Ask the Career Coach: Which Search Options Are Best For Me?

Question:

Hi Cheryl,

Found your site via a search, and it's just a tremendous source of information - thank you!

I am a sales professional in the computer/technology area with over 20 years of experience. I have worked for several major firms, having spent most of the last 10 years as a Sales Rep. with IBM (city omitted). I'm currently with a small company and I am looking for a better fit - I don't currently have any connections in the recruiting arena.

You have listed several resources in both the "fee" arrangement in terms of boards as well as recruiting resources - both of which I'd be interested in. Do you have any recommendations for someone with my background/experience in terms of which might best in terms of working to land a new position prior to year's end?

Regards,

R., Ohio

Answer:

Dear R.,

First, thank you for your question and for your kind words about my website. From the content of your email, I suspect you are referring to my blog, the ExecutiveResumeRescue.com Reporter.

For someone of your experience and in your career field, I usually recommend implementing these primary job search methods:

• Direct Contact with Targeted Employers
• Recruiters
• Referral-Building (also known as networking)
• Select use of some online job boards (1-2 meta search boards, 1-2 regional boards, and 2-3 niche boards; I only recommend using generic boards like CareerBuilder or Monster if you cannot source the kinds of boards just mentioned)

The first three of these strategies are hands-down the best to use in a job search. The last is a mixed-blessing strategy, in that if you use it wisely it will help your search, while if you use job boards indiscriminately they will unnecessarily lengthen your search.

That said, let me get to your specific questions. Of the online job boards that are likely to help you, I would recommend you try TheLadders.com and/or Execunet.com. The Ladders has a series of specialized sub-sites that really help funnel job leads to the right kinds of candidates, while Execunet offers a wide range of online and offline networking supports that can significantly boost your access to emerging job leads. Neither of these boards is very expensive.

However, you should know that how much either of these sites can help you depends largely on the level of position you are seeking. If you are looking for a sales leadership position in your industry, for example, then I suspect these two boards would definitely be worth joining. If you still want a sales position – particularly one at the $100K level or beyond – then these sites are less likely to have tons of jobs to meet your needs.

In that case, you might be better off to check into sales and industry-specific job boards rather than executive job boards. Executive job boards specialize in serving the needs of $100K+ professionals who are looking for positions at the Director level and up. If your salary is in that range, yet your sought-after position type is not (and vice versa), these sites aren’t likely to be worth the investment.

As for sourcing recruiters, I do not recommend paying for access unless and until you have implemented some other simple strategies. If you did find me via my blog, then look in the Categories section for some of the posts I’ve written on Working with Recruiters. There are all kinds of tips and suggestions in there for sourcing recruiters without spending a dime. Try those strategies first. If they don’t work, then try utilizing recruiter online sourcing tools such as ExecutiveAgent.com.

As a sales pro, networking is probably one of your greatest strengths, so make sure you use your personal and professional networks to help you expand your list of recruiters to contact.

An even wiser investment in my opinion is your resume and cover letter. Let a pro evaluate them for you and provide feedback. If necessary, pay for professional resume writing services. That’s an investment that pays off in the form of interviews once you also leverage the right kinds of job search strategies. I recommend looking for a resume writer who is also a career coach because these professionals have a more comprehensive view of the whole process, know more about how to brand/position you, and can make sure that your resume/cover letter are part of a comprehensive career management process. Naturally I’m biased because I am both, but I believe it’s easy to document the benefits of this dual approach.

Finding a job by the end of the year need not be a problem so long as you have launched your varied strategies by early November. The right resume + the right job search strategies = multiple interviews within a short period of time, which in turn leads to the right offer at the right company. If any piece of this formula isn’t implemented, your search will fall short of your expectations. I’m making it sound simple, which it is really, though it certainly isn’t always easy to execute while working full-time and having a life … which is why it is sometimes helpful to have a virtual job search assistant or take advantage of recruiter blasting services.

Hope these thoughts and recommendations help. If I can assist you further, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line. Good luck with your search!

What's the Best Way to Find a Recruiter?

Question: I'm preparing to launch my job search and know I need to work with recruiters. But what's the best way to find one if I don't already know any?

