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Encouraging Recruiter Call-Backs

As some of you already know, I am an AMAConnect brand ambassador – it’s a private social network hosted by the American Marketing Association and I help manage the Career channel. Recently a fellow member posted this question:

“I am truly curious about how often recruiters will reach out to a past candidate that impressed them for an altogether different position.  I really like the idea that every interview is an opportunity to connect with someone, for some undefined possible reason down the road.  My question is: how common is this?  Do recruiters make a habit of this?”

To get to scoop, I posed the question to several of my recruiter contacts and here’s what I learned:

Susan Rosenstein, President, Susan Rosenstein Executive Search Ltd.
For candidates, it is important to build and maintain relationships with recruiters. To stay “top of mind” with recruiters, candidates should:

• Notify recruiters of job changes, promotions, changes in assignments, change in contact information
• If in transition, periodically let recruiters know what you are doing; when you land a new job, let them know where you are going
• Offer to be a resource for recruiters’ searches

Jessica Morgan, Senor Recruiter, WheelHouse Resource Partners
In my experience previous candidates are the best resource that I can tap into. Often times when I follow up with them they have become passive candidates which clients are excited about because it means we are sending them a candidate they can’t go and find on a job board. Even if the previous candidates aren’t interested in an opportunity I have, they may have a referral. I have had previous candidates send me referrals unsolicited, provide insight into a position I am working on and even help when I had a technical issue simply because we established a great rapport. It’s a network within my network and it’s invaluable to me. I believe this type of networking is becoming more and more important as candidates are moving away from job boards.

Nicki Perchik, Executive Recruiter, The NLP Group
I love being able to reach out to people I’ve talked to in the past. I often find that many of the candidates I work with today were people I met long ago but stay connected to over the years. If someone impresses me, it is not uncommon for me to call or email them about other opportunities in the future.  That is why it is so important for both parties (recruiters included) to make each interaction a positive one.  The best ways to stay top of mind are:

#1. When contacting a recruiter, always remind them who you are, when you last connected, and what position you are looking for. In addition, ask if you can help (see point #2.)

#2.  Offer to help the recruiter with their open searches.  Say something like, “If I can point any great professionals your way, I’m happy to help.” People like to help people who help them.  Candidates who help me by referring me to other candidates stand out, and that makes me want to help them in return.

Scott Esposito, Managing Director, Horton International
We frequently run across talented executives who are not interested at the time we contact them or simply do not line up well with the position requirements resulting in “great candidates without the right clients”. Since our business is built on networking, contacts and relationships we naturally stay connected with those who excel at what they do and compete at a high level. I personally maintain an on-going dialogue with them, not only sharing searches I have that might be of interests, but referring them to other recruiters who have searches matching their career goals. These candidates serve as great resources for us as they will often identify and refer colleagues for positions and also share their personal knowledge about customers, products and markets. This quid pro quo forms the basis for a rewarding symbiotic relationship.

Lynn Hazan, President, Lynn Hazan & Associates
Since I work with thousands of candidates, I may not have the time, especially when I am on deadline, to contact each candidate individually.  We encourage candidates to call to follow up and sadly very few candidates follow that directive.  The ones who do get preferential treatment.  We don’t place resumes; we place exceptional talent.   We evaluate each candidate according to client specs, talent, culture and overall fit.  Candidates who take charge of their own destiny tend to fare better than candidates who expect recruiters to call them about each job.  Recruiters  are paid by clients who tend to have very exact needs. The better the candidate match, the more successful the placement.

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Tips For Working With Recruiters

For this week’s post I interviewed Susan Rosenstein, President of Susan Rosenstein Executive Search Limited, a boutique search firm focusing on the recruitment of middle to senior level executives in the functional areas of marketing, integrated marketing communications, digital marketing/social media, consumer insights, marketing research, shopper marketing and sales. While you may not be looking for a marketing job, you can learn a great deal from Susan about how to best work with recruiters:

Q: Susan, what advice do you have for recent grads just starting their career?

A. Build relationships early in your career. Don’t wait until you need to look for a job. Consider it part of your career planning. Think long-term.

Q. What is the best way to find a qualified recruiter that specializes in a particular niche?

• Ask your colleagues for recommendations
• Search LinkedIn on keywords in your industry along with the word “recruiter.”  Recruiters often work nationwide, so don’t limit yourself to your backyard
• Explore industry associations. For example, marketers should consider the American Marketing Association. Recruiters with similar interests are likely to also be members.
• Don’t forget alumni websites and your school’s LinkedIn groups where recruiters often post jobs.

