workingwithexecutiverecuiters090318

8/7/2019 workingwithexecutiverecuiters090318

1/8Page 1 Copyright 2009, TheLadders. All rights reserved.

THELADDERSeditorial teamreads all e-mailscrossing ourcustomer-servicedesk to nd the

hottest topics for job seekers. Judgingfrom those comments, few subjects

spike temperatures like communica-tions with executive recruiters.

Nobody has the professional cour-tesy to get back to me or any personsubmitting job applications, one

frustrated job seeker complained toTheLadders. The online application

goes into a black hole, never to beheard from again.

I sent an e-mail to a recruiter twoweeks ago asking for status of thatjob and still have not received a reply,

another candidate said. I nd thatvery frustrating and unprofessional.

What did you think of this package?Got a story of your own to tell? Have ideas for future coverage? Please write Editor-in-Chief Matthew Rothenberg at [email protected].

Both parties have their pet peeves with the other,

but a smooth job seeker-recruiter partnership can

lead you to a new job and the recruiter to a happyclient quite the win-win. By Elizabeth Bennett

YOU MET WITH A RECRUITER, but now shes notresponding to your e-mails. Maybe your background isperfect but you dont make it past the phone screen. How

could it be that youre not a good t when youre so

clearly made for the position?

TheLadders spoke with several current and former third-party recruiters, as well as job seekers, to learn more aboutthe nuts and bolts of working with a recruiter.

Job hunters tend to view recruiters as an unfortunate ne-

cessity in the search process, regarding them as the people

Why Employers Use Executive Recruiters Page 2

Three Lessons I Learned from Executive Recruiters

Page 4

Step-by-Step: Your Role And The Recruiters Page 6

Five Ways to Make Your Recruiters Job Easier Page 8

How to Win Jobs and Inuence RecruitersBy Matthew Rothenberg, Editor-in-Chief, TheLadders

See RECRUITERS Next Page

IN THIS PACKAGE:

The Keys to a Winning Collaboration

How to Work withExecutive Recruiters

See INFLUENCE Next Page

Harold Laslo is a stafng specialist with the Aldan Troy Group. He advises job seekers to ask how long their recruiter has worked with the hiringcompany. This speaks to how well they know what the client is looking for in a candidate.

How to Work withExecutive Recruiters
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2/8

Page 2 How to Work with Recruiters

In fact, Ive heard more than onefrustrated job seeker opine that ifthese recruiters were working forthem, theyd be red.

What are those recruiters doing withtheir time? And how can you helpthem help you?

As this report by Elizabeth Bennettdescribes, the relationship between

job seekers and recruiters can provokefrustration from both sides or leadto productive new opportunities asboth parties join forces to make a per-fect match for the hiring company.

Getting from initial inquiry to naloffer is a delicate dance with moresteps than a minuet and slam-

dancing your way past recruiters is notgoing to get results!

Even if you do all your homework,and even if you catch the eye of therecruiter, the nal decision rests withthe hiring company. Knowing whereeach partys role begins and ends is thekey to waltzing away with the job.

who dont respond and dont really know what the hiringcompany is looking for.

It turns out that many job seekers have misconceptionsabout the most basic role of a recruiter. They dont under-

stand that we dont work for them,

said Greg Bennett, a headhunter at theMergis Group in Cary, N.C. We workfor the client the hiring company.

Below are some typical scenarios inwhich job seekers may nd themselves.We asked the recruiters whats happen-ing at their end.

Scenario One: You think youre aperfect t for the position, yet therecruiter isnt responding to your

application or your follow-up calls and e-mails. Potentialred ags may include:

Youre not qualied for the job.

Like it or not, your work experience may not t the bill.It could be that the hiring company is looking for 10years of sales experience and that your 15 years in salesis not attractive. Its also possible

that you didnt read the postingclosely, or at all. When a jobseeker ignores certain stipulationssuch as a listing that requests lo-cal candidates only or has degreerequirements that dont match,it becomes evident that they areanswering postings without read-ing them, said Sherry Brickman,a partner at Martin Partners, aretained search rm in Chicago.This is a waste of time for ev-eryone involved as well as frustrat-

ing for a recruiter.Youre a good t but not an ideal t.

