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In the current job market it’s best to keep all of your options open, including making connections with staffing and recruiting agencies. Recruiters are on the front lines of job market and are invaluable contacts. I asked a few staffing agency personnel to provide suggestions for job seekers on how to work with recruiters more efficiently, as well as common mistakes they’ve seen job seekers make.
The Panel:
Ken Winters, CEO of Staffback
Raquel Garcia, President of Silicon Valley Human Resources
Theresa Lohrbach, Recruiter for Hynes & Company
Brian Gauny, Principal for Merit Resource Group
THE MISTAKES THEY SEE
One of the most common mistakes? Typos and grammatical errors on resumes. Have a professional or two look it over before using it to represent yourself, as you only get one shot and employers are looking for a reason to narrow down the pile of 100’s of applicants. Garcia confirms, “I still see a lot of typos.” Gauny also says resumes continue to be an issue, “Re-examine your resume. Don’t inadvertently communicate just what you did, highlight the results you achieved.
Resumes also need to be laden with keywords intricately woven throughout the content in order to be found. Winters explains, “Most job seekers do not understand the importance of keywords being incorporated into their resume. Recruiters are keyword searching for candidates, just like we all keyword search on Google. If a resume isn't keyword optimized it is not showing up in the top results causing missed opportunities.”
A lot of candidates also do not take the time to properly customize their resume for each opportunity they apply to. Winters comments, “To the extent possible, they should reflect the skills and abilities the company is looking for. This is very time consuming so it is best to only invest time customizing for jobs/companies they are really are a good fit for.” Garcia adds, “Also, create a customized cover letter for each job you are applying for you so you stand out.”
SIGN UP WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES
Always sign up with as many agencies as you can find and manage your contacts at each one. It’s professional networking at its finest, because these people see the jobs that you usually won’t find elsewhere. Building a strong recruiter network is a great method to keep abreast of that hidden job market.
Lohrbach states, “Working with multiple search firms and recruiting agencies is wise as long as 1) it is not a retained search and 2) the candidate is up front with each search firm/recruiting agency that he/she is being represented by the other. Also, letting all parties know that you have been presented for an opportunity is essential as being presented more than one time for the same position can end of with a negative result for the candidate and the search firm/recruiting agency. At the end of the day, an open line of communication works best across the board.”
COMMUNICATE REGULARLY
Keep in contact with recruiters who you sign up with to build and foster strong ongoing relationships with these key people. Continue to follow up with a phone call or email. Bringing a breakfast snack to their office doesn’t hurt either of course! But remember, as Garcia warns, don’t become desperate, “In this market, it is easy for candidates to get discouraged or come across as desperate. Candidates should maintain confident and not be too overzealous when it comes to follow-up on a specific position. Send an email or leave a voicemail and leave it at that.”
Why you call is just as important as how often. Guany states, “The job seeker who calls every Monday morning to say he is still available, and then begins asking why the agency hasn't provided him a job yet will NOT be doing himself any favors. But the job seeker who checks in periodically on what networking activities she has been involved with, classes she has taken to supplement her experience, volunteer projects she has supported, and connections she has made will more likely be seen as proactive and in control of her search. These are typically qualities that most employers look for and this person will be front of mind for most recruiters.”
Lohrbach suggests, “I encourage candidates to network professionally as every contact matters. It is really appreciated when a candidate follows up with me, even if there has been little or no movement, it keeps their name fresh in my mind and enables me to refer them to fellow recruiters if an opportunity presents itself.”
Winters continues, “Offer to assist your rep with sourcing candidates for their open positions via your network. If you help source, you'll be on their "A" list and will be included for consideration when their clients have jobs you are a good fit for.” This is a great strategy to support your own network of job seekers, as well as your agency reps. Building good job search karma in this manner will keep you in the thoughts of others.
KEEP AT IT
Garcia suggests, “Executive level job seekers should be networking and leveraging relationships to land a new gig. They should also look into ways they can showcase their expertise to the business community: speaking opportunities, blogging, and writing articles.” Gauny agrees, “Networking continues to be the most important factor in a successful job search.”
Continue to build and foster relationships with agencies and recruiters, adding new contacts as often as you can find them. Finding the right fit for you may take time but it’s important to be determined and positive. Lohrbach states, “Be patient and never give up.”
Email your Job Search questions to megan.pittsley@gmail.com
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Networking ·
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