Registering with Recruiters

The Recruiting/Executive Search/ Personnel Agency industry consists of a few large multinational firms with specialist practices (more at www.kennedyinfo.com ) and untold numbers of boutique firms focusing on specific industries in local geographic markets.  Many are very small firms (less than 5 professionals) with limited advertising and no internet presence.

Most firms maintain internal databases of candidates and organizations, which is their first stop in filling any client requisition.  Each job seeker should ensure their resume is in these databases.

Many blogs talk about the perils of having several recruiters present the same candidate.  It does happen but is relativity rare.  If the client has strong interest in the specific candidate, they will resolve the issue to everyone’s satisfaction.

Most candidates do a poor job of registering with sufficient numbers of appropriate recruiters.  Remember, the recruiter can’t consider you if they don’t know who you are.

Suggestions:

•The industry directories can be found at https://www.barrettrose.com/careerhints.php.  Review the directories thoroughly and submit your resume to the firms of interest.

•Talk to your colleagues about who they would recommend.  There are many niche firms with no visibility outside of their small client base.

•Consider using a resume distribution service.  These can be found through www.google.ca.

•Customize your cover letter and resume for specific openings, if you wish.  However, submitting just your resume via each website is usually more efficient and entirely satisfactory.

•Some job seekers mail a paper resume with a handwritten cover letter, often to several consultants in the firm.  This is usually a waste of time and money.

•Do a thorough job of your resume and the online application form.  These will be viewed as reflective of the quality of your work.

Your expectations:

•Most recruiter websites have an automatic acknowledgement email.  You should expect to receive this.

•Don’t expect a follow-up telephone call.  If recruiters called to acknowledge every resume submission, they would never do anything else.

•The recruiters will contact you if you are a possible fit for their active requisitions.  If you don’t receive a call, it usually is because there are unpublished criteria (often hiring from within the client’s niche industry) or there are several other more qualified candidates.

•Remember, recruiters get paid to fill jobs!  If you are the candidate that the client has asked for, they will be quick to call.