How to Get Lucky and Get Found by Recruiters

Article Title: How to Get Lucky and Get Found by Recruiters
Author Byline: Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast -- Guaranteed," Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search Sys
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How to Get Lucky and Get Found by Recruiters

Recruiters, also called headhunters, get paid by companies to beat the bushes for talented employees.

Recruiters can be an important tool in your job-search arsenal.

So, anything you can do to get noticed by more recruiters can ultimately help you get hired faster by employers.

Here are two ways to do just that. One is new and high-tech. The other is neither.

1) Tweet on Twitter

You may have heard about Twitter.com. It's a social networking site that's been described as "micro blogging" -- a cross between instant messaging and blogging -- because you're allowed only 140 characters per post.

In addition to posting "tweets" about your own life, you can search for and "follow" people on Twitter to see what they're up to in real time.

And it just might help you start a relationship with a recruiter that leads to a new job. Because recruiters, especially those who fill high-tech positions, are using Twitter to find and be found by candidates.

"I recently got three referrals to candidates within two minutes of posting on Twitter about a job I was trying to fill," says Paul DeBettignies, Managing Partner of Nerd Search, a Minneapolis-based recruiting firm.

But how can you get on a headhunter's radar using Twitter?

One way is to find and follow them, to learn more about who they are and what they're looking for. Example: a search for "technical recruiter" on Twitter returned 26 profiles, while "management recruiter" produced 31. Pick a few that look interesting and follow their postings for a few days.

Meanwhile, think carefully about what to include in your Twitter Bio. Include job titles and other terms that make your name pop up for the right searches. "Be very task-oriented about the specific job you're after, which
will determine what you post and how you respond to others," advises Tavis Hudson, a recruiter at Technical Resources, in Chanhassen, Minn.

"I've met more than 20 candidates in person after first developing a relationship with them on Twitter, and one of them is interviewing right now for a software-related position," says Hudson.

I suggest you try Twitter for 30 days with a specific goal, like arranging a phone call with at least one recruiter or networking meetings with at least two people who work at your target employers.

2) Get a Personal Referral

There are other, less technical ways to find a recruiter. Like referrals from live humans, for example.

Who among your friends and family is looking for a job now? You probably know at least one person who could recommend a recruiter.

That's how one man from Wisconsin got hired by a Fortune 500 firm in St. Paul -- the recruiter who introduced him to the job was referred by his wife!

"Tom was a Sr. Manufacturing Engineer who came to me after we placed his wife in an office management role. They wanted to relocate to the Twin Cities to be closer to family," says Annie Jenstad, a recruiter for Doherty Staffing Solutions, in Edina, Minn.

While Jenstad had no suitable openings for Tom, she did find a job posting that looked promising, on a small, niche Web site.

"We called the company and marketed Tom as a perfect fit, because they needed someone with his experience," says Jenstad.

Two weeks and two interviews later, he accepted the position.

Now. You could chalk all this up to luck. But here's where I really agree with the Roman Seneca, who wrote, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

How prepared are you for opportunity in your job search? That will largely determine how lucky you get.

Good news: Preparation is 100% within your control.

And it starts between your ears.

To start with, it must be perfectly clear in your mind what job you want and where you want to do it. Otherwise, it won't be clear in anybody else's mind. And you'll be less likely to benefit from a chance encounter on Twitter or a conversation with your spouse's recruiter.

So, why not create your own luck, whether it's meeting recruiters online or making networking contacts in person, by preparing for tomorrow's opportunities today?

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of "51 Ways to Find a Job Fast -- Guaranteed," Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php
copyright (c) 2008 by Kevin Donlin

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.