SDS Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 What say the collective wisdom of the wall? Do recruiters actually help you land jobs or are they just noise in the background? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 What say the collective wisdom of the wall? Do recruiters actually help you land jobs or are they just noise in the background? I'd say useless. I haven't been in IT for years and still get calls from them for jobs I wouldn't have taken when I was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrFishfinder Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 What say the collective wisdom of the wall? Do recruiters actually help you land jobs or are they just noise in the background? Only if they have an immediate job they can plug you into and get their commission, do they help. Otherwise, they disappear like relatives who owe you money. That continues to be my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Generally - worthless IMO. Jobs are got by connections. We these days call it networking; the old (and correct) term is cronyism. Best of luck to you if you aren't an old native of the area. "An ounce of pull is worth a pound of push." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Good luck on the job hunt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Only if they have an immediate job they can plug you into and get their commission, do they help. Otherwise, they disappear like relatives who owe you money. That continues to be my experience. This is about right. However, if you happen to be looking when they are selling, it can work. My current job came as a direct result of a recruiter matching my resume that he found in an online database with an assignment he was working. If you are unemployed and conducting a full job search, it's certainly worth the extra time to contact the recruiters, even if the odds of any one of them helping is not great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 One of my former employees was contacted by a recruiter that landed him a job. As others have said, if they know of current openings, it's helpful. Then again, what do I know about technology? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 I work in HR and here is my take - recruiters are like anyone some are very good - some are very bad. If I was going to work from your side of the table with recruiters (btw I suggest that you do as they can help expand your contacts) here is what I would ask: Are what companies do you make placements into on a regular basis? Do you interface with HR and the hiring mangers directly at these companies (dig for detail to verify their response is not BS)? How many people with similar skill sets to mine have you placed with them (over what period of time?)? Do you specialize in any particular skill set or area? If so, how do you see my history lining up? How do you network? How long have you been doing this? What would be your specific game plan for me? Is there anything you see that I will need to shore up to be placed? (a good recruiter will always find something and be willing to share with you). PM me if you would like to speak directly - I'll send you a phone number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 I work in HR and here is my take - recruiters are like anyone some are very good - some are very bad. If I was going to work from your side of the table with recruiters (btw I suggest that you do as they can help expand your contacts) here is what I would ask: Are what companies do you make placements into on a regular basis? Do you interface with HR and the hiring mangers directly at these companies (dig for detail to verify their response is not BS)? How many people with similar skill sets to mine have you placed with them (over what period of time?)? Do you specialize in any particular skill set or area? If so, how do you see my history lining up? How do you network? How long have you been doing this? What would be your specific game plan for me? Is there anything you see that I will need to shore up to be placed? (a good recruiter will always find something and be willing to share with you). PM me if you would like to speak directly - I'll send you a phone number. Well, I hope you and yours don't participate in that "let's see how he does under pressure" garbage. An interviewee - at least those that are not accomplished, nerves-of-steel liars with all the trendy answers who you will love, deserves a relaxed situation if you have an interest in getting a decent employee. Always provide a bottle of water, to wet the whistle, btw. You want to get the best from a candidate, not subject them to some idiotic torture test. I recall one interview - the HR twinkie's first words was "Tell me your ten worst features." I replied - only one...sitting here listening to you spouting the HR flavor of the day. How do you network? Yeesh - why not ask me how I good a con man I am...ye gods... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Well, I hope you and yours don't participate in that "let's see how he does under pressure" garbage. How do you network? Yeesh - why not ask me how I good a con man I am...ye gods... To your first point ... no ... nobody wins if we make a bad hire due to piss poor interviewing techniques. An effective interview is about exchanging and verifying information. It is not about game playing. If I want to learn how you deal with pressure I am far more interested to see what you have done in your work history and what you have to say about when you are under "pressure situations." I will then verify what you had to say as I follow up with references (if I am lucky I will know others you have worked with so I can verify through them.) Edit and addition - Also, an effective selection process will almost always use more than one method to obtain and verify information about you. Commonly used ones are profiles (tests), interviews, references (including ones that you do not provide) and background checks. As to your second point ... you have to dig and verify. A recruiter is only as good as his / her relationships and network. If they are simply a "smile and dial" jockey who spends no time cultivating relationships then they will be worthless. I want to know what associations they frequent, how often they are taking key decision makers out to lunch, do they have a personal relationship with decision makers (kids both in boy scouts or whatever), etc. etc. No doubt there are plenty of idiots out there ... but there are also people who go about the process in far more productive ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMadCap Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 Scott, I know you are an IT type, but I would say that they are nearly indespensible in my industry, namely, the biotech/science/pharma scene. Many of the companies in my field hire exclusively through the recruiters, in fact, I have been refused to be considered because I applied through the posting on a companies website. I believe that it is a law that they have to post jobs on thier website, but don't have to do thier actual hiring through them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrFishfinder Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 This is about right. However, if you happen to be looking when they are selling, it can work. My current job came as a direct result of a recruiter matching my resume that he found in an online database with an assignment he was working. If you are unemployed and conducting a full job search, it's certainly worth the extra time to contact the recruiters, even if the odds of any one of them helping is not great. Oh...it doesn't hurt. But is it helpful? ONLY when the recruiter has IMMEDIATE $$ in front of their eyeballs. Otherwise, in my experience, they don't return phone calls or emails if you're not an impending hire. Completely inconsiderate, unprofessional and disrespectful. You are bait to them. Nothing more. As long as you go into it with that mindset, you're okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 If you're planning to relocate somewhere, it wouldn't hurt to contact a recruiter in that area. However if you're unemployed or planning on switching jobs locally, they're pretty much useless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted June 23, 2010 Author Share Posted June 23, 2010 Scott, I know you are an IT type, but I would say that they are nearly indespensible in my industry, namely, the biotech/science/pharma scene. Many of the companies in my field hire exclusively through the recruiters, in fact, I have been refused to be considered because I applied through the posting on a companies website. I believe that it is a law that they have to post jobs on thier website, but don't have to do thier actual hiring through them... Not really an IT type. If I were - jobs would be falling in my lap around here. I'm an optical engineer and our sector just had a big blood-letting after losing several high dollar contracts the past year. Apparently, some intern forgot to put my box on the powerpoint re-org chart. My wife HAD to go through a recruiter to land her hospital pharmacy job. However, I don't think many firms exclusively use them in my industry. However, I'm uncertain if they can help otherwise (as a general rule). I need someone to be able to get me in front of decision makers and out of the resume pile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 My wife HAD to go through a recruiter to land her hospital pharmacy job. However, I don't think many firms exclusively use them in my industry. However, I'm uncertain if they can help otherwise (as a general rule). I need someone to be able to get me in front of decision makers and out of the resume pile. She could always take on a job as an ab model on the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted June 23, 2010 Author Share Posted June 23, 2010 She could always take on a job as an ab model on the side. The abs are still model quality - even at age 38 (with two kids)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 The abs are still model quality - even at age 38 (with two kids)! Thus the comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damj Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 What say the collective wisdom of the wall? Do recruiters actually help you land jobs or are they just noise in the background? Only if they have an immediate job they can plug you into and get their commission, do they help. Otherwise, they disappear like relatives who owe you money. +1 When job hunting, use all avenues. When I was looking in 2001, I networked and had an offer on the table with an old employer, but I was holding out for something with less travel ... had a headhunter who got me a bunch of interviews, but nothing panned out. The job I ended up taking was the result of a cold call. Keep all options open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 In my experience, about 90-95% of them are of limited use - most of the ones I've had to talk to in the past month are just doing keyword matches of resume to position, with no consideration given to the actual needs of the position or prospective employee. The other 5-10%, however, that will sit with both customer and prospect and take the time to discuss and understand needs and abilities, I've found to be an invaluable resource. The one I just got my new job was just such a recruiter - we went back and forth on my resume for a week, polishing it and adding details. Ultimately, I landed a very good job out of it. Those recruiters are rare, though - when I find one, I try to maintain a long-term relationship with them, they're so rare and valuable. The majority are, sorry to say, just clowns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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