Common Misconceptions about Working with Agency Recruiters

In this article written for Job-Hunt.org, I cover five popular misconceptions about working with agency recruiters.  The article also references several links that may be helpful in understanding how this process works and what to expect.  These misconceptions include:

• Recruiters will find me a job.
• All recruiters are the same.
• Recruiters are career counselors.
• Apply for all the jobs the recruiter has listed.
• All I need is a simple LinkedIn profile and the recruiters will be banging on my door.

If you’ve never worked with a recruiter before, this article is a “must read.”

Article: Working with Agency Recruiters

Compassionate HR podcast with Margo Rose

Today I had the opportunity to be a part of Margo Rose’s Compassionate HR program.  She has periodic podcasts focused on helping job seekers, business owners, and recruiters.  The recorded episode is available on her BlogTalkRadio channel–click this link and scroll to the 12/8/2011 timeframe in the index to find my podcast.

We covered topics such as:

• How I got into recruiting.
• How the economy has effected the industry.
• What job seekers can learn from recruiters.
• What is the most appropriate way for job seekers to market themselves to recruiters in their industry.
• Anticipated accomplishments in 2012, both professionally and personally (Margo is a cyclist and couldn’t help asking me about my cycling goals)

If you have a question stemming from the podcast, leave a comment on this blog, and I’ll do my best to answer it.

Communication is a Key When Working with Recruiters

I have stated many times that external recruiters can be helpful to you even though you do not pay them. I know this may seem counterintuitive, but the reality is, they cannot do their job without you. Even so, many job seekers keep them in the dark about their job situation or requirements.  It is important to realize, it is hard for a recruiter to do their job well (on your behalf) when they are unsure of your specifics.  Take a look at my latest article for job-hunt.org for more details on this tedious balancing act.

Article:  Keeping the External Recruiter Informed

Negotiating Your Starting Salary

When an employer asks you what your salary expectations are during the early stages of the interviewing process, you are trained to say you are open-minded on salary and are more concerned about the overall opportunity. Many say, “I look at the entire package and opportunity before I make decisions about salary.”  And from there, the conversation may go in a few directions, hopefully leading to an ideal result.

When working with an external recruiter, the process is slightly different.  Read this article I wrote for Job-Hunt.org to learn more about how to manage this aspect of the interviewing process when a recruiter is involved.

Article:  The Starting Salary Question

New Grads and External Recruiters: When Do Their Paths Meet?

New grads are accustomed to interacting with on-campus recruiters representing hiring companies.  But not nearly as many external recruiters help place new grads within their clients’ organizations.  The reasons for this are pretty straightforward, but does this mean New Grads should not include external recruiters in their job search?  Read the article I wrote for Job-Hunt.org for insights:

Article:  Recruiters and New Grads

Taboo Topics: What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Say

Being stressed about job interviews (and let’s face it, in this age of joblessness, who wouldn’t get a little worked-up over an upcoming interview?) comes with its fair share of psychological afflictions. If you’ve been making the rounds at various interviews long enough, you may even start to have interview-related dreams or even nightmares. And that’s pretty rough.  Of course, it’s nothing compared to the sheer terror of seeing those nightmares become realities.

Here’s one that’s actually been happening more and more often, at least if the correspondence of various HR representatives is to be believed.

You sit down for a job interview, perhaps your last one after a grueling cycle. This is the job you are most eager to land, the position that excites you the most. And you feel like the interview has been going smoothly. Then, all of a sudden, a taboo topic emerges. For whatever reason, the interviewer steers the question toward politics. And you panic. Ducking out to the restroom would look bad, and feigning choking isn’t going to fool anyone. So what do you do?

Well, for starters, you should know that the interviewer really shouldn’t be asking this question. In fact, it’s wrong for any employer to discriminate based on political or religious beliefs. So if they ask you any direct and possibly contentious question about your deep-seated values, it could well be an illegal question, and you’re well within your rights to politely decline answering it. You should also know that, unless you are applying for a position as a political science professor, your political opinions are probably not relevant to the job, and the employer probably doesn’t really care what you think; rather, the interviewer is probably asking the question to gauge how you respond.

In other words: It’s about you and your character, not about the politics themselves. So if you do answer the question, think about what your answer is saying about you as a potential employee. Think first about the way in which you answer. Does it indicate a willingness to be honest but also eloquent and tactful? Does it show that you are able to be respectful to a superior without completely cowering to them? Does it demonstrate free thought, but not insubordination? And perhaps most importantly: Does it indicate that you are able to remain calm under pressure?  This actually might be what the interviewer is really looking for–not the answer itself, but your ability to offer it without breaking into a sweat or developing a sudden stutter.

