Critical Recruiter Tips: Key Headhunter Advice

Q-Tips: Critical Recruiter Tips
Key Headhunter Advice

Headhunters Revealed! A
great book about using recruiters

These recruiter-related tips -- capturing the attention and partnership of top recruiters, playing and winning "placement politics," and more -- come from Darrell W. Gurney's wonderful book, Headhunters Revealed! Career Secrets� for Choosing and Using Professional Recruiters. Darrell W. Gurney is a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and Certified Job & Career Transition Coach (JCTC). He uses his training and 15 years of experience as a basis for this witty and extremely useful book that will teach you all you need to know to successfully navigate the world of professional headhunters and recruiters. Headhunters Revealed! is the winner of the 2001 Clarion Award for Best Book by the Association for Women in Communications. Sign up for a FREE monthly subscription to The Career Secrets� Newsletter... for everything you ever wanted to know about choosing & using executive recruiters.

Why use a headhunter? Consider that there are both short- and long-term benefits to managing your career through recruiters. I emphasize the word "managing" because most of us have lived life from job to job with no left-over consciousness at the end of the day to maneuver ourselves into the next step. However, when you look at Hollywood actors (both "stars" and strugglers) and sports figures, what common denominators stand out in their career process? Personal Managers. Agents. Individuals responsible for their "clients" attaining and expressing their highest potential. Yes, more money, but also those "quality of life" intangibles that can't always be monetized: creative fulfillment, personal growth and expansion, enjoyment of what they do, etc.

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When applying for jobs online, e-mail your materials to yourself first for a sense of what you're sending out. Make sure your e-mail text flows smoothly and all attachments are indeed attached.

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What you get through recruiters that you don't get through your own e-effort is:

Noticed: a recruiter presenting you to a client company makes you stand out from the crowd of other resumes/e-mails, and ascribes to you a certain energy of "this person is good enough to have representation for his/her career"
Presented: you get heard about rather than your information only seen by a hiring company, with many good feelings (from the recruiter) attached
Financial Security: a company paying money for you is, generally, financially strong
Insurance: a company paying money for you is more committed to your success than to that of someone they get for free - they have an investment on the line
Hidden Job Leads: even in today's wild e-world, for many reasons, many positions are still assigned as "confidential" to search firms
Interview Preparation: yes, you think you know how to interview, but a recruiter's income depends on having you land the job. So, they offer not only an inside view of the hiring company but a feel for the people you'll meet -- more than you'll discover on the net!
Negotiation: headhunters' compensation depends on your compensation, so they're out for your (and their) best good. Plus, all but few professionals can feel at ease dealing with this very personal area: your paycheck!
Buffering: through the interview and hiring process, as well as the initial period on the job, a recruiter serves as a useful information channel between you and the company -- sometimes a critical factor of success (e.g., "What she meant was...;" "Their impression of you was...;" "What we want to emphasize more on the next interview is...;" etc.)

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Affiliating with a few recruiters for life brings about long-term rewards. Just as the Hollywood and sports types can focus on what they do best by having someone else manage their movement, a few chosen career partners can support your long-term goals and desires. This support happens only when you stay connected with your recruiters�not by waiting until you need to make an emergency move. So my advice is to always, always, always keep your eyes and ears open. Keep your contact information current and your resume and "wish list" continually updated.

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Lifetime Career Management is a simple concept... a system any ambitious person would naturally use, right? Wrong! After 14 years in the recruiting business, I'm often amazed at the lack of forethought and planning that goes into individuals' careers. By far I would say a majority of folks employ an emergency career management strategy: I need another job because of a layoff; I need to move fast because the company's going in the wrong direction; I'm desperate to leave because I'm dying here! With the demise of corporate "loyalty" to employees over the last 20 years, and the frenetic rise and fall of dot.coms on every e-corner, the phrase "job security" has become an oxymoron. The time has come for working individuals to keep their options always open.

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How does one focus on a job, while at the same time staying abreast of "options?" By establishing career partnerships with professional recruiters. Here's a quick test to determine if you utilize lifetime career management. Let's say you just landed a great position (on your own or through a headhunter... doesn't matter) making more money than you ever have doing exactly what you want to do. What do you do the first week on the job?