RECRUITERS ARE THE FIRSTline of attack almost agatekeeper, said Arthur Mandell, who

has worked with executive recruiters

to ll hundreds of positions during his25-plus years in the commercial lending

and equipment-leasing industry.

Mandell said he tends to play a veryactive role in the recruiting process. He

also leans on recruiters when evaluat-ing job candidates. I would ask themto nd out more about certain points[in their job history], how they would

benet the business, or about things intheir background I dont understand,explained Mandell, whose most recentpost was as executive vice president

and managing director of Equilease, aprivately held equipment leasing andnancing company.

Like many employers, Mandells mainconcern when hiring is that the candi-date be able to execute ideas and bring

results. To that end, he has frequentlycalled on his recruiting partners toplumb the depths of a candidates

work history. I would say, Do youknow this guy? Were they successful ornot at their last position? You try to getas much information as you can.

Having also spent time as a job seeker

Mandell is sympathetic to candidateswho resent recruiters who seem unwill-ing to espouse their application whentheir background isnt an obvious t.

Most recruiters are advocates for em-

Why Employers Use Executive Recruiters

Bennett

4RECRUITERS

Brickman

4INFLUENCE

Arthur Mandell

See EMPLOYERS Page 5


3/8

Page 3How to Work with Recruiters

[Third-party recruiting] agencies get paid a lot ofmoney to nd people that a corporation in need ofstaff cant, according to Michael Rosenberg, managerof sales, productivity and performance at TheLadders.And with a 15 to 25 percent fee going to the recruiter,corporations want to make sure they hire the exact rightperson. In plenty of cases, almost isnt good enough,especially now that recruiters are pulling from a largerapplicant pool.

Your recruiter or the hiring company isnt effectivelycommunicating the job specications.

Sometimes recruiters arent able effectively to expresswhat their client is looking for, a result of their ownlimitations or their clients lack of specicity. The largerthe organization, the more red tape there is, accordingto Rosenberg.

Your e-mail subject line could be slowing down the process.

Effective subject lines in e-mails should reference the

position youre applying for, rather than Hello or In-tro, Rosenberg said. If a recruiter is sorting throughhundreds of e-mails a day, it makes her life easier if shereceives a cue about the contents of the e-mail.

Your resume may not be conveying your story at a glance.

With so little time to devote to each resume, make iteasy for recruiters to nd what theyre looking for:your last employer and position, your tenure there, andthe three most relevant bullet points based on the jobyoure applying for. If a quick scan doesnt yield a com-pelling career narrative, Rosenberg said its possible thatyour application will never make it beyond the inbox.

Misspellings of any kind turn off some recruiters.

Typos may leave the impression that you dont pay at-tention to details. Double- and triple-check your coverletter and resume. Better still, have someone with an eyefor detail proof it.

A generic cover letter could be your undoing.

Recruiters may read the lack of specicity as lazy and/or uncaring, Rosenberg said. Tailor each letter to theparticular company, industry and position to whichyoure applying.

Superlatives may be getting in your way. For instance, calling yourself the best or greatest

CPA without supporting evidence can be perceived ascocky. It suggests the job seeker is way too sure ofhimself and may be tough to work for, Rosenbergobserved. A recruiter could build a story in their headbefore they even get you on the phone.

What can you do? Not much if youre not qualied, butapplying for a specic job and making sure that youve dottedall your Is and customized your cover letter will at leastensure youre getting the attention you deserve.

Scenario Two: You didnt make it past the recruiters

phone screener.

Your general attitude could be a mismatch with thehiring company.

For instance, your professional-yet-serious demeanormay not work in a setting where a sense of lightnessand humor is considered a priority for managers, saidHarold Laslo, a stafng specialist at the Aldan TroyGroup in New York. Dont take it personally. The lon-ger a recruiter has worked with the hiring company, thebetter hes able to evaluate your candidacy.