Answer: There are several ways to source possible recruiters to work with, but here are the ones I recommend the most:

Networking:

• Ask everyone in your network to recommend any recruiters they know and/or have worked with successfully in the past.
• Attend a meeting or two of one or more professional associations and ask for recommendations from everyone in attendance. Or, if your professional association has an email list, listserv, blog, or discussion board, post your query.
• Talk to the colleagues and HR professionals in your current workplace. If the former don't know of anyone, the latter will. And if you don't want them to know you're job hunting, tell them you're sourcing leads for a family member or friend.
• Attend networking events - particularly those hosted by HR professional associations - in your community and ask attendees for their recommendations. You may find many recruiters at the meeting, and you are sure to hear recommendations from HR professionals.
• Ask a Career Coach. We often serve as intermediaries between candidates and recruiters and help bring the two sides together.

Online Tools:

• Most job seekers are surprised to discover that many recruiter directories are available via the web for free. The wise job seeker will make strategic use of these directories to source a wealth of recruiters to contact. For my recommendations of directories to use, see the links included on the right side of this blog.
• When you find jobs of interest to you on job boards such as CareerBuilder or Monster, notice which recruiters are being used to source candidates. Even if you don't want to apply for a particular position, you should consider sending your resume to recruiters who fill the kinds of positions you are seeking.
• On some job boards you can search for recruiter-listed positions. This is another handy way to discover which recruiting firms are recruiting for what positions.
• Read employment, recruiting, and HR-related blogs. Recruiters often stop by, comment, and contribute to posts or articles. Watch for their posts and seek them out. Let them know where you learned about them and begin the process of building a relationship with them.
• Consider posting your request for recruiter recommendations on discussion boards and blogs you routinely visit. Keep your post simple, and be willing to invite offline communication if that offers more opportunity for sharing and protects the interests of the blog itself.

Anybody else have any other ideas? Share them so we can all benefit!

Retained vs. Contingency Recruiters

If you have five or more years of experience in your industry, then your job search should include recruiters. Question is, should you work with retained recruiters or contingency recruiters?

First, remember that recruiters don't work for you - they work for the employers who pay their tab (a generous 30+ of your new salary!). There are two ways that employers hire recruiters: via a retainer and for a contigency search.

Retained recruiters are paid on a retainer basis, rather like attorneys. They receive a monthly payment from the employer to handle assigned searches as needed. Because retained recruiters have an ongoing relationship with employers, they value that relationship highly. Thus, they are more likely to forward your resume to a client only if you are a great match for the position.

Contigency recruiters are paid on a contigency basis - when and if they source the chosen candidate for the position in question. Because contigency recruiters only get paid if their candidate is hired for the job, they may tend to forward as many candidates for review as they can find in an effort to win payment. Thus, they may forward your resume to a client even when you aren't a great match for the position.

If you want to play a numbers game, work with both retained and contigency recruiters. If, on the other hand, you want to find the best possible match between you and a prospective employer, focus your energies on building strong relationships with retained recruiters only. They are more likely to advocate for your candidacy and help you identify the best possible next employer and position.

Organize Your Job Search

Many job seekers are unaware of the emerging wealth of software tools designed to organize and structure job searches. One of the newest entries is CVitae, freeware designed to help you design your resumes/cover letters, capture job posting data, and streamline the process of applying for jobs online.

Job search software aims to put the power of automation at the job seeker's fingertips. Some gather and organize your networking contacts while others source job leads for you while you sleep. Still others partially automate the process of uploading your resume to job boards/employer websites or completing online applications for you.

CVitae is free, but looks a bit limited to me. But for the job seeker just getting started with organizational software, this may be just the ticket. After all, who has time to learn a whole new software system in addition to managing an effective job search?

