I'm a Career Coach.

I know, I know. . . many of you probably think that makes me "the bad guy." Afterall, as a group we spend a lot of time dissing recruiters and teaching job seekers how to "work around" recruiters. The truth is, Career Coaches have their place in the HR recruitment process, just as recruiters do. Not everyone will work with a recruiter, nor should they. In fact you probably would appreciate it if FEWER job seekers sought out your services. As a recruiter you are looking for some very specific qualities in a candidate, not general job seekers.

Here is the beginning of a blog post I wrote to help job seekers learn more about working with recruiters. I'm including the first three of five recommendations here. If you like what you see, click on the link and read the rest. I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say to these recommendations.

. . . So you are looking for a job. Well, sooner or later someone is going to suggest you find a recruiter (sometimes called a head hunter, or a job placement agency). It’s not a bad idea, but it’s not a panacea either. If you are going to work with a recruiter, there are some things you should know.

1) Recruiters do NOT work for you. It’s NOT their job to find you a job. Recruiters are paid by a company to find candidates. As such, you are part of their inventory. Nothing more and nothing less. This may sound “cold”, but understanding that fact up front will save you heartache and time. It will also help you work more effectively with recruiters.
2) A recruiter will not pass your name along to a company if they don’t feel you are a perfect fit for the position. If they pass along a candidate that is determined to be “unqualified” they risk their reputation with the hiring company. If you feel you are a great fit, you need to work with your recruiter to understand the needs of the position and re-tool your resume to fit it exactly. If you can’t, you should not force the issue.
3) Remember that recruiters are people. They have specific needs for accomplishing their goals so they can make a living. Recruiters are busy people. They work long hours and are pulled in many directions. They may not get back to you as quick as you would like. They may not be “tactful” in their responses to you. . . in fact many recruiters I know pride themselves on being “brutally honest.” As such, it’s in your best interest to develop a relationship with a recruiter. Don’t try to “use” them in your job search. Nobody likes to be “used.” If you don’t have thick skin, working with a recruiter may not be for you. (To continue reading go to: http://www.CareerAdvice4U.com/blog)