Notify everyone involved in your search that you're happy and settled now so please, "take me off your list"
Rework your resume to include your present job description and send it, along with an updated "wish list," to your favorite recruiter(s)
Find the nearest dry cleaner and Starbucks to the office

A is the current standard. B sounds absurd, but let me make a case for executing it -- even before C! If you don't update your "career partners" with your particulars right away, you will only remember to do so during your next desperate moment. It's called emergency career management. This is not because you're already available to make another move. Nor is it to say that you will post your new resume everywhere (e.g., the Internet). Yet putting it in the hands of a few trusted recruiters who know your long-term hopes and desires keeps you tuned in to opportunities arising that you should at least know about. You may not move for another 10 years... but it doesn't hurt to hear about what's going on in your field. Pay attention to what's out there -- you never know when it might be you!

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There's nothing wrong with a quick, calculated career change. However, if you're going to err, do so on the side of "calculated." In the eyes of a recruiter, being unemployed or bouncing from job to job -- whether for survival (layoff) or opportunity -- detracts from your marketability. A hiring company wants to feel that you are today's "hot stuff," not last week's leftovers. Just as shortsighted and na�ve, they want to believe that your hooking up with them will be "special" -- not just another romp in the pay. So, if at all possible, stay gainfully employed while searching for your next position.

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When applying for jobs online, always include every bit of personal contact information in your cover letter and resume, including both cell phone and private e-mail address (as opposed to corporate). Not only are all avenues then made available for immediate contact, but you stand a greater chance of having at least one avenue still "alive" when the recruiter tries to call you again a year later when another appropriate opportunity arises. Be smart... keep all your "career partners" updated whenever you move (homes, employers, etc.), but in case you forget, they'll have an easier time tracking you down with more contact info. If you have submitted to a recruiter once, you might as well update it continually, keeping it "live" in their system for other opportunities that might interest you down the road. You won't move unless it's right for you, but it never hurts to know what's going on in your field.

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Consider these benefits of keeping your job while searching for another: A hiring company often values what another employer has, more than something they can get gratis. Call it human nature, but if a freebie is offered at your door, don't you wonder why? Companies do: the "Why unemployed?" question comes into play -- which leaves you scrambling to justify yourself.

Staying in your current position, you continue to earn a paycheck until you find the right opportunity. Your decision to move will always be better when you uncover something that really calls to you rather than something taken out of desperation. Desperate choices bode more of the same.
Remaining employed, you're not sitting at home bored, anxiety ridden, going through the classifieds/Internet while waiting for your headhunter to call. Your mind stays occupied and less stressed about the transition. Less stress means better decisions.
Remaining employed, you're not sitting at home bored, anxiety ridden, going through the classifieds/Internet while waiting for your headhunter to call. Your mind stays occupied and less stressed about the transition. Less stress means better decisions.

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If you're thinking of quitting your job to look for a new one, don't buy into the myth that you'll be better off in a full-time job search. There will always be enough time to interview for the positions that really interest you -- even while holding down your current one. Hiring companies will work around your schedule... and you'll perform much better as a cool, collected, working professional.

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Should you use a contingency or retained recruiter? Truth is, you have little to say about it. Which recruiter you work with depends primarily on your professional level, not how good you are at what you do. One will be as "successful" as the other... the distinction simply being the manner in which each is paid.

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Professional recruitment firms today are paid by the employer, not the applicant/candidate. "Contingency" recruiters are paid contingent upon the successful filling of a position. They basically work for free until a client company hires a presented candidate. Conversely, "retained" recruiters are paid partially or fully up-front, before initiating a search assignment. A myth is that you gain prestige if dealing with retained search firms because they have traditionally dealt with more "prestigious" positions at, say, $200K and up. However, the firm's payment plan doesn't offer prestige -- who you are at what level you operate does.

Generally, if you're in the $25-$75K salary range, you'll work with contingency recruiters; $75-200K, you'll engage a mixture; and above $200K, you'll deal mainly with retained. The difference is, retained recruiters find you if they're interested...not the other way around. You wouldn't "sign up" with a retained firm -- they have been prepaid to fill a very high position and set their targets on a very short list. Contingency recruiters deal with a greater volume of positions (think about it: there are many more Indians than Chiefs, right?). Therefore, they need to pull from a greater volume of candidates. It serves you to "sign up" with contingency recruiters -- they peruse their databases regularly to find matches for client openings.

So, don't let different payment plans limit your choice of recruiters. Just pro-actively connect with whichever professionals can catapult your career to that level at which, one day, all will come clamoring at your door without your even raising a finger (to type a resume).

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When applying for jobs online, include your resume both in the body of the e-mail (never snail mail) as well as in an attached Word file. Some career experts advise not including an attachment due to virus scares, but I disagree. An interested recruiter will want a nice hardcopy of your resume to present to hiring companies. If you're sending directly to a company, a professionally formatted version of your information always looks better on a hiring manager's desk. Since most organizations utilize anti-virus software these days, the attachment is not a threat. Plus, if your resume is in the body of the e-mail as well, they can choose, based upon interest, whether or not to open the attachment.

