I was told recently from an experienced ASX 200 Board Member that ‘recruiters are not your friend’. Whilst this may sometimes be true, the reality is that recruiters are far more powerful than many give them credit for. However, as gatekeepers, even ‘bad’ recruiters can be recruiting roles that you want. So no matter how you feel about working with recruiters you need to know how to do so effectively.
Having said this, my advice, wherever possible, is to avoid using recruiters to find yourself a new role. I say this only because if they are speaking to you then they are speaking to hundreds of people just like you. In doing so they are placing you in direct competition with other candidates, reducing your chances getting the job you really want.
1. They are powerful: Recruiters are powerful because they are listened to by the decision makers in the company that you want to work for.
A common misconception is that the role of a recruiter just to pass CVs to employers. In actuality recruiters have developed, often over a long period of time, a close relationship with their clients/your potential employer. For this reason they are often seen as ‘trusted advisors’ and they are asked their opinion on the candidates they put forward; their opinions count.
I have been in many board rooms where I have been asked my opinion on candidates: whether I have met or spoken to them; whether I know of anyone who knows them; what their reputation is; or how they performed in their previous roles. In the case that I know or have spoken with the candidate, I can answer these questions and my answers are powerful ‘nudges’ towards or away from an appointment. Where I don’t know the candidate these applicants can quickly slip down the ‘must see’ list.
2. What motivates them? Recruiters are paid to generate interest in a role(s) and facilitate an appointment. They work in a number of different ways but essentially they are advertisers for vacancies - whether by advertising or headhunting or a database search - and their success and reputation is built on providing as many qualified candidates for the role as they can.
There are always exceptions, but generally the majority of recruiters are interested in making as many placements as they can, which means submitting as many quality candidates as they can for as many roles as possible. For this reason their focus is not always about finding the best person for the job, instead it is primarily about making a placement. For the good recruiters this is often the same thing, but it is an important difference to be aware of and should shape the way you work with them.
3. Your reputation is their reputation: In many ways recruiters do not differ much from an employer an HR team - they are motivated to succeed because their reputation depends on it. If you want to use recruiters effectively then, perversely, it is in your best interest to try to improve their reputation.
Think of it this way. Would you recommend a friend for a job in a company you worked for if you knew that your reputation would be likely to suffer because of it? Probably not. Likewise, a recruiter who does not know you won’t recommend or stick their neck out for you unless they are fully convinced you are going to make them look good. So, if you can impress them, they will be more willing and able to impress their client on your behalf. Conversely, if they are not impressed by you and feel that their reputation might be harmed, they will be less likely to recommend you.
This means that you need to assure them that you are the most highly qualified, best informed, most presentable and most affable candidate. If you can do this, then they are likely to personally support your application – a powerful thing.
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