If you like your software a bit more robust, consider some of the other options on the market:

• YourJobSearcher.com costs $39.95 and features an automated search agent that combs the web for you (employer sites, job boards, newsgroups, and more) to produce thousands of targeted leads and deliver them to you by email. It searches 30+ sources and finds leads from 300+ job lead sites.
• UltimateJobSpider costs $19.95 and operates in a similar fashion as YourJobSearcher. A downloadable trial version is available for free.
• JobFish comes in at $54.99 and also offers a 20-day trial version. This package includes the ability to parse job ad details for use in resumes/cover letters, attach different resumes to varying jobs, keep job records and interaction history on each job applied for, track follow-up contacts, and blast resumes to recruiters. JobFish also allows you to import your existing Outlook contacts and organize your job leads by the referring recruiter.
• PongoSoftware offers a suite of job search-related software tools - resume/letter builders, a resume publisher, ad-tracker, and task manager - but lists no pricing on their website.
• JobTabs.com offers many of the same features as JobFish at a price of only $39.95. You can also try it for free for 14 days.

Try one or more of these packages before you buy to make sure it has all of the features you need most in your job search. Make automation work for you for a change!

Optimize your Relationship with Recruiters

It's time to talk about recruiters, also known as headhunters and search firms, since this is an appropriate job search tactic for many of you. Please note that recruiters are not the same thing as employment agencies. Agencies match people to open jobs and generally work with lower-level positions. Recruiters tend to work with executive-level staff.

First, you need to know that no matter what you call them, recruiters don't work for you ... they work for the employer who pays their fee (up to a whopping 30% of your starting salary!). Recruiters do their work in two key ways: on retainer, or on contigency.

In retained searches, the recuiter receives a fee whether they fill the position or not. In a contingency search, the recruiter is paid only if they refer the candidate who the employer hires for the job in question. Which of these kinds of recruiters will you want to work with?

Both! Regardless of how the recruiter is paid, you can potentially be referred to/hired for a great job. As you work with recruiters, keep these suggestions in mind:

• Make initial contact with multiple recruiters, but seek to establish working relationships with 2-3 key ones who really "get" what you have to offer.
• Send your resume/cover letter to recruiters in your local area, to recruiters outside your local area who hire in your local area, and to recruiters who may hire to fill territory-based positions in your geographic area.
• Keep an open mind when presented with career possibilities. Think of the recruiter as an ally, and talk frankly with them about your career interests and strengths. Be willing to explore and discuss all kinds of positions.
• Be honest and direct ... the more you can help the recruiter to "get" what you have to offer, the more likely they will be able to help you.
• If a recruiter contacts you about an open position, and as you learn about it you determine that it isn't a good match for you, then verify that through questioning and offer feedback to the recruiter. "If I'm understanding you correctly, employer X is seeking a, b, and c. To be honest with you, I do not have c. Thus, I am not a prime candidate for this position."
• If you know of someone who may be a candidate for the position, offer to refer that person to the recruiter.
• Stay in touch with recruiters after they've sent you on interviews. Let them know how the interview went, who you met with, and whether you have additional questions or information you want to share with the employer.
• Look for recruiters who specialize in your career field or industry.
• Use your 10-30 second and 1-2 minute commercials to introduce yourself to recruiters you don't know.
• Remember that recruiters work for employers and not for you. Thus, don't take their silence personally. It isn't you ... but they're busy satisfying the needs of their clients, and they WILL call you if your background matches their needs.
• That said, don't be afraid to call them and get to know them. Their business success depends on relationships, so they are extremely open to forming new ones when it appears to meet their needs.
• Be honest about your salary needs. With recruiters you can take the kid gloves off and get real!

So, how do you find recruiters? Start with these online directories:

• RecruitersDirectory.com
• RecruitersOnline.com
• RecruiterNetworks.com
• HeadhuntersDirectory.com
• I-Recruit.com

An Interview with a Recruiter

by Frank Traditi, author of Get Hired Now!

To help you better understand the business of recruiting and executive search, I had an email conversation with Sue Wyman. Sue is President of Jivaro Group, www.jivarogroup.com, a national executive search firm, to share her expertise and straightforward opinions on the recruiting business.

Let's start with the basics. Tell us how the business of recruiting works.

"Both corporate and third party recruiters (search firms) all search for candidates for a company or group of companies. They have a specific position with a specific location in mind when they conduct a search. The requirements for the positions are generally very narrow and recruiters can't deviate from the requirements if they want to make a placement. It is very unusual for recruiters to represent a candidate (rather than a company) and try to get them into a company.