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Have you ever noticed that, when you do something to pay the bills that may or may not interest you long-term (like temping), there is very little stress involved? Basically, youjust leave your job at the office at the end of the day and focus your mind on other things. In the same way, though I never advocate becoming a slug or giving less than your best in your duties and responsibilities, this little mind trick can go a long way toward preserving your sanity while doing something you are mentally done with. So, to keep yourself from going crazy in a job you don't like while waiting around for a recruiter to find you a new one, my advice is to "temp" along in your current position, viewing it merely as a transitional period until the right thing shows up. You may find the job itself isn't as bad as you thought. It may be the importance your mind is placing on being "in the right place right now" that is your real enemy.

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Some people wait until they "just can't take it anymore" to begin searching for a new position. A rather deadly approach, because desperate and frustrated job seekers rarely do their best thinking. I encourage the practice of always having your updated information on file with your favorite recruiters (current resume, wish list of situations you're interested in hearing about, etc.). One very real benefit is for just this reason: you can hear about opportunities that fit your picture of the "perfect job" while being sane, productive, and somewhat content in your present position. First, you'll certainly make a better decision when you are relatively satisfied. Second, you don't have to re-invent the wheel every time you reach your limit at a job -- your connections to other positions, namely your favorite headhunters, remain ever-active on your behalf. (Both recruiters and employers find a happy, contented candidate much more desirable than someone desperate to change.) In addition, a candidate will often be wooed with more money, perks, etc., when being enticed away from an established, likeable situation.

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When applying for jobs online, state the title and location of the position for which you are applying. Recruiters and companies posting positions to various online job boards are often assigned a listing ID#, to which they pay no attention. When you apply for "Position ID# 1234567," they have no idea which opening you refer to. So, state exactly where you saw the position listed as well as the title and location... to help them focus more quickly on evaluating your qualifications for the job. If you're just sending in for any applicable positions, say so, instead of mentioning any particular position you saw.

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Adopt a long-term perspective when initiating a job change. By staying physically employed, and relatively mentally engaged (versus being checked out), you place yourself in a better position to find that new job which really calls to you. Waiting until the last minute to begin a search merely adds to the frustration of not "being in the right place." Don't jump from the frying pan into the fire. I repeat... the ideal situation is to always be looking. However, if you have just gotten to the point of no return in your present position, don't fret. First, remain calm. That sets the tone for clear thinking. Then actively take the necessary steps starting up the search ladder. Contact your favorite recruiter, or interview new recruiters. Give yourself a few months, at the very least, to consider new opportunities. Though your perfect position may actually show up sooner, you will be calmer, cooler, and poised to land it when each and every interview is not make-or-break. You'll be able to be yourself and assess your choices more comfortably by adopting a long-term perspective.

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Keyword searchability is critical to resume submission success in today's computer-driven workplace. It is the degree to which your information lends itself to electronic combing for certain "key" words and phrases that could single you out for an interested recruiter or employer. Virtually the entire working world now utilizes keyword searchable (KWS) databases for managing the mounds of information required in the employment/hiring process, which means that, for the most part, the likelihood of your resume being found among the masses depends less on an eye-and-hand movement as a chip-driven scan movement. So how do you prepare your materials to get noticed under such hi-tech scrutiny? By "loading" -- often, and well.

To "load" your resume and cover letter means to chock them full of all key words and phrases necessary to stand out in a database search for someone with your experience, skills, certifications, background, accomplishments, location, and even desires. Resumes held completely intact and searched word-for-word by today's resume management systems WILL NOT show up in a search unless they contain the exact words or phrases that the recruiter/company is searching for.

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When applying for jobs online, include basic cover letter information in the body of the e-mail such as positions and industries desired (for general openings submissions), preferred locations, and salary history. Drop the salary info for letters going directly to companies, but definitely include it for placement services.

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What areas should you focus on for "loading" your resume and cover letter with keywords? Consider FUNCTION/SKILLS/RESPONSIBILITIES. Titles, main responsibilities carried out in that function. For example, in the world of sales, an oft-used hiring criteria for certain positions is the ability to "cold-call," "canvass" or "prospect" for new accounts. So, a sales representative with these skills seeking to utilize them in his next position, would most certainly include them: they are keyword searchable. Another example: you are a financial analyst and your past experience does not include work in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or 10K reporting, but you do want to move into this area. In the "Objective" on your resume and in your cover letter, be sure to state these skills as areas of interest:

OBJECTIVE: To secure a growth-oriented position as a Senior Financial Analyst with a focus on SEC and 10K reporting

The point is to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all words key to your primary functions and duties, or desired functions and duties, are included in the body of your resume and cover letter.

