I love it when recruiters rant. They help job seekers become better, or they tell us what our competition is doing wrong. Danielle says:
People, how many times do we have to tell you, write down the jobs you are responding to so that when I call you THE NEXT DAY or after the weekend, you know who the heck I am or can at least pretend!
Anyone know a tool that could help you track this?
Read Danielle’s entire post, and make a list of stuff you will and won’t do so that recruiters are IMPRESSED with you. Make their job easy. And don’t be lazy!
JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). Free for life with an optional upgrade.
When I got laid off I created a simple plan to land a better job quickly.
My plan failed.
What I didn’t realize is that the job search is broken, on every single level.
Job Seekers are broken because they don’t understand, and many times don’t want to understand, the process. They just want the freaking job! The problem with not understanding the process is that they then do things that seem to make sense, but really don’t.
The Recruiting world is broken. Just head over to recruiting blogs to learn about all of their issues and topics they talk about. I’d call it a mature industry, but they struggle with so many things it is clear there are still many wrinkles to iron out. And, ask any job seeker what they think of recruiters – it usually isn’t good for two reasons:
The job seeker doesn’t understand the role of a recruiter in their job search, and
The recruiter has no time to follow-up with unpromising candidates, leaving them hanging, not providing even a sentence of counseling/coaching/encouragement/feedback.
HR is broken. Why do you think every job counselor in the country says “AVOID HR!” They are a mess. I’ve worked with them, and I know they have many issues. Many times they don’t have a seat on the executive committee, and aren’t involved with strategy. They are disregarded by the strategic thinkers, and are left to do a very, very important role without being properly funded, or empowered. Also, just how much influence do they have in a hiring process? Either way too much, without the right tools, or way too little, when hiring managers go around them.
The process hiring managers follow is broken, especially evidenced when they hire based on emotional input rather than seeking out the best candidate. Their A-player employee strongly recommends someone? Go with that, instead of equally weighing out all of the strongest candidates! Yeah, that will last.
Job boards are broken. Typically, they don’t care about the job seeker, or the job search process. Job seekers are transient users who pay nothing (leeches, maybe?). They care about whoever at the hiring company is going to pay to have a job posting put up. That’s why on some job boards you get contacted by “opportunities” that have NOTHING to do with what you have on your resume.
What else… there are other aspects of the whole process of what is broken.
What does this mean?
There is PAIN for job seekers (and for everyone else involved in the hiring process). Some of it is very deep, personal pain. Other pain is just work frustration.
There are OPPORTUNITIES to fix various parts of the puzzle. I’ve seen people/companies come along that will fix a very specific issue, without really affecting the big picture, and I’ve seen people/companies try to fix the entire puzzle (which is really too big a problem to fix, imo).
Are you going to focus on the PAIN or the OPPORTUNITIES?
JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). Free for life with an optional upgrade.
I am a nut for job journals. When I speak I tell job seekers to take an entire day, go somewhere quiet (mountain?), and brainstorm past accomplishments.
I think, for multiple reasons, this is more important than spending all day on the computer.
Get away, document and brainstorm, and remember the great things you’ve ever done in your career.
Steve Levy, a recruiter in New York, recently tweeted this:
Then he followed up with this:
In JibberJobber we have a place where you can put these emails, transcribed kudos, reports, etc. and store them.
It’s all about CAREER MANAGEMENT.
Collecting this stuff helps you define your brand, and craft stories to communicate what you’ve done and why you are awesome.
As Steve says, “you don’t think you can remember all of these?”
You absolutely won’t remember all of them, especially when it most matters (in a networking setting, or in an interview).
That’s the premise of my most commented post, Depression Clouds Everything. The idea is that when your emotions get in the way, you get clouded, and can’t recall why you are awesome, or that you’ve ever done anything good in your career.
You might not use all of the stories, but just having them could really help you communicate much better, because stories back up what you say about yourself.
To get this in JibberJobber, login and then go to TOOLS, then Job Journal:
Seriously – take the time to do it and you’ll reap the benefits for many years to come!
JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). Free for life with an optional upgrade.
One of my users asked about a job as a tech recruiter so I pointed him over to a buddy of mine who is a … tech recruiter. My friend’s response was VERY interesting. I remember, in my job search, thinking that being a recruiter might be a fun and interesting job.
Consider this (slightly edited, and emphasis is mine):
Do you want to work for an agency? If so, I think __________ is hiring. _________ has a reputation for having an excellent training program as well. _________ and others are reasonable as well. _________ is one of the “boutique” agencies in the market right now and does top-notch work. Finally, you may want to talk with _______ at _______, a very good, high end tech shop. I can introduce you, if you wish.
