who are the very best fit have any chance of receiving a return call.

Use your network - Chances are that somewhere among your network of contacts is someone who can provide you with a referral to a professional recruiter. Take the time to speak with your colleagues and peers, asking for that all-important referral. Once you receive it, use that as a way attract the recruiter's attention. Most recruiters are willing to at least have a telephone conversation with job seekers who have been referred by someone with whom the recruiter has an established relationship.

Be strategic - You wouldn't market your business or products by sending out a flurry of e-mails to a bulk audience, so don't make the mistake of marketing yourself that way. Focus your efforts by researching which people are most likely to be able to assist you and then create a strategy for making contact and setting up a conversation.

For mid to lower level executives

If you are a mid to lower level executive conducting a job search, making contact with a professional recruiter can be worthwhile but should not be relied upon as the primary source for finding a job. The key is to understand how recruiters work, what they are looking for and the best way to get their attention.

How they work - Professional recruiters work for the hiring company, not for you. This is an important distinction because it explains why recruiters are notorious for not returning unsolicited phone calls or e-mails from job seekers. The recruiter must focus time and energy on pursuing suitable candidates, not answering the literally hundreds of e-mail messages that come in every day.

What they look for - Recruiters spend the majority of their time looking for candidates for the specific job positions they have available. They are most interested in candidates whose qualifications match position requirements exactly.

Get their attention - The best way to get a recruiter's attention is to cultivate the relationship before you need to find a job. If you are already involved in a job search, then it is best to find someone in your network of contacts who can give you a referral to a specific recruiter. This will often get you in the door, after which you are responsible for impressing the recruiter with your qualifications and professionalism.


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