Peter K. Studner Associates, Inc.
Copyrighted © Peter K. Studner 1989-2006
Dealing with Recruiters!
When they call! |
1 . Find out if they are working on a retained or contingency assignment. This is important and concerns whether they have exclusivity on the search or are one of many recruiters.
2 . If contingency - control the distribution of your resume. Get them to give you the name of who they want to send it to. Not vice versa. You do not want to have recruiters do a global mailing of your resume to their list of prospects.
3 . Find out if the search is old or new. If it is old, have they proposed candidates that were unacceptable? Get details. The older searches mean that either the company has not decided fully on the specifications or the recruiter has not been able to satisfy the company’s needs.
4 . Ask for a job description in writing. You need to know exactly what the company is looking for.
5 . Request the name of the company and location. Working in the blind does not help you with your decision to go forward with any introduction.
6 . Reveal your total salary package (to recruiters only).
7 . Ask for salary range, but do not give an opinion.
8 . If they request another resume, e-mail it to the recruiter followed by a fax or mailed hardcopy and cover letter.
9 . Ask about the next step. Can they arrange for you to meet the client? How long should this take? Try to get a meeting with the recruiter.
10 . Get the name of the decider inside the company – usually the person who you would be working for.
11. If this recruiter was not on your original mailing list, be sure to verify if they charge anything for their services. Sometimes recruiters pass resumes to non-recruiting firms who try to sell candidates services. This is rare, but we have seen this happen several times.
For more information on dealing with recruiters, consult Super•Job•Search. It is important that you understand how recruiters work and what they can and cannot do for you. Most importantly, remember that recruiters are paid by the recruiting company to find the most qualified candidate.