Watch out for non-compete agreements, if you go with an agency. They are fairly standard, but be sure if you leave a company, you can still make a living… 6 month waiting period or 50 mile distance from your “home” recruiting area is what you should go for. 1yr max. More than that, and I would seriously think that company knows they will burn you out and not make you successful. Also, make sure their comp structure rewards you for performance and doesn’t cap out on you.
Good luck. It’s a crazy world out there.
Great advice… the lesson I learned from this is to ask for advice from people who are in the field you think you want to go into!
JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). Free for life with an optional upgrade.
JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). Free for life with an optional upgrade.
I think it’s intriguing to learn about what recruiters talk, and learn, about. Understanding what they are paying money for and what they are trying to incorporate into their business can help you understand how to better position yourself, whether you are in an active or passive job search.
Here’s parts of an agenda (full agenda here) from a recruiter conference… do you see a consistent theme? Browse through these and then I’ll make a conclusion at the end of the post:
Kristin Graham, VP Global Recruiting & Engagement, Expedia is going to talk about the new candidate… how the talent pool has changed since the recession. This sounds really, really interesting. She’ll talk about how to maintain credibility with different generations (including the high-tech high-touch candidates).
Stephen A. Lowisz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Qualigence will talk about a role the recruiter plays in helping the hiring manager realize what they want vs. what they can get. Interesting role I never really thought about.
Eric Winegardner, Vice President, Client Adoption, Monster.com and Marie Artim, Assistant VP of Recruiting, Enterprise Rent-A-Car will talk about the power of social media.
Shally Steckerl, EVP Arbita and Founder of JobMachine will talk about “key social media sourcing initiatives for 2010 and beyond.”
Rusty Rueff, Glassdoor.com Board Director will talk about the employment brand: Your employment brand is transparent! Yes, Really!” I hope he helps these people understand that when they treat candidates with disrespect that has a negative impact on the company.
Simon Conroy, CEO, Madgex will do a presentation called “Social Media Dreams and Digitally-enabled Fantasies.”
Traci Scovel, Sr. Program Manager, Genentech and Kasey Sixt, VP of Branding, CKR Interactive will give a presentation on getting started with social media by committing 15 minutes a day.
Gautam Godhwani, CEO and Co-Founder Simply Hired will talk about how to “prepare for the future of job search.” I bet he’ll talk a lot about Twitter and Facebook (it’s in the description).
Social Media is over 1/2 of the agenda!
This is what recruiters are scrambling to learn!
Where are you in your personal social media strategy? Are you “there?” Do you have a plan? Will these recruiters FIND YOU?
When they find you, will they be impressed and think that perhaps you are the exact person they were looking for?
Or… is it all just crickets? (that is, you aren’t there, you don’t exist)
Whether you are in a serious job search now, planning for one in the next couple of years, wanting to get promotions at your work or have your own business, I think it is time to SERIOUSLY figure out what your social marketing strategy means.
JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). Free for life with an optional upgrade.
Over the years I’ve had lunches and dinners with the two outspoken guerrilla job search experts Dave Perry and Kevin Donlin. They are so confident about their guerrilla strategies and tactics that they have taken their show on the road, even to distraught Michigan, teaching people how to do a job search differently and get real results really fast.
They also have some CD training that they practically give away (free plus S&H). I just got mine but haven’t looked at it yet.
I was on the phone with Kevin recently and my question was really about the viability of their system and advice. Is it real? Is it hype? Are they just good at marketing their well-named product, or is there really substance behind what they talk about?
That is going to be the basis of a teleseminar this Friday at noon EST (that is 10am for me, in MST. You get to do your own math to figure out what time zone you are in ).
I made it clear to Kevin, when I talked about this, that I’m skeptical. He said he’d explain why he is such a believer.
I don’t disagree that this stuff works, but I don’t know that it will work for everyone very quickly. Perhaps as the economy gets a little stronger, those who have these tactics and the guerrilla mindset will be heads-and-tails ahead of their competition… so the economy will be the catalyst to make their ideas more valid.
What do you think – real or hype?
I tell you what – jump on the call with me and Kevin Donlin and Dave Perry on Friday morning, listen for about an hour, and then you can decide on your own. You can order their almost-free DVD here, and if you like their stuff and want to move forward you can get a discount on their paid program here (I get a kickback for everyone who signs up).
To get on the call on Friday just dial in (it is not a webinar) to (605) 475-4900 and type in the code: 964394#.
JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). Free for life with an optional upgrade.
The winner of last week’s contest is … drum roll…. Shane Smith. Others had ideas for job seekers using a job board, but the question was what job boards should do differently. Runner up is CareerTiger.com founder Abhijeet.
Share a story – good or bad, funny or sad – about working with a headhunter or recruiter. One that makes you cringe or smile or something – I want to get shocked or moved.
ANSWER ON THIS BLOG – not on Twitter, or Facebook, etc.
JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). Free for life with an optional upgrade.
Here’s one of my biggest job search pet peeves: asking for a recruiter who specializes in a particular industry or location.
Perhaps you’ve gotten emails like this:
Do you know a recruiter who specializes in IT (or project management, or supply chain, etc.)?
Do you know a recruiter in Seattle (or Houston, or D.C., or Podunk, USA)?
When I get this question I cringe. Not because the job seeker is doing the wrong thing (they are just trying to get a job), but because they are barking up the wrong tree. Here’s why I say that, based on my experience and observations. I’d love to know what your experience has been…
Recruiters don’t work for you and they don’t care about you.
Really. Maybe some of them do (okay, I know some of them who do care about you, as a human being), but their job is to match a company’s needs with a candidate who fits those needs. They work for the company, not you, and when it comes down to it, they get their multi-thousand dollar commission because they placed the right person, not because they spent the time to coach all of the wrong people.
Recruiters aren’t really good at networking.
In Never Eat Alone Keith Ferrazzi includes “headhunters” as that elite group called “power connectors.” The idea is they talk to people all the time, know everyone, know what opportunities are coming up, and can likely introduce you to the person you really need to talk to.
Wrong.
My experience with most recruiters is they (a) are so busy they don’t know which way is up and which way is down, and can’t take a second to spend any real time with you, (b) are very protective of their network because this is how they make a living (protective of your peers because they might eventually place them one day; protective of company contacts because that’s how they get those big-commission opportunities in the first place – not by charitably help you, rather by signing a contract with the company so they get a piece of the pie when you are hired).
Now, I say they aren’t good at networking, but in fact they are excellent at networking as it pertains to their job. Don’t expect them to put their networking mojo on to help you figure out who you should talk to – perhaps I should say “recruiters aren’t really good at networking for you.”
When you find that right recruiter, you make THE mistake.
I bet 99% of the people do this. If you ask me for a tech recruiter in Podunk, USA, and I give you a name or send an email introduction, you do the wrong thing.
What is the wrong thing?
You become a needy job seeker, just like the other 5,000 needy job seekers in their database.
You send them a well-thought-out email that looks a lot like a cover letter, talking about all of your great strengths and accomplishments, and a resume. You have prepared hours to send this stuff, which makes you sound and look very professional, so you think.
But you look just like 80% of the rest of their candidates.
And then you don’t follow up right. You ask them a week or two later if they got your email, what did they think, and do they know of any positions open.
Here’s the problem: you are using them like a tool, and they are considering you like a candidate.
UNLESS they have a position open right then that exactly matches what you showed them, or if they can recognize some very special qualities and qualifications and know something might come up where you’ll be the perfect match, you are mentally (and virtually) filed into some “add one more to my 5,000-person database” bucket.
You have marginalized yourself because you played right into the system, instead of actually “networking” with the recruiter.
How do you get around this stuff? Realize that, as human beings, not all recruiters are the same. I’d say most that I’ve met fit into this stereotype, but there are some out there who care more about you as a human being I’ve given them credit for. I’d listen to anything that Steve Levy, Heather Gardner, Nick Corcodilos (aka, Ask the Headhunter – get on his awesome newsletter) recommends.
Here’s my advice, if you get the name of “a recruiter who specializes in….”:
NETWORK WITH THEM.
Don’t send them a resume and cover letter or intro email.
From one professional (that’s you) to another (that’s them), send them an email or make a phone call and network. Work on a long-term relationship. Nurture it. I’d start off asking them questions about their openings and how I can help them. I OFFER to make introductions to my industry peers. I bring something to them to help them do their job and get that commission. I try and become a power connector FOR them. I try to become helpful, and memorable.
Sure, they’ll know I’m looking, but I’ll stand out from the other 5,000 candidates they have in their database.
My followups won’t be “do you have anything for me yet,” or “have you heard anything at my target companies?” That is focused on me… rather my followups would be “what can I do for you, how can I help you with your current openings, what kind of professional do you want to get to know.”
Perhaps I’m way off-base on this one – what do you think?
JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). Free for life with an optional upgrade.
It is a long post but it is an eye-opener. What I’m taking away from the post is:
The recruiter is not your BFF. No matter how nice they are, they are not to be dumped on. Don’t let your hair down, don’t be overly casual with them.
When they talk with you, they are working (they are on the clock). They are evaluating you. Are you someone they can confidently take to their employer? Will you embarras them? Are you the best candidate they can find?
All of this is determined in your communications with them – make sure all of your impressions, not just your first, are strong.
JibberJobber is a powerful tool that lets you manage your career, from job search to relationship management to target company management (and much more). Free for life with an optional upgrade.
Over the years I’ve had lunches and dinners with the two outspoken 
).