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Include JOB-SPECIFIC TERMS OR PHRASES when "loading" your resume and cover letter with keywords. Often there are words and phrases specific to a particular field. To the depth that a headhunter's client requires her to go in search of the "perfect candidate," these words and phrases can become keyword searchable targets. For instance, one of my clients seeking to fill three human resource manager positions around the country required that a candidate have hands-on experience dealing with "cultural change" and "change management." Therefore, these phrases became search criteria and, to my amazement when conducting a keyword search, many candidates had those specific phrases in the body of their resume. Another example would be a salesperson with "business-to-business" and/or "one-call close" sales experience. These phrases could also be targets for a keyword search.

In technical fields, it is vitally important that every technical term, process, certification, or knowledge be stated specifically. Interestingly, technical candidates, whether engineering-, programming-, or systems-related, are often the best at spelling out these keyword searchable targets. One caution, however, when abbreviating technical terms or phrases: a good rule of thumb is to both spell out and abbreviate those that you have seen spelled out before. If you have never seen an acronym or abbreviation spelled out, then just include the acronym or abbreviation without spelling it out. For example, for professionals in manufacturing, JIT is a process for "just-in-time" delivery of raw materials. This phrase is seen both abbreviated and spelled out, so do both in your resume. However, the acronym OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is hardly ever spelled out, so neither would you.

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Include SPECIFIC PRODUCTS/SERVICES when "loading" your resume and cover letter with keywords. Often I see resumes from seemingly strong candidates with stable work histories but without indication of the products or services with which they have been involved. Most recruiters' clients want candidates who already have experience with similar products or services. Therefore, this is an important keyword searchable criteria in conducting a database search.

Often, especially in a "functional" resume, specific areas of responsibility or duties are outlined for 90 percent of a person's resume, leaving only a few lines to state dates and places of employment. Beware: most company names say nothing about their particular line of work. "XYZ Company" does not tell me whether they produce or sell widgets or wigs. So, it is vitally important to spell out the types of products or services your employers and you, specifically, have dealt with. Be careful not to assume that the reader understands anything not stated: though "Gerber Foods" conjures up an immediate association of baby food on my child's face, the floor, and my shirt, my childless computer can't assume anything. State "baby food" clearly on your resume.

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Include a description of INDUSTRY OR WORK ENVIRONMENT when "loading" your resume and cover letter with keywords. The computer also can't distinguish which field you are in by the name of your employer. "Sony Pictures" does not say you are in the "entertainment" industry, and a specific industry is always a keyword searchable target. Also, if your past employers have been "manufacturing" companies or you have been involved in "industrial" or "international" sales, then you want those keyword searchable words to be in the body of your resume.

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Among keyword searchable targets to include in your resume are degrees, certifications, geographic locations, and even awards. Remember, though your resume and cover letter will be seen initially by recruiters to determine whether or not you should go into the database, the only way they will see it again is if it's fully loaded with all the words and phrases that point the way to the perfect position for you.

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A critical element in determining the right headhunters for you is noticing the ratio of words coming out of their mouths compared to words going in their ears. You might call it the WO/WI factor. (Easy to remember because, "Wowee! Man, does that guy talk a lot!") A headhunter's interaction with a potential candidate reveals volumes about how they work. A WO/WI factor greater than one (more words going out than in) can be a sign of greater disregard to come.

WO/WI of 3 = Commercial! Catch zzzzs!
WO/WI of 2 = What's missing is you
WO/WI of 1 = Extremely more fun
WO/WI of less = They pass the first test

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A key factor in partnering with a recruiter is whether or not they take the time to listen to your needs and desires. Many candidates get frustrated dealing with recruiters constantly calling them about positions that don't fit their stated desires. The best way to deal with them? Don't! The headhunter for you is the one who gets to know you, your interests, and your needs during the first phone-call (caveat: that they have initiated) and then only contacts you with opportunities that fit those criteria. Therefore, the WO/WI factor, in the beginning at least, should be small -- ideally a ratio of less than one. Although recruiters may initially focus on and espouse the merits of a particular opportunity, which is natural, you need to get a quick sense of whether or not your interests are being probed -- or are they just trying to fill a hole. Whether you're a match for that particular position or not, good recruiters always want to build their database with potential future candidates. Therefore, they want to know what would really turn you on.

