I own and run a recruiting firm, where we help large Internet companies and start-ups find ideal candidates for open positions. The job can be tough, but also a lot of fun and very rewarding. Ask me anything about being a recruiter!
I think that every industry would answer this question differently. I think general recruiters tend to get a lot of people who are unemployed. I work in a very specific industry (digital advertising), and a lot of people are in tune when things are going south in their current jobs. They tend to reach out just before leaving. This is industry is also 60% men, and 40% woman. I would say that is the ratio of my candidates as well.
There are a lot of little mistakes that we see frequently with grammar errors or format. Most resumes are guilty of this, but employers tend to care more about what you were actually doing in your most recent roles. Some people get so used to their day to day tasks that they forget their "accomplishments" in the work place. A resume is your opputunity to sell yourself, and a lot of people make the mistake of writing mundane details without selling themselves. I will use a receptionist job as an example A poor resume would show tasks like this: Answered all phone calls from clients Responsible for greeting all walk in customers Responsible for filing paperwork Responsible for confirming appointment times A strong resume for the same Job (someone trying to sell themselves) would look like this: Responsible for heavy phone call volume while multi-tasking in-office duties Greeting all customers as they walk in with amazing customer service continually Directly responsible for repeat business as customers considered me friendly, and reliable Responsible booking appointments, as well as confirming appointments Any job you have done can be sold in a strong way. When I try to help people with their resume I ask them to remember every time their boss complimented them. Even if it was for something small. Not calling in sick all year, or winning back a customer that was angry….etc. Those are the details people forget, and those are the details your next employer will care about.
A company is now allowed to ask your references (previous employer or co workers) how much you made. A company can ask you directly "what are you compensation requirements?" It is another way of asking "how much will it cost me if I want to hire you?" - which is a fair question and not illegal. It is best to answer honestly, because this information is not too difficult to dig up especially with a full background check. As a recruiter, I am allowed to ask anything I want. Recruiters are great in this case because we negotiate on your behalf. We take the ugly-ness out of negotiating with your new potential employer. As a recruiter we usually know how much the company has carved out for the role, and we negotiate to make it a win/win for both the employee and the employer. I always try to get my candidates a raise, but I also try not to rip off my client (the company).
That is a good question. It is not something that usually happens because recruiters know the comp range for a role before starting a search. For example: I usually ask clients in advance “what compensation are you looking to pay?”- with that I look for candidates within that range. If I have a candidate that is making less than what is budgeted for the role, than I do try to get them a raise, but NOT more than what the company originally carved out for the role. I never try to get the company at max budget. I try to find someone that they are happy to have on board and they don’t feel stressed paying for. I also try to get candidates a raise so they are excited to start the new job. It’s a balance that a recruiter should be able to manage so that it is a win/win ?
Flight Attendant
Firefighter
Certified Nurse Aide
Most Recruiters are paid on commission after a candidate starts the job, and the company is responsible to pay us. Basically a company will ask us to help with a specific search. They may enlist more than one recruiter. We sign a contract that says "If we find you the right person and you hire them, you pay us X amount." X amount is usually a percent of this persons base salary. So the candidate (person looking for a job) is never responsible to pay a recruiter anything. Sometimes I get candidates who are upset at me for not finding them a job. A lot of people don't understand that as a recruiter, my job is to find the right person for the role I have been hired to fill. Sometimes I get amazing resumes, but its not a home-fun for my client. I see a lot of great candidates that I can't place because I am not working on any jobs that are relevant to their background. Its not a personal thing, but some people take it personal.
I think its a great idea to include one or two humorous facts, or even special interests/hobbies like cooking, line dancing, or under water basket weaving. It is great for a conversation piece when someone starts an interview. It gives them insight to your personality beyond just the task items you are capable of.
Half of my clients have come to me asking to assist them with a specific search that has been really hard for them to fill. The other half of my clients I have approached. Sometimes I have an amazing person looking for a job, and I will approach a company to see if they need help filling a role. Its a fun game of matchmaking. Our company actually fills a lot of sales roles. A lot of internet companies generate revenue from selling ad space. We place a lot of people who have sales experience Junior to executive level.
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