You didnt listen to the questions.

During phone screens and interviews, less is oftenmore. Whether the cause is nervousness, self-absorp-tion or other limitations, candidates sometimes providefar more information than a question warrants, ac-cording to Marian Rich, a recruiter with Bonell Ryan,a retained search rm in New York. Rich said she

often asks candidates to give a quick overview of theircareers, probing for details later in the process. Imalways dismayed at how many candidates launch intoan in-depth and very lengthy response, Rich said. Itcan put me off and will certainly raise the question ofwhether or not this candidate will interview well witha client.

What can you do? Follow up with the recruiter to askher why youre not a good t. She should be able to providea concrete reason. If she can do that and you trust herassessment let her know youd like to be considered forfuture positions.

Scenario Three: You met the recruiter in person, butnow he doesnt think youre right for the job.

Your work style may not be suited to the position.

For example, the recruiter may determine that youthrive in structured work settings, but the hiring com-pany is looking for someone who functions best inan unstructured environment. Once again, recruiterswho have placed candidates with the hiring companyhave a good sense of who would succeed there. It iswell within a job seekers rights to ask how long the

recruiter has worked with a certain company, said Lasloof Aldan Troy.

Your personality may not be a match for certain companyor department cultures.

For instance, you may think your ambition and assertivepersonality could only be an asset, but it could signalpotential challenges at some rms. If a candidatehas career aspirations and I pick up that they may nothave patience before they see advancement or will be

See `WEB Next P

See RECRUITERS Page 8


4/8


Three Lessons I Learned from

Executive Recruiters

By John OConnor

YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS SCENE from the 1946 lmof Its a Wonderful Life. Cast me as George Bailey,

and cast Mr. Potter as the executive recruiter. This is how Ifelt when I met with executive recruiters early in my career.

POTTERS OFFICE DAYTIME

CLOSE SHOT

Potter is lighting a big cigar, which he

has just given George. The goon is be-

side Potters chair, as usual.

GEORGE

Thank you, sir. Quite a cigar, Mr. Pot-ter.

POTTER

You like it? Ill send you a box.

GEORGE

(nervously)

Well, I... I suppose Ill fnd out sooner

or later, but just what exactly did you

want to see me about?

POTTER

(laughs)

George, now thats just what I like so

much about you.

(pleasantly and smoothly)

George, Im an old man, and most people

hate me. But I dont like them either,

so that makes it all even. You know just

as well as I do that I run practically

everything in this town but the Bai-

ley Building and Loan. You know, also,

that or a number o years Ive been

trying to get control o it... or kill

it. But I havent been able to do it.You have been stopping me. In act, you

have beaten me, George, and as anyone

in this county can tell you, that takes

some doing. Take during the Depression,

or instance. You and I were the only

ones that kept our heads. You saved the

Building and Loan, and I saved all the

rest.

The lesson of the story? In a tough economy, keep yourhead, and keep your senses about you. Go back to the basics

of how to work with executive recruiters. Executive recruitersare good coaches not careless and callous like Mr. Potter but they taught me tough lessons.

In my early days, I would sit in front of executive recruit-ers, in their really small chairs, and advocate for my clients.When they would pull out the stacks of resumes and showme that not one person made their business, it made me very

uncomfortable. Most job seekers feel powerless when dealingwith executive recruiters. Perhaps several of my early worklifelessons will help you understand the reality behind how theywork and what they do.

Know your terms.

If youre working with a recruiter, you need to know if theyare in house or third-party. Are you familiar with the termsrecruiter, executive recruiter and the slang term head-hunter?

Recruiter is a general term that can refer either to an in-house recruiter or a third-party retained or contingency

recruiter (headhunter). Executive recruiters are often on staffand in house at the company you want to work for. Thenthere are cases where an executive recruiter may not be inhouse, but has a contingency relationship with that companyto provide qualied candidates for potential hiring. You mayalso be working with retained recruiters. Retained recruitersgenerally get paid their fee regardless of whether or not thecompany makes the hire. Contingency recruiters, however, arepaid based upon performance.