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When you connect with a good recruiter who gets into your interests and desires and, over time, tells you about positions that fit those interests and desires, stick with 'em. But don't expect that headhunter to have immediate opportunities that fit -- unless you want your square corners rounded to fit a hole. Finding the perfect position may take some time, especially if you're quite specific about what you want. Keep in mind that greater flexibility on your part leads to your recruiter calling you with more possibilities. A good rule of thumb: two calls from a recruiter to whom you've spilled your super-specific guts with positions that don't fit, move on to someone who listens.

However, if you bare your soul to a recruiter who doesn't call back for a while, if ever, either 1) they listened well and can't help you, or 2) they are simply still looking for a position that fits. In either case, there is less wasted time on your part. Wouldn't you want your recruiter to spend time trying to find opportunities for you rather than easing your insecurities? It won't make anything happen faster to be on the phone telling you that they don't have anything for you. If you haven't been called, assume there is nothing yet to call you about.

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Although a recruiter is paid by her client companies, a good search professional operates with two customers in mind: the company and the candidate. You might call the company the "client" and the candidate the "customer." Just know that a good recruiter understands that to really forward things in this life -- the client's, the candidate's, the recruiter's -- it's best that everyone be pleased with a placement. Candidates who have had their edges shaved to fit particular round holes eventually become dissatisfied, even if they work out relatively well in the short run -- which means they have to move to other jobs, and the company must find other people to fill their positions. Although there is a misperception that this is the ideal scenario on the part of the headhunter (the "churn" factor), someone who operates on this Ride-'em-in/Ride-'em-out philosophy will not succeed for long. A recruiter's reputation among clients and candidates is determined by each party's satisfaction with a placement. Real success is built upon this kind of reputation. You want to "partner" with such a recruiter.

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The days of managing information on index cards or in manila folders are gone. There is only so much information-capacity/memory that any human can handle. Yet, a recruiter's ability to quickly retain and locate information is a crucial determinant of success. Computers, and the myriad accessories that accompany them, allow for information management, retention, retrieval, and transfer. Technology enables a headhunter to stay efficient, effective, and sane in this hurly-burly world. Whether it's a recruiter's ability to receive your e-mailed resume (which gets your information into "play" faster) or their ability to research company information on the Internet, all things technological create more success in landing a job through that recruiter. Would you want a headhunter probing his or her memory or poring through office file cabinets to recall you when your "perfect job" arises; or, would you rather he had the ability to access your information systematically and with greater alacrity through a keyword searchable database? Of course, it's crucial that you set yourself up to be found, or retrieved, from that database by structuring your information in a certain way. However, through the use of technology, your chance of hearing about the ideal position is much higher than if you depend upon human hardware (memory) alone.

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When initiating talks with headhunters, observe whether they have this basic "hunting gear:"

Computers! Computers! Computers! Just be sure they aren't some old dinosaurs with black and green Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) screens. Outdated systems mean outdated technological capabilities.
Keyword Searchable Database. There are many different types of information-management software packages available for recruiters. Those requiring "coding" and data-entry of your information are less efficient than systems based on keyword search and result in your lowered exposure rate. Contemporary systems can input your entire resume into the database, allowing it to be retrieved anytime a keyword search is done calling for your experience, credentials, or interests.
E-mail/Internet Capability. It's simply the communication medium for today. A headhunter not utilizing this resource is like a stockbroker using the telegraph instead of the phone -- or the phone instead of on-line trading!
Scanners. These flat, small, copier-look-alike devices "scan" your resume into a database. While not the most efficient form of data transferal, it at least attests to a firm's knowledge and utilization of contemporary technology. Scanners were more critical before e-mailing resumes became popular (an e-mailed resume plops neatly and immediately into a database), so it may not be utilized as regularly now. But whether it's collecting dust or shoved into a corner, the fact that the firm owns a scanner shows that they have been awake.

Be sure and take advantage of all the best recruiter and headhunter recruitment resources for job-seekers -- organized around critical recruiter-related resources, recruiter/headhunter directories, and recruiter associations.

Go to: Recruiter Directories & Associations.

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Q-Tips: Critical Recruiter Tips Key Headhunter Advice

Review all our Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips.

Maximize your career and job-search knowledge and skills! Take advantage of The Quintessential Careers Content Index, which enables site visitors to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets in 35 career, college, job-search topic areas.

Q-Tips: Critical Recruiter Tips
Key Headhunter Advice