WORKING WITH RECRUITERS: THE INSIDE STORY
By Louise Kursmark, CPRW, JCTC, CEIP, CCM
Executive recruiters can be an important piece of your job-search strategy. The key to good recruiter relationships is understanding how a recruiter works. Recruiters are job-placement professionals who are paid by the employing company to locate suitable candidates. In most cases, they are conducting a search for a specific position and are paid a fee if and when a placement is made (contingency recruiters). Some recruiters (known as retained recruiters) are constantly on the watch for appropriate employees for their client companies and are paid a retainer fee whether or not an actual match is made.

Once you are aware that the recruiter is not there to FIND YOU A JOB but is paid to FILL A POSITION (with you or another candidate), you can understand why many recruiters will not spend a great deal of time discussing your career goals and aspirations. If they don't have an immediate need for someone with your background, it's more advantageous for them to talk to people who DO have the very specific qualifications they're seeking.

So, should you eliminate recruiters from your strategy? Absolutely not. After all, they are in the business of filling jobs and can be extremely valuable in your hunt for the perfect position. Just bear in mind a few key points, and your recruiter relationships will be satisfying and mutually beneficial.

• Use a chronological (not functional) resume, and make sure you are clear about the kind and level of position you're seeking. This does not mean you need to write an objective statement, but do be sure that your introduction (summary, profile, core competencies statement) clearly positions you, so the recruiter can tell at a glance just what you're qualified to do.
  
  
• For e-mail submissions, use the subject line and a brief cover letter to describe yourself and your primary qualifications. Then paste a text-only version of your resume below the cover letter and attach an MS Word version to the e-mail.
  
  
• If you have contacted only a handful of recruiters, follow up with a phone call, and be prepared to state your key qualifications and briefly summarize your background. If you are mass-mailing (or e-mailing), don't bother to follow up; the recruiters will contact you if interested.
  
  
• Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Remember, relying on one recruiter to "find you a job" is a futile strategy. Instead, distribute your resume to as many recruiters as you can find who place people with your qualifications. (Recruiters DO specialize, so take the time to find the right ones.)

Working with recruiters should be just ONE of your job search strategies. Use multiple approaches to increase your chances of finding a position that meets your personal and professional goals.

About the author: Louise Kursmark