Here is how the Association of Executive Search Consul-tants (AESC), a New York-based trade group for retainedsearch rms, denes the difference between the two compen-

sation arrangements:Contingency recruiting is often used for:

Less than $100K+ salaries, though there are exceptions

Positions which have many qualied candidates

Filling multiple vacancies with similar candidates

Hiring organizations that want more involvement inscreening, interviewing and negotiating

Retained rms are often used for:

$100K+ salaries

Highly unique or specialized candidate sourcing Hiring organizations that want a third party to screen

and interview candidates

Retained recruiters often have been partially compensatedand have already been paid to do part of the search. Theseretained searches have been given to the retained rm so thatthe recruiter can have an exclusive, with no competition fromother recruiting rms. Retained searches allow third-partyrecruiters to retain exclusive rights to nd the right person.


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ployers, so if an employer has said they want someone with15 years of experience and someone comes along with the

right experience over a different number of years, theyre notnecessarily going to ght that battle. And these days, he ob-served, with so many people in the applicant pool, companiesare in the position to be even more choosy than in the past.

Mandell is currently working with recruiters on his ownemployment search, and his years of experience on the otherend of the process have provided some useful insights. Jobseekers can blame recruiters for not being able to commu-

nicate the position requirements, but the burden is with theemployers senior hiring manager and the degree to which hehas shared his vision with the recruiter, Mandell told The-Ladders. Sometimes the recruiter is just the messenger.

Build your relationship before you need it.

George Bailey ended up in Mr. Potters ofce in his hour ofdesperation. Hopefully, you dont send unsolicited resumesor, worse, show up in an executive recruiters ofce in yourgreatest time of need when you needa job. In my earlyexperience I would send unsolicited resumes, and I quicklylearned a key lesson: Recruiters place people, they dont

nd jobs.

A recruiter may dispense job-search advice, but most of hertime is spent nding the right t for the client, the employer.Approaching an executive recruiter with the right expecta-tions is a major factor in how successful your relationship willbe. Its wisest to step back and take the long-term view ofyour relationship with a recruiter.

You should make your rst contact with a recruiter longbefore you are in desperate need of anew job. Think of it as a networkingrelationship in which you have a relaxedgive-and-take rapport and informationsharing. A good recruiter will always beinterested in good leads and informa-tion. Depending on how comfortablehe is with you, he may even be able togive you advice on ways to improve yourchances for job placement in the future such as what specic accomplish-ments in your current job will make youmore attractive to potential employers.

In turn, you should be helpful to the recruiter by providinggood job prospects for him. This doesnt mean just throwingnames at him but offering up substantial information that will

be helpful. Remember that the executive recruiter is essential-ly working for the client company and hes often workingon multiple placements at any given time. If youre not onhis radar screen when the job youd be qualied for comesup, then youll have missed your chance. The best way to stayon his radar screen is to offer assistance without expectinganything in return.

Dont be a wandering generality.

I remember telling an executive recruiter how great oneof my clients was and how this person could help his rmdrive revenue and reduce costs. He let me rattle on for about

10 minutes before he cut in, John, I dont recruit for medi-cal sales positions. I recruit for physicians who want to gofrom private practice or related work to the CROs (ContractResearch Organizations).

I only thought that his rm worked with sales people.

He went on to explain, I dont get paid until I nd an exact

match for one of these positions, and I dont work with, talkto or do much of anything else as it relates to recruiting.This lesson taught me that some recruiters must specialize invery restricted niches. When working with highly focused re-cruiters, its important quickly to identify what theyre lookingfor and convey specic achievements. Key questions to askspecialized recruiters are:

Do you or any of the recruiters at your rm specializein placing people like me and my specic background?

Who at your rm knows if I wouldbe a good candidate to be placed?

How can I study your most recentopportunities so that I know I am agood candidate for your rm to place?

