Getting the Attention of a Recruiter

One of the tenents of getting a job is to realize that it’s not about you. It is about them. You have to meet the needs of the recruiter or company you are talking with before they will want to meet your needs. Whether it’s a job fair, resume, interview, or even day to day work. Workers like to be united by a common goal, not individual agendas. That process starts in the hunt.

Job Fairs
When I do job fairs, people will come up to me and ask,” What kind of jobs do you have?” Needless to say, I am not motivated to bring them into the fold. It is an attitude of, “What will you give me?”
• Here is what I like to hear:
• “Hi, my name is ___ ___. Tell me about what your company does.”
• “Hi, my name is ___ ___. It looks like you guys are doing some interesting work. Tell me about it.”
• Show an interest in the company first, then tell them how you could add value to company.
• Recruiters want to see a confident candidate that is looking for a specific good fit, not someone that will take anything. Even if they are filling a ditch digger position, they are looking for the right fit, not just someone who will take the job.
• Be honest. – This is another tenant of job hunting that permeates the entire search process. Remember that recruiters see people on a daily basis and have interviewed hundreds if not thousands of candidates. We can usually smell out posers at 50 yards.
• Present your resume to the recruiter at the booth in paper copy, but not a reference sheet. If they want a reference sheet or examples of your work, they will ask for it later.
• Ask questions. –
• “What do you think of my resume?”
• “How do you see me fitting into your company?”
• “When will you be interviewing?”
• “What do you like about working for the company?”
• “Who is the head of the department?” (where you might work)
• “When can I expect to hear from you?”
• Listen intently to the information the recruiter provides and take notes. It shows the recruiter you have a keen interest in what they are saying and you want to make sure you have the facts straight
• Get the card of the recruiter at the booth. You may follow up the visit with a call in a few days.

Resumes (Your Advertisement)
• Resumes need to be easy to read. 5-7 second rule, bulleted lists (no long narratives)
• Five things on first page: Name, Contact info, Skills, Education, Experience
• Always truthful, but not unabridged
• Avoid: personal details (hobbies, SS#, marital status, social clubs, politics, religion, etc.)
• Don’t be afraid to be unique or funny, just not dorky
• No typos! (spelling, punctuation, grammar) Great recruiters will typically not forward a resume with errors on to their client….and they don’t have time to make the corrections themselves.

Dealing with Recruiters
• Never pay a recruiter a fee (all fees are paid by the client company)
• Know what you want, what you would be willing to work for ($), and when you can start. Identify any obstacles that could get in your way and address/resolve them early in the process.
• Always be honest about your skills, willingness to move, availability, personality
• Goal of a recruiter is to make the right fit, not to find you a job
• Great recruiters will qualify their candidates early and often.
• Worst case scenario is for the placement to crash at the 11th hour
• If immediate placement doesn’t work out but the relationship was positive, you may be called again for another job
• Follow up with your recruiter on a weekly/biweekly basis. Many times placements are made with people that are on top of the recruiters mind.
• Cooperate with your recruiter. Recruiters have specific processes they follow that you may not understand. Provide truthful answers on a timely basis and follow up immediately when contacted. This is in everyone’s best interest.