The job market is evolving alongside technology, with a competitive market of IT Service / Talent suppliers at the forefront. This change does not help simplify the job ecosystem, but only creates additional obstacles. My goal is to help individuals utilize recruiters in a helpful manner vs. being a necessary evil. I am confident that if individuals have a better understanding of the recruiting market, that they will save time, and reduce frustrations but more importantly find meaningful work.
First, you must know what you are looking for with absolute clarity (job, environment, employment package, etc). With this perspective and direct focus, the rest is all about execution. In my opinion, lack of clarity is fundamentally the most significant disconnect in the recruiting industry. Many job seekers are not confident in what they are looking for and rely on recruiters and HR departments to figure it out for them. However, many times recruiters and HR Departments lack context for what they need in an employee, creating an environment of confusion.
There are countless avenues one can explore in looking for their career or their next opportunity, but one of the most common within the Information Technology Industry is utilizing recruiters and IT Service companies. This article will explore how a job seeker can create a mutually beneficial partnership with a recruiter.
Many people do not hold recruiters in the best light, due to past experiences or second-hand stories from within their network. I am not here to tell you that you are right or wrong, but I am here to help make the engagement better for the next time and provide clarity and action items. The more job seekers understand about the recruiter relationship, the better position they will be in to think for themselves, leading to better career decisions.
As in any profession, their are different calibers of ability, and levels of professionalism. When working with a professional recruiter, it is vital to find a partner that fits you and what you are looking for. Recruiters specialize in different industries and at different levels of professionals. Its key you get along and like your recruiter. They are your representation for the opportunity. Their brand is your brand.
How to engage with a recruiter to foster a mutually beneficial relationship..
Majority of recruiter relationship begins with an email or phone call. A recruiter contacts you out of the blue for an opportunity they believe you have the potential to be a fit for based on what they found (via your resume, your professional profile, or potentially received your information from a referral). The bottom line is, you have created a level of interest. You are in control right now believe it or not. However, it’s probable that you received this call at poor time due to its randomness. In most cases, this catches you off guard and leaves you ill-prepared.
Action Plan: Reschedule the meeting for a time you can focus and take notes. Before doing so, first, find out if there even needs to be another call. Ask the recruiter a few questions to figure out if its worth anyone's time to continue the conversation. The outline below is a good place to start.
1. Recruiters full name and company: This will allow time for your due diligence on LinkedIn (or other social media platforms) to see how long the recruiter has been working in their profession, what their background is, etc. (note that all recruiters are not created equal, try to find the recruiter that is a best fit for you and what you need). It would be wise to do the same research for the company the recruiter works for as well. If the recruiter has been in their role for less than one year, you can adjust your expectations and prepare thorough questions as they are still new to the profession (this doesn’t mean they cannot be an excellent partner– I never assume that number of years’ experience alone = expertise. My suggestion would be to take the number of years’ experience for what it is. The recruiting industry takes time to understand, and many experiences before one can start to develop a methodology that works best for them.
2. Engagement: FTE vs. Contract vs. Consulting: If you are only looking for FTE opportunities, why waste your time talking about a contract opportunity. However, I would advise most to be open to contract / consulting opportunities, they are incredibly flexible and in most cases pay a premium (Plus they pay hourly). There are some downfalls to contracting doing your homework is important and understanding the terms of the contract. This is why understanding what it is you are looking for is the first step and will make this decision quite easy.
3. Who is involved?: Is this position exclusive to the recruiting firm, or are they competing against other agencies, or internal HR/talent acquisition? Is the firm working directly with the end client, or through a VMS | ATS (Vendor Management System | Applicant Tracking System) or an SI (System Integrator-such as Accenture, Dell)? The more layers you find in a process, the higher the probability that something is forgotten or missed in translation, which at times can create some headache or a lengthened timeline (at least you can prepare). More layers are not the single issue and do not always result in a poor engagement but more often than not the timeline is longer the more layers.
4. Location: Commuting can be cumbersome and the last place anyone wants to be when starting a new job, is in their car or on a train with a grueling commute each day. You would be surprised by how many people don’t take the time to research there commute.
5. How long has it been open? If the position has been open for 6+ months, and a recruiting firm has been working on it, my next question would be how many candidates have they interviewed and why they were not a fit. Its good to have context of the situation and at what point in their search you fall in.
6. What type of relationship do you have with company "XYZ"?: I think this is one of the best questions you can ask a recruiter. If the recruiter and the firm they work with having a long-standing relationship, the odds are that they know what type of talent the client needs. If a company is beginning a new relationship with a supplier, the odds are that they have worked hard to get this opportunity, and are going to be extremely picky, so don’t take it personally if they choose another candidate. Each engagement will be unique in their nature, but I am a firm believer that relationships and trust are the keys to success in the talent industry.
7. Clear Expectations and Next Steps: Too many times, recruiters and job seekers are in the grey zone or limbo when it comes to clear expectations for progress in the job search process. The process has a lot of moving parts, and there needs to be clear communication from start to finish. As the candidate, take the lead and create clear next steps and expectations. Try something like this, "I am interested in this job at XYZ and look forward to being considered for the opportunity. What are our next steps and when should our next touch point be?
In closing, the IT recruiting ecosystem is far from perfect and can be frustrating at times. The critical concept to remember is that we are all here trying our best to accomplish our purpose or life’s goal; we are indeed in this together. Sometimes by looking from a different perspective and making minor adjustments, difficult situations can become blessings, and enemies can become allies.
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