Prepare resumes professionally andcarefully, and go into any interview,including interviews with third-partyrecruiters, with intelligent, cogent ques-tions.

Dont be intimidated by executive recruiters. They dont runthe town and are not the only hiring authorities. They can,however, be an important part of your search process. Gethelp in identifying them, how they work, and how they can

help you. Make sure you speak to them and nd out theirniche, and how you can help them. While they ultimatelywork for the client company, they also have a vested interestin helping you.

John M. OConnor, MFA, is the president of Career Pro of NC Inc., acomprehensive career services organization specializing in executive outplace-

ment, corporate outplacement, federal/military career transition and consulting.He was appointed to the board of directors (2006) for Raleigh-Wake HumanResources Management Association (RWHRMA.org). He is also a certifed

career coach (CECC), certifed resume writer (CRW) and credentialed career

master (CCM).

Recruiters placepeople, theydont nd jobs.

4EMPLOYERS


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Recruiter works closely with the hiring company

to shape a specific and accurate job description

Your Role And The Recruiters

Job seeker submits resume

Recruiter evaluates application and possibly

discusses job seekers resume with

hiring company

Job seekers role: Follow directions, tailor your

cover letter and make sure it is typo-free. If youre

sending your resume by e-mail, use a subject line

that includes the position for which youre applying.

Dont apply for a job for which you know youre not

qualified. Call to make sure the recruiter received

your resume, but dont try to sell yourself during thatconversation.

Recruiters role: She may call or send an

automated reply, but courtesy calls are rare in

recruiting. If she thinks youre potentially a good fit,

shell be in touch. If not, she wont have the time

because shes sorting through hundreds of other

applications.

Phone Interview

Job seekers role: Learn as much as you can

about the job. Present yourself in the best possible

light. Be forthcoming. Answer questions directly,and avoid longwinded explanations. Make sure the

recruiter leaves the conversation with a meaningful

sense of what you would bring to the position.

Recruiters role: Clarify work history. Evaluate

general attitude and screen for cultural fit. Possibly

confirm compensation requirements.

In-person meeting with recruiter

Job seekers role: Prove that youre a polished

professional with the talent and skill set required.

Answer questions with care, keeping in mind that the

recruiter can help you get to the next step. If youredismissive or cavalier, the recruiter may not want to risk

introducing you to the hiring company.

Recruiters role: Learn more about whats not in a resume

or cover letter, e.g. personality quirks and work style.

Determine that everything in resume is legitimate and

factual. Communicate to candidate how he could improveinterview performance.

Prep for interview with hiring company

Recruiters and job seekers each have roles to play every step of the way. Make sure you do your part.


7/8


Hiring company discusses job seekerswith recruiter

Job seekers role: Do not disappear. If you

dont get in touch quickly, it may give the

impression of disinterest, regardless of the

circumstances. At every touch point, you

should remind the recruiter of how reliableyou are. If youre absolutely not interested in

the position and wouldnt consider accepting

an offer, dont say that you are.

No offer

Job seekers role: Accept feedback graciously.

Dont be irrational or belligerent. Find out more

about why you werent a match. If the recruiter isntbeing specific, ask for more information. It could be

that the company is being reticent.

Interview with client

Recruiter and job seeker talk post-interview

Offer

Recruiters role: Provide specific reasons why the

company didnt think job seeker was a good fit.

Job seekers role: Gather as much information as

possible about compensation, bonus structure and

benefits. Respond as quickly as possible without

rushing the decision.

Recruiters role: Communicate terms of offer and

compensation information. Some hiring companies

prefer to discuss salary and other components of

the package directly with the job seeker. Gauge job

seekers level of interest and acceptable compen-

sation range.

Prep for interview with hiring company

Job seekers role: Gather as much information aspossible about what the hiring manager is looking for,

who youll be meeting with and potential questions he

might ask.

Recruiters role: Help candidate understand what she can

expect from the interview, including who they will be

meeting with and what they should emphasize with certain

interviewers. Good recruiters will relay obstacles that past

candidates encountered when interviewing at the

hiring company.


