The following is an interview conducted by my friend Rosa E. Vargas, a triple certified writer, including the elite Master Resume Writer credential. Her company can be found at http://www.creatingprints.com/ and for great career advice follow her on Twitter @resumeservice. The recruiter is me, Audrey Chernoff one of the founders of the new job board, www.hirefinders.com. I sound mean, but I am not, I promise. You can follow me at @HireFinders_ and @HCRGroup.
What is the biggest misconception job seekers have about what recruiters do?
I am going to be truthful and this may seem harsh, but many people do have this misunderstanding.
Job seekers often believe that the recruiter works for them, however many third party recruiters work on commission only (no salary) and only get paid for the placements they make. The company is the client, not the candidate, and the company pays the recruiter once a placement is made and stays for an agreed upon time.
So, often a candidate will treat a recruiter as if they are a career counselor and this is not what the recruiter is being paid to do. Treat the interview with a recruiter as just that, an interview for a job. If you are too confiding or have disdain for the recruiter because they are a recruiter, this could backfire and you could lose the opportunity to be presented to a great job. If a recruiter offers you advice on your career or resume, thank them. They are not receiving compensation and are truly doing you a favor.
How can job seekers ‘get in’ with a recruiter (i.e., best places to find them)?
Recruiters are easy to find. Just post your resume on the job boards and have a complete LinkedIn profile. Answer the ads for jobs that you find online. If you are right for the position, a recruiter will reach out to you. There is almost never a reason to reach out to a recruiter without having them contact you first. Recruiters are paid high fees to find candidates that exactly match the company’s job descriptions. If you are a so-so match you would have a better chance by submitting yourself directly to the company and trying to find a person you know who could recommend you to that company.
What is the worst thing a job seeker has done to ruin their chances with you?
I am actually the kind of recruiter who spends time with the candidates and cares. The worst thing a candidate can do is be rude to me, because I have treated them with respect and expect the same.
Can you tell when a resume is professionally written and does that bother you?
I cannot tell if a resume has been professionally written and would not care if it was. What does bother me are poorly written resumes or careless mistakes.
What do you wish you could see more often on a resume?
The month and year for each position, both start and ending dates. If all you have is the year, I have to ask, because you could have only been there for one week.
What do you hate to see on resume?
Hobbies, I take them out before I submit them to clients.
Do you read cover letters?
No. My day is too busy for that.
How would you advise job seekers to best get to an employer through a recruiter?
Treat the interview with the recruiter as seriously as you treat any other job interview.
Do you like it when job seekers follow up and thank you?
Of course.
How do you feel about pushy job seekers who keep calling you to find out if they got the job?
I understand how they feel, they just have to realize when we are busy, we are working on many different jobs at once. Generally, if we have any news from a client, they will be the first to know.
Where do recruiters mostly search for candidates? Do you use job boards?
There are many places and ways to search. Sometimes we look for candidates who are not actively looking for a new position, but the people reading this interview are probably actively looking. So, if you are on the market, definitely Linkedin, the job boards and even Twitter. Recruiters are constantly posting their jobs on Twitter in the hope that someone will respond.