Contingency recruiters get paid after a candidate is offered a position, accepts, and starts working. There is generally a guarantee period involved, so if a candidate leaves before the guarantee is up, the recruiter either has to refund the money to the client or has to find another candidate. Contingency recruiters compete with other firms, corporate recruiters, internal candidates, candidates who apply on-line and employee referral programs. This is an unusual profession in that a whole lot of work can be done and the recruiter may never receive any compensation for it.

Retained recruiters are usually paid in three-part installments during specific points during the search and upon candidate placement. They have no competitors on a retained search as they get paid no matter where the candidate comes from. Generally only very high level searches (VP and C-level) are retained."

What are some of the biggest mistakes job seekers make working with a recruiter?

"1) Many job seekers feel they are 'perfect' for every position that catches their eye. They often focus on a couple of the requirements that they meet and overlook the rest. My firm adds a category of 'Must Have' requirements to our position descriptions and job seekers still ignore them. Be it exuberance or naïveté, it's frustrating and it slows down the process.

2) Job seekers need to be straight with the recruiter. Let the recruiter know if you've applied on-line or have talked to another recruiter about the position. If you've already been presented to a client, the 'new' recruiter can't work with you on this position. If they present you and the client comes back and tells them that another recruiter has already presented you or that your resume is in their database, the recruiter looks either dumb or sneaky and isn't going to be very happy with you."

What key qualities must candidates demonstrate to you before you submit them to your clients?

"1) Achievement - companies want high performers as employees. A candidate must demonstrate that they've been a high achiever. There are metrics around every position and candidates have to be able to articulate how they've excelled. Know what your position's metrics are/were and be able to explain your performance relative to both the goals and others on your team.

2) Attitude - Individuals who find a way to be positive and productive even in the most challenging times are the ones who rise to the top. Most of us have had a number of things to whine about in the last four years, but negative attitudes can suck the life out of teams and organizations.

3) Maturity - Individuals who are introspective about their past positions and companies and who know what they want next. Individuals who understand what their strengths and weaknesses are and who are actively engaged in developing themselves.

4) Honesty - transparency in all pertinent areas."

What is the best way for motivated (and often anxious) candidates to work with recruiters?

"Understand that there are many ways to find a position. Recruiters are only one of those ways. Recruiters can only work with you if they have a position that fits your profile. If we don't call you, it's because we aren't working on anything that you're a fit for. Believe me, if we're working on something that you are a fit for...we'll call you immediately. Set up reasonable communication expectations with the recruiter - don't become a stalker.

If you find a recruiter that you respect and like working with...bring something to the table. Recruiters need good referrals of both candidates and companies who are looking for people. Ask the recruiter how you might be able to help them. This will help make you a memorable candidate."

What helpful tips and advice can you share with our readers?

"1) Make sure that your resume reflects your accomplishments. If you're a sales person, make sure that it's easy for the reader to find out what you sold (brief description of products/technologies), who you sold it to (listing of recognizable clients and industries), how much of it you were supposed to sell (quota) and how much of it you actually sold (% of attainment). If appropriate mention your ranking on your team. If you're in other disciplines, determine your teams metrics and articulate them in the resume.

2) Networking is critical ... learn how to network the right way. It's about giving, and not just looking to receive.

3) Be introspective and understand your strengths and weaknesses. If you're interested in working for a company, do your research and come up with three strong reasons why you want to work there. Then, come up with three strong reasons why you'd be a great person for a particular position in that company. Take the initiative on your career...no one else will.

4) Read Frank's book!"

Is recruiter blasting worth the expense?

Question:

Cheryl,

I recently signed up to receive job leads from CareerBuilder.com and subsequently received an email from them offering a recruiter blasting service. Are these services worth trying?

Answer:

That's a great question, and the answer depends mostly on you. Allow me to explain:

• First of all, there will be a charge for this service, so you will need to evaluate whether or not it is worth it to you to expend that money. While it can be helpful to have these services assist you in getting lots of resumes out the door, it comes at a cost. How would you rather spend your money - to purchase a service that gets more resumes out the door, or to fund other expenses? If money is tight, this is an easy expense to forego.


