Should I Use a Recruiter in My Job Search - Career Sidekick

Should I Use a Recruiter in My Job Search - Career Sidekick Should I Use a Recruiter in My Job Search? Applying for Jobs / https://www.edenscott.com/blog You need  a new job and you  want it to be as painless as possible. So youre wondering Should I use a recruiter in my job search?The answer is it depends. Im going to show you how to decide for yourself if you should use a recruiter.First things first we need to separate the two types of recruiters out there.There are two different  types of recruitersThe two types are  