Pros and Cons of Working With a Recruiter

College students who use recruiters during a job search might feel as if these specialists are a blessing and detriment. Recruiting agencies have connections to real-world employers, which is helpful for college students trying to get their name out into the professional world. However, there are also some reasons why using a recruiter is not always the right option.

The Good

Using a recruiter to kick start your job search has a few advantages, but only if you find an effective recruiter. The best recruiters come to college campus events ready and willing to talk to undergraduate students and recent graduates. These recruiters offer internships, and they come armed with knowledge about current job openings. Good recruiters have information that can help you start your professional career, even if you don't have much work experience.

How Recruiters Work

Companies use recruiters to assist them with finding the right person for a particular position. Despite the availability of online networking platforms such as LinkedIn, recruiting agencies are valuable because they put a human touch to the task of matching the right person with the right employer. Recruiters play an important role in the professional world, but not every recruiter is ideal for college campus events.

The Bad

Some college graduates frown on the idea of using a recruiter during a job search. Perhaps the biggest problem is a lack of transparency. Recruiters might not have time to call back candidates who didn't make the cut. Some recruiters even lie to recent college graduates about the reasons why they did not land a job. Recruiters might fail to thoroughly review an applicant's information to determine if they fit the criteria for a job opening, leaving the applicants open to rejection from employers. All of these issues might make some job seekers think all recruiters are bad, which is not the case.

Millennials often choose to network on their own throughout the job search process, which could limit their job opportunities. Younger workers might think recruiters are only willing to help applicants seeking prestigious jobs in popular fields. However, a wide range of companies use recruiters to help them fill a large swath of job openings. College students could have a misconception that recruiters are only out to better themselves. Typically, a recruiter makes 15 to 30 percent of a successful hire's starting salary as a payment. Therefore, it would follow that recruiters only go after the highest-paying and absolute best candidates.

Getting past any reservations you have about talking to recruiters may take some time. Despite any negative perceptions you have about these agencies, recruiters are vital in the professional world and can greatly enhance your job search efforts, especially in today's contemporary job market.

Photo courtesy of Harvey Harmon at Flickr.com