As for the answer itself, simply consider what it might reveal about your own, personal values and how those values square with those of the company itself. Certain political stances might come across as being contemptuous of corporate America or of big business.  If you’re applying for a job at a big corporation, this is probably ill-advised. Likewise, taking a position that seems radical in a work environment that tends to emphasize a strong, unified corporate mindset is also a bad idea.

For example, earlier this year there was a big skirmish about unions, and the issue was hot enough that many HR representatives reported the topic arising in different job interview scenarios. This is a great example of a question that’s probably best to simply not answer.  It’s controversial, and it’s directly related to a business’ bottom line. The best response is going to be a tactful and eloquent one that doesn’t actually indicate what you truly believe: “I think unions can be a complicated matter,” or, “Unions are a mixed blessing.” You’ll probably want to think up a similar response for questions related to, say, business tax cuts or outsourcing.

More than anything else, it’s simply important to remain poised, even if the question feels like a bit of a sucker punch. Again, politicians are not the ones who are auditioning here–you are. So your top priority should be to make yourself look good. Respond to the question in a way that makes it clear you are thoughtful, respectful, and discerning.  And perhaps that you are ultimately less interested in politics than you are in performing your job to the very best of your abilities.

 

Terry Crenshaw is a writer for www.peterorszagsite.net who has focused her attention on what political professionals and their advisors, such as Peter Orszag, have to say about current economic policy. Through her work, Terry hopes to develop the public’s understanding of how politics can influence the economy.

Interviewing Your Interviewer: Asking Good Questions

I’ve talked about asking the right questions in interviews before.  It’s an important topic.  Especially when you consider it’s towards the end of the interview–part of the lasting impression you’ll make after you’ve worked out of the office. 

If you have a recruiter involved (or even an HR representative at the company), asking the wrong questions of the hiring manager could be squandering a great opportunity to shine.  Read more about this in my latest article for Job-Hunt.org.

Article:  Interview Success: Asking the Right Questions

 

Related articles:

What Not to Ask Your Interviewer

Successful Interviewing- Part 5 – Asking the Right Questions the Right Way

Do You Know Who Has Your Resume?

When being submitted for a position by a recruiter, in most cases, you SHOULD know who will be viewing your resume.  Even if your job search is not confidential, there are many reasons for this.  Take a look at my latest article for Job-Hunt.org for more details about this sometimes mysterious process.

And if you’re a recruiter and have an opinion about this, please feel free to add your comments within this blog article.

Article:  Who Has Your Resume?

Are You Going to Eat That? The Lunch Interview Challenge.

I’m not a big fan of the breakfast or lunch interview. Perhaps for an all-day, meet-tons-of-people type of interview, a meal might serve as a nice break from the standard format. However, I’ve been witness to many interviews where the only meeting is at a dining table. Why am I not a fan of the mealtime interview? A simple rule my mom taught me years ago: Don’t talk with your mouth full.

I’m sure you can provide your own tips for interviewing while eating.  Feel free to add comments to add to my list of tips on lunch or breakfast interviews.

Article:  Are You Going to Eat That … During an Interview? How to Handle a Lunch Interview

Recruiting Your Recruiter in the Job Search, Part III

Two years ago, I wrote two blog articles on Recruiting Your Recruiter in the Job Search (Part I and Part II). These articles became a springboard to many more articles (on my blog and other helpful web sites) focused on helping job seekers with the difficult process of finding a new job. I learned over the many months of writing that the amount of advice available from experts over all the web is endless. Sometimes redundant. Sometimes in conflict.

As helpful as the experts try to be, we can’t always reach out to everyone who needs the help or present the information in a perfect way for everyone. So unfortunately there are still many who do not understand the “rules of engagement” in working with those who manage the job openings.

Using a slightly different twist to my usual style, in this article, I present two examples of candidates’ initial contact with me. One an example of what to do, and one an example of what not to do. Hopefully, this will help re-emphasize the content of the original two articles in a new, effective way.

Article: Understanding the Recruiter “Rules of Engagement” – A Tale of Two Job Seekers

 

Related Articles: 

Recruiting Your Recruiter in the Job Search

Recruiting Your Recruiter in the Job Search, Part II

Linking In to Recruiters