TechCareers talked with three expert executive recruiters at top staffing agencies on best practices in developing a rewarding relationship with a job recruiter.
Participating in the discussion, and providing their feedback are Ray Brown, a senior technical/engineering recruiter with
Volt Technical Resources; Heidi Golledge, executive vice president at
Cybercoders, and Chris Gibbons, president/IT staffing consultant with
Dunhill Professional Search in Wilmington NC.
What does a job seeker need to know to ensure that the job search collaboration effort goes smoothly?
Heidi Golledge, executive vice president with CyberCoders:
A candidate must realize that a recruiter wants to find them the best possible job and highest offer. They simply need to be upfront with the recruiter about their current and desired salary and reason for leaving their current company.
Ray Brown, a senior technical/engineering recruiter with Volt Technical Resources:
I think a lot of it boils down to open communication. It's important for the candidate to ask questions, like how a particular staffing firm or recruiter prefers to work. Everyone is going to be different. I also think the candidate needs to communicate clearly about what it is they are looking for, from the salary to the type of job/culture they are interested in. Another important thing the candidate should communicate is just how flexible they can be in those areas. Once the job seeker has articulated these things and the agency/recruiter fully understand the candidates needs/wants, the collaboration between the two will work much more smoothly.
Chris Gibbons, president/IT staffing consultant, Dunhill Professional Search Wilmington NC.:
You should contact a staffing company early in your search or even when you are only "thinking" about making a change. Do not withhold information. Be upfront about your expectations, salary requirements, timeframe, etc. as well as any companies that you may have already contacted on your own or through your personal contacts. You may also want to mention a few companies that you'd love to work for and why.
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A job seeker expects an agency to help them find a job, but what does an agency expect from the job seeker during the search effort?
Heidi Golledge, executive vice president at CyberCoders:
A strong resume highlighting their career in a short and concise manner. Communication is key, and if the job seeker decides a job is not for them, letting the recruiter know immediately so they can find them something else they can consider is critical.
Ray Brown, a senior technical/engineering recruiter with Volt Technical Resources:
One of the most important things we want to achieve with each job seeker is the understanding that we have a customer that we are trying to keep satisfied while also making the best possible placement for our candidates. Our customers are very specific about their needs and wants in potential employees. I think that sometimes there is a frustration from the candidate side when they feel they are a close fit for a position, or they are "more than qualified," and they aren't asked for an interview. For example, candidates get very tired of hearing that they are "overqualified" for a position. On the other side, our customers want to feel a sense of security that the candidate will be there throughout the project and not leave in the middle when they find another opportunity that is a more solid match for that candidate's skill set.
Chris Gibbons, president/IT staffing consultant, Dunhill Professional Search Wilmington NC.:
Communication. Nothing drives me more crazy than when I can't reach a candidate that I've been working with or when they suddenly tell me that they've accepted another job that they hadn't even told me they were interviewing for.
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