Let’s face it. Buying a used car at a lot has to be one of the worst thought of experiences in anyone’s existence. The salesperson is just after that big commission and fast talks you about any car your eye lands on even if said car looks like it went down with the Titanic. Well, you might call me a liar on this, but there are some used-car salesmen who actually care about you. Would you also believe that recruiters are sometimes given these same biases? Recruiters, how many times have you called someone who treated you like a telemarketer? And people, how many of you knew exactly what you were dealing with when a recruiter contacted you?

I for one thought that they were going to find me a job and take my money! Boy was I wrong, but my lack of knowledge on the nature of the work fueled this thought. I mean, the term “headhunter” does not sound pleasant, but it is often associated with the recruitment field! 

Job Seekers sometimes believe that recruiters act only in self-interest, cannot be trusted, and are incredibly 'transactional' in their approach with candidates. While this might be true for some of them, let’s be fair and let some real recruiters defend their honor. Like I said, there are plenty of recruiters who are here for the candidate and not the fast sell.

Recruiter Matt Glynn says that a lot of people in this business have been trained to play the "numbers game.” When a person is so focused on the bottom line it can lead to a loss of personal touch. He does his very best to listen to and understand what his candidates and clients are really looking for.

A lot of recruiters believe that communication is the key with any candidate if you want to make a good impression. It is not about you, it’s about us. Wait, no, it’s about getting the person to talk to you. Be genuine with the conversation.  It will create trust, stimulate interest, and position you as having something of value for the candidate.

Recruiter Justin Hochstein furthers this by stressing that recruiters should always provide updates to candidates, whether it is good or bad news, if they want to make an impact. He finishes this deduction by simply uttering the word “Cocktails.”

Recruiter Wendy Courtley once contacted a man for an engineering opportunity at Chrysler. She could not tell whether he was being held at gunpoint, about to ride the grocery store pony, or just irritated to be contacted by a recruiter because he was extremely anxious to get off the phone. For the first few minutes she received short, disengaged responses, but was able to position herself, gain control, and ultimately find a great fit for him at Chrysler.

Wendy leaves the discussion with her “Trendy Three Tips” that recruiters must follow in the first three minutes of a call or they will die.

1.      Earn the candidate’s attention

2.      Eliminate the reflex rejection

3.      Change the dynamics from a monologue to a dialogue

Just like the used –car salesmen field, there will always be selfish apples in the recruiter bushel just trying to make a sale. Candidates should keep this in mind when dealing with recruiters. As for the recruiters; making the relationship all about the candidate’s success will lead to brighter results, happy candidates, sunshine, rainbows, and, of course, unicorns.

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