Know someone on the inside by working with a recruiter

You’re networking to build new contacts, working the contacts you already have and, of course, applying to jobs you’ve found online. But, none of these tactics seems to produce results. Perhaps it’s time to think outside the box a bit further and work with a recruiter.

“From a candidate’s perspective, using a professional recruiter can be very beneficial,” said Christine Bolzan, founder of Graduate Career Coaching. “The recruiter most likely will have a long-standing relationship with the firm and be able to share their insight, company research and experiences with the interviewers and hiring process. The recruiter will act as your advocate and speak to the hiring manager on your behalf, answering any questions about your candidacy and resume. For first-time job applicants, it is like having a personal guide along the way, and should things get challenging—like negotiating salary or benefits—having a recruiter in your corner is a big plus.”

To give you a more in-depth perspective, I interviewed Lynne Johnson, a recruiter who works with entry-level computer science candidates at J Black Associates.

Heather Huhman: For those who don't know, what does a recruiter do?

Lynne Johnson: A recruiter finds the right people to fill jobs at a company. They identify opportunities in the marketplace and find candidates with specific skill sets that match the requirements of the job.

HH: How should pending/recent graduates find recruiters who specialize in placing entry-level professionals?

LJ: One option is to work with a career coach—they can help identify recruiters. Also, utilize social networking tools like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Some recruiters—myself included—use those tools to post jobs they are trying to fill.

HH: To make a good first impression, how do you recommend pending/recent graduates approach recruiters?

LJ: Call or e-mail them stating what you are looking for and include a copy of your résumé. Don’t tell them they can find your résumé by following a link to somewhere it’s posted online. Be sure that your social networking sites of choice reflect a good professional business image for your recruiter and/or potential employer. Be careful what you post out there—remember, anyone can see it.

HH: After initial contact with a recruiter, what should pending/recent graduates expect?

LJ: In the simplest terms, it is a six-step process.

A phone interview with the candidate to understand their skills/experience level and what type of job they’re looking for
Review the candidate’s résumé to ensure it emphasizes their skill set and work experience
Find opportunities to match their skill set
Prepare them for the interview by explaining the company and job requirements
Follow-up after the interview and give them feedback
When the job offer is presented, help them understand all of the elements

HH: What will the recruiter expect of the pending/recent graduate?

LJ: Honesty, listening skills, professionalism, doing their homework when they’re preparing to go into a company for an interview, feedback after the interview and good communication with the recruiter and the potential employer.

HH: In this economy, have you noticed an increase in pending/recent graduates turning to recruiters? Why or why not?

LJ: Personally, I have not. I think in the past between campus career centers and job fairs it wasn’t necessary to have someone to work with on finding a job out of school.

HH: What about campus career centers?

LJ: I have found that the career centers are being very responsive to my calls into them. They send me the information I need to post my job and some give me access to the résumés that their students are posting.

HH: Is there anything else you would like to add?

LJ: First, keep in mind that most recruiters work for the hiring company. They are the ones paying the bill. It’s very important to pass muster with the recruiter because they are the people who will present you to the company. They know what the company is looking for skill set-wise as well as culture-wise. They will work diligently with you to make sure you have the information you need and you present yourself well. There is a lot of competition out there right now and a recruiter will be able to get you to a “person” in a company as opposed to having your résumé fall into some “black hole” with the 100’s of others.

In the economy that we’re currently in, I think it’s very important for someone who is trying to enter the job market talk to people who can help them out, like career coaches, their career centers on campus and recruiters. There are jobs out there, and the more you network with the “right” people the easier it will be to find them.