I need the name of a good recruiter. Who should I call?

Recruiters aren’t for everyone. What’s your situation? Why would you like to engage their services?

I’ve been out of work for a while, and I’m not real good at finding a job. I figure headhunters know the market better than I do, so I want to hire one to do the search for me.

Can you tell me how much they charge, who’s good and what’s the difference between a head-hunter, a recruiter and an employment agency? And do I need a contingency search or a retained search? What should I be asking for?”

Let’s start with the basics. Companies engage recruiters, retained or contingent, when the job candidates being sought are considered expert in their respective fields, are hard to find and often hard to convince that a move is in their best interest.  Recruiters are compensated contingent upon finding candidates who are subsequently hired, or, in the case of retained search, are compensated for conducting the search and if successful, for securing candidates who subsequently accept the positions offered.

So if companies pay recruiters, and I’m not a company, how do I hire one?

You don’t.

Whoa.  I know people who found jobs using recruiters. How does that work?

If your background is sufficiently compelling to get the attention of a recruiter, that recruiter is likely to present you to a client company for whom they are currently conducting a contingency or retained search.

How do I get to be ‘compelling?’

Attractive candidates have a track record of increasing responsibility, accountability and achievement. They have either stayed with one industry and  attained a level of expertise such that they stand out when compared to others of like experience; have led companies through major transitions such as mergers, buy-outs, turn-arounds; and/or have specialized, break-through experience that is highly touted and sought by competing companies/industries/organizations.

I’m more of a garden variety employee. good but not that good. I’m dependable but not indispensable. If I can’t get a head hunter to work with me, who’s going to help me get a job? Should I call an employment agency? What do they do?

Recruiters (aka head hunters), staffing agencies, employment agencies are all in business to fulfill the needs of their client companies. If these ‘fulfillers’ have a requisition for a job opening and your background is a match, your references check out, and your interview with the company is the best of the lot, you get the nod. If not, you won’t.

Securing third party assistance is one of several ways to conduct a search, it is not the only way. Bottom line, no one cares as much about finding a job for you as you do. No one knows you as well, can present you as well, or compete as effectively when you are fully engaged and fully committed to getting hired.

Rather than defer your search to others, involve others in your search. Believe in yourself and focus your attention and energy on finding that job.