By Beverly Weinstein

Recruiters don’t find candidates jobs, they find candidates for jobs
– a distinction that’s often misunderstood. In other words, the
recruiter’s client is the hiring organization, not the job seeker.

Headhunters (the vernacular term) should be part of your job search,
but don’t make the mistake of only relying on them. On average,
recruiters only fill about 10% of all jobs. The following is some basic
information that should be useful in understanding the recruiter’s role.

Multiple Business Models

There are two basic categories of recruiters: retained and contingency.

•Retained search firms work exclusively, and the client pays them a guaranteed fee for their services.

•Contingency recruiters are only paid if they find a candidate that
is hired by the client. Some contingency recruiters may work
exclusively, but it’s not unusual for clients to work with multiple
recruiters for the same job. That’s why you may get several calls for
an opportunity.

How They Find You
Recruiters are in the business of knowing where to look for qualified
candidates, regardless of whether those candidates are actively seeking
new jobs.

•Candidate sources range from referrals to mining databases to cold
calling someone in the same job at a different company. Professional
social networks have become an increasingly popular sourcing tool. If
the recruiter doesn’t tell how they found you, ask.

•Ways in which recruiters will reach out to candidates include their
business phone, email, and social networks, including LinkedIn,
Facebook and Twitter.

How You Find Them
The same tools headhunters use to find you can be used to find them.
And when you compile your headhunter list, take some time to do basic
research. Keep in mind search firms generally specialize by
category(ies) as well as by job level and/or salary level. Be strategic
about your outreach and expectations.

•Research the individual recruiter’s name and/or their company name.
Take a look at their bios and client list if it’s published on their
site. Look for them on LinkedIn. Any legitimate recruiter should have
ample information easily available online.

•Not all recruiters will agree to see you if they aren’t working on
a search that matches your background. If they won’t meet you, try to
at least get a phone appointment for a few minutes or, at minimum,
e-mail your resume for inclusion in their database.

What Recruiters Do/Don’t Do
•Don’t expect a recruiter to write or rewrite your resume. Most are
willing to make suggestions or point you in the direction of resume
writers or information resources on resume writing.

•Headhunters will sometimes offer you career advice or job search
tips. However, if you’re looking for help in figuring out what you want
to do next, try a career counselor and expect to pay for their time.
Some recruiting firms do offer counseling services, but again at a
price.

Beware of Promises

The growing unemployment rate has spawned a category of unscrupulous
“so-called” recruiters. They take a fee from the candidate, promise
resume help, career guidance, and a job. Major newspapers have run
articles on job seekers that have written checks to these firms but
haven’t gotten results. I recently heard from a reader who made this
mistake. It’s a rough job market; it’s hard for even the most
well-connected to help their colleagues, friends or relatives get a
job. Be suspicious of a stranger promising to do the same!

Read the column on MediaDailyNews.