8/8


1. Dont try to be a square peg in a round hole. If thehiring company is looking for a candidate with 10 years ofexperience in small companies, dont act as if your 20 years atlarge companies isnt right there on paper. Candidates need

to know that nothing would make us happier than saying,Yes, this is a good t, said Marian Rich of Bonell Ryan.But our clients pay us to bring candidates who most closelyalign with their ideal prole.

2. Dont be cagey about compensation. The rst questionthat hiring managers tend to ask recruiters is how much thejob seeker is earning, Rich said. So when candidates hesitateto disclose their compensation or instead inquire about whatthe prospective job would pay, Rich takes pause, wonderingwhy the candidate is not forthcoming. It is always better togive us the information that we need to represent anyoneto our clients and to be as honest as possible around issuesconcerning compensation, Rich explained.

3. Establish an understanding about phone calls ande-mails. If your every phone call is not promptly returned,it could be that the recruiter is extremely busy or that yourbackground wont help him ll an immediate position. Whileyou may disagree, sending frequent or belligerent e-mailswont change his mind and may make him not want to work

with you on future positions. Everynow and then I get a nasty e-mailthat will say, This is the third timeIve sent you my resume and youre

not even bothering to respond, said Frank Laux, president of Strate-gic Search Partners in Keller, Texas.But they didnt understand thatthey werent qualied for anything Ihad.

4. After your interview with the hiring company, con-tact your recruiter right away. You may be busy or feel likethe interview was lousy, but its still your responsibility to letthe recruiter know how it went. It could be that the hiringcompany wants quickly to schedule another interview. Thelack of follow-up may show a level of disinterest, whichisnt always the case, noted Harold Laslo of the Aldan TroyGroup in New York.

5. Refer talented friends and colleagues to your recruiter.It could only work to your advantage to recommend talentedpeople to your recruiter(s), even for a role that you wantedbut werent qualied to perform. Your recruiter will appreci-ate the help and he may return the favor in the future.

Five Ways to Make Your Recruiters Job EasierHeres a short list of tactics to make the recruiters life easier and increase your chances of landing that job.

Laux

badgering HR in regards to advancement, they may not

be right for certain companies, Laslo said, adding thatsmall companies tend to be more focused on personal-ity than large ones.

What can you do? Talk to your recruiter and nd outexactly why youre no longer in the running. Gather as muchinformation as you can and ask if theres anything about yourpersonal performance that you could improve.

Scenario Four: The recruiter is being vague about why

the hiring company doesnt want to proceed with your

application.

She may not have all the information.

Recruiters agree that at each point in the application

process your recruiter should be able to cite specicreasons why she (or the hiring company) doesnt thinkyoure a suitable candidate for the job. But recruitersdont always have that information if the hiring com-pany is reticent to disclose it for legal or other reasons,said Rosenberg.

She may be reluctant to talk about personal quirks.

If the hiring company is troubled by your lack of per-sonal hygiene, for example, the recruiter may withholdthe information if she thinks its not constructive.

What can you do? Strike a friendly tone when probing

for details. Help the recruiter understand that you value hisfeedback and would appreciate any information hes able tosupply.

4RECRUITERS

How to Work with a Recruiter

Recruiter Relationships: Job Search Essentials

Working with a Recruiter in a Buyers Market

Credibility with Your Recruiter
http://www.theladders.com/career-advice/strategies-interviewing-recruitershttp://www.theladders.com/career-advice/recruiter-relationships-essentialshttp://www.theladders.com/career-advice/recruiter-relationships-tighter-employmenthttp://www.theladders.com/career-advice/job-candidate-credibilityhttp://www.theladders.com/career-advice/job-candidate-credibilityhttp://www.theladders.com/career-advice/recruiter-relationships-tighter-employmenthttp://www.theladders.com/career-advice/recruiter-relationships-essentialshttp://www.theladders.com/career-advice/strategies-interviewing-recruiters

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workingwithexecutiverecuiters090318