Once you have gathered a few names, do your homework. Visit recruiter’s websites to determine if they specialize in your functional area(s) of interest, level of experience and geographical preference. Understand how the recruiter works with his/her clients, e.g. retained, contingency, or “container”, a hybrid model.

Q. What are your top tips to successfully work with a recruiter?

1. Introduce yourself via email and attach a copy of your resume. Briefly describe your qualifications and the type of work you’re seeking and request a phone meeting to explore if you’re a good match for their practice.
2. Be prepared and organized for your call. Managing your career is first a “thinking” exercise, then comes the “doing”. Be prepared with a target list of companies including industry, culture, size, salary, geographic preference and any other important parameters. Create a vivid picture for the recruiter of your dream job.
3. Be respectful of the recruiter’s time. Ask how they prefer to work, for example, how often should you provide updates, and what is the best mode of communication (email, phone, social media).
4. Recruiters may not meet with you until they have a search that fits your background. When you do meet, remember that you have to “sell” the recruiter first, and only then will they feel comfortable “selling” you to their client! Help the recruiter see your personality and presence. The success of this meeting may be the deciding point of whether they send you for an interview or not!
5. If you are able, offer to be a resource for the recruiter for any current or future searches. Being a valuable resource is a great way to stay top of mind.

Q. What are some ways candidates can stay connected in between opportunities?

• LinkedIn. This allows the recruiter to tap into your connections and vice versa. Be judicious in asking the recruiter to introduce you to their connections. Many of their connections are candidates and clients who they may not feel comfortable contacting.
• Facebook and Twitter – be a fan, be a follower.
• Email. Send updates when you have career news – a promotion, change in responsibility, updated contact information, or a new assignment. It not only keeps you top of mind but also helps us keep our candidate database current. If you are in transition, send periodic updates to let the recruiter know you are still looking and include any recent consulting assignments completed or interviews you’ve had, even if they did not result in a job offer.

You’ll find more advice on working with recruiters in an earlier blog. Have a specific question for Susan? She’s on Twitter at @susanrosenstein.  And if you’d like to submit a question or suggestion for a future post, leave us a comment here!

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Reaching Out To Recruiters: 5 Questions To Ask Yourself First

I’m working on my next column for the American Marketing Association and it’s about working with recruiters. I recently spoke to Nicki Perchik, Executive Recruiter and the Founder and CEO of The NLP Group who says one of her worst pet peeves is when candidates submit their credentials with a vague introduction such as, “Attached is my cover letter and resume, please review and let me know if you have anything.”

Before you send any more email to a recruiter, ask yourself these 5 questions:

1. Does this recruiter know anything about me or am I just another nameless candidate?
2. How can I catch his or her attention quickly?
3. What can I say in my email to help make his or her job easier?
4. What 2-3 things do I want this recruiter to know about my skills and credentials?
5. What action do I hope will happen as a result of this email?

A letter to a recruiter should be highly personalized. It should be actionable. It should make his or her job easy – you want them to help you right? And it should have a clearly defined next step. Remember a job search is not unlike a marketing campaign… the product is YOU!

For example, let’s say you want a job in web development. To simply tell a recruiter that you build websites is like saying you’re a box of cereal. Are you filled with fiber, topped with berries, a crunchy granola blend, or good for the heart? In other words, what kind of websites do you build, and how?

Nicki suggests that instead of attaching your cover letter, you make it the body of your email instead – it’s just one less thing for the recruiter to open! Next she strongly encourages you to tailor your letter to the recipient. Do your homework. Check out the company website, any Twitter feeds and don’t forget the recruiter’s LinkedIn profile too! If you are inquiring about a specific job, let them know where you read about it. If you are just introducing yourself, include your top-level “positioning” – who you are, what you do and what makes you special.

It’s important that you make a strong first impression. Appear thorough, diligent, professional and savvy – after all, those are the very qualities the recruiter’s clients want to see!

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Camouflaging Gaps In Your Resume

A reader recently wrote me to ask this question: How can I camouflage gaps in my resume?

My answer may surprise you. I don’t believe you need to hide anything. Misrepresenting your employment can lead to termination. Instead, be prepared to explain each gap and how you used the downtime constructively. Did you take a class, travel, or tackle a project in your home? Spin it in a positive light but don’t fudge your employment dates.