• Second, not all recruiter blasting services work the same way, so it will be important to check out the ones you're interested in. The better services will allow you to target your recruiter mailings by some combination of geographic areas and industry specialties, while the cheaper services will force you to mail to an entire database. Needless to say, avoid the latter and use only the former.


• Third, some services allow you to tailor each letter you send to recruiters, while others force you to send the same letter and resume to each and every recruiter. If you plan to job search across more than one industry, it will be extremely counterproductive for you to send the identical letter/resume to each and every recruiter. Recruiters, like hiring managers, want to believe that you are courting only them, so customization, however simple (and it need not take more than a minute or two per resume/letter) is critical.

The bottom line? Recruiter blasting services can be helpful, if you use them strategically. Investigate which service you buy, and make sure it has all the customization and targeting options noted above. And remember this: recruiter databases are available for free on the Internet, so if you want to tailor a customized blast to carefully selected recruiters in your preferred geographic areas and industry specialties, you can do so without investing any money.

If, on the other hand, you have the cash to invest in such a service, and little time to get recruiter resumes out the door, then recruiter resume blasting may suit you well.

FYI, ExecutiveResumeRescue.com just launched our own recruiter resume blasting service which will allow you to send your resume to recruiters in up to 3 recruiting specialties in your preferred geographic areas. Our beta pricing is still in effect, so visit ExecutiveResumeRescue.com for pricing and details.

Following Up with Recruiters, Part 2

Question:

Cheryl, I want to give you some updates: I was able to talk to couple of the recruiters today. One is a recruiting company referred by a friend of mine, the other is wita company I am interested in. The recruiting company email some positions for me to review. My call with the other recruiter was a short conversation. He wants to know if I have any preferences in office locations and want to find out about my compensation. He then indicated he will pass my resume to the hiring manager, and I should hear back by end of this week/perhaps can arrange for an interview. I plan to follow up to make sure an interview will be arranged. Do you have any suggestions/thoughts?

Answer:

Thanks for the update, Sally. You've had some great results already! Recruiters are very selective about who they work with and how soon they follow-up with you, so the fact that you are already seeing forward momentum tells me that you match the needs of one or more of their clients/open positions. Great work!

If you haven't already done so, send both recruiters a brief thank you note/email and use that space to reiterate some of your best qualities, credentials, and achievements. Keep it brief, but let them know what you would bring to the table. Make sure you focus on the results you create in your work.

Do something similar when you follow-up with each recruiter. When you're on the phone with them or leave a voice mail for them, briefly refer to your strengths and scope of experience.

Good luck! Let me know what happens.

Following Up with Recruiters

Question:





Cheryl, I received a couple of voice mails from recruiters regarding my resume. They indicated they'd like to talk to me. I have let them know I will be available on Monday/Tuesday. (I plan to brush up my interview skills over the weekend).

• I imagine this would become a phone interview with the recruiters..? Or do they just want to collect information?


• If it becomes a phone interview, how do I make sure it does not end there? I know my ultimate goal is to meet with the hiring manager face to face.


• Is it appropriate to request to meet the hiring manager?

Answer:

Sally,

Congratulations! It's wonderful to receive such interest so soon after submitting your resume.

This first phone call with the recruiters is probably a combination of screening/interview. They will probably seek to verify your credentials, scope of experience, and interests, so they know whether or not to recommend you to the next level.

Your focus in these calls is to sell yourself, and by that I mean for you to stress your achievements, values, personality, and career goals. If you make use of the three handouts I sent you earlier this week, you'll be in excellent shape for these calls/interviews.

You cannot ensure that your candidacy doesn't end with these calls, but you can do as much as possible to make that happen by demonstrating clearly how well you would perform in the job(s) in question. You certainly can/should also make sure that you strongly express your interest in going to the next step, being invited to interview with the hiring manager, and meet the team.

You can accomplish that by not just expressing your interest, but by telling them how this position matches your goals for yourself and how much you know you can contribute in the future based on your current achievements. One question you can expect them to ask is why you are job searching outside your current company so soon into your current role, so give that question some thought.

As you can see, it's critical that you're able to outline and demonstrate your achievements quite fully. Good luck!