Two more readers posed equally perplexing questions:

• Does overselling yourself in an interview hurt or help in the long run?
• How often should I follow up if a recruiter stops responding to me?

Get my answers to both of these questions in my new article, “Your Questions and My Opinions: Ready, Set, Go” posted in the  Market My Career resource library. While you’re there, browse our other articles on networking, social media, interviewing and more!

Have a question you’d like answered? Respond to this post or send a note to info@marketmycareer.com.

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Will LinkedIn Replace Your Resume?

Yesterday I watched LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner give the keynote address at the LinkedIn Talent Connect 2011 Conference in Las Vegas from the comfort of my office via Ustream. Weiner suggested that it was only a matter of time before LinkedIn replaced your resume, business card and Rolodex®. Let’s take them one at a time:

1. Your Resume
Earlier this year LinkedIn introduced an “Apply with LinkedIn” plug-in that enables you to submit your credentials for an open position with a few clicks of your mouse.  Instead of submitting your resume, you’re submitting your LinkedIn profile. Once you apply you can manage your contacts within the company and even ask for a referral. LinkedIn reports that thousands of companies are already using the button so expect to see more of it in your future.

2. Your Business Card
Earlier this year LinkedIn acquired mobile app CardMunch. Now you when you exchange business cards you can easily add them to your mobile phone and then in just 1 tap, also add them to your LinkedIn network. A new and improved version 2.0 is already in the works.

3. Your Rolodex®
When you log in to LinkedIn you can easily see who in your network is doing what. Before you pick up the phone to make a call you can easily see if  they’ve updated their profile, posted a status update or shared and new content. With easy integration to Outlook and other popular contact management systems such as Highrise, LinkedIn is quickly becoming part of every recruiter’s workflow.

And now for the big news. Yesterday LinkedIn announced a new product  called Talent Pipeline which will allow hiring managers and recruiters to track all passive and active candidates directly via LinkedIn. So whether a recruiter finds your profile on LinkedIn or someone passes along your resume, it will be stored, managed and share via LinkedIn.

From a job-seekers perspective this is huge news because it means more and more recruiters will be ditching whatever outdated means they’re currently using to manage their candidate pipeline and turning instead to LinkedIn. Whether you’re on the job hunt now or expect to be someday, if you’re not yet on LinkedIn I have just two words for you: Get there!

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Working With Recruiters (continued)

Last month I shared some advice about working with recruiters that I gathered from my online network. Here are two more tips that I thought were blog-worthy from a Chicago-based recruiter who prefers to remain anonymous. You can see all the Answers on LinkedIn.

1. Don’t kill the messenger…we all know that it is tough out there and certainly try to sympathize with those navigating the job search waters. BUT- we have a job to do and are paid by our clients to do that. So, don’t beat us up if we tell you our client will not consider your background for one reason or another.
2. Please do not send resumes without any text articulating a bit about why you are reaching out. I get emails all the time with resumes attached and no text detailing why this person is sending me their resume. I am often working on multiple marketing roles so unless someone gives me some indication of why they are reaching out, I may not know what their intent is. The easier they can make our job, the better. Don’t make us figure out where you fit.

My advice? Remember that recruiters are people too. When you’re not qualified for the job, try to find someone in your network who is and make an introduction. Just like Marketing Job Wire, the good deed will come back to you!

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Working With Recruiters

Is working with a contract recruiter any different than working with an in-house HR professional? Yes and no! I asked my LinkedIn network to share some tips and over the next several weeks I’ll be posting the best and the brightest!

Greer Dorsey, A-1 Careers, Kansas City
“Treat the interaction with the Recruiter as if you are interviewing with the hiring manager. Try to relax and treat the interview as a conversation; that’s what an interview is–an organized conversation. It is imperative to be completely open and honest about your professional experience and background but there is no room in an interview – at any level – for personal lives to show up.”

Laurie Swanson, The Laso Corporation, Chicago
“Never go around the recruiter! A good recruiter has real expertise in managing the hiring process along with negotiating the best package for you. It is in your best interest to take advantage of this and separate yourself from the negotiating process. Instead, focus your time and efforts on being as prepared as you can in your knowledge of the role, the company and those involved with the hiring.”

Royal Bacote, R Bacote & Associates, Baltimore
“Make sure we have the best contact number and the best time to contact you.

• Don’t put your cell number on the resume if you hardly ever turn it on
• Don’t put your email address on your resume if you don’t check it at least daily

Many qualified applicants get skipped because they don’t respond to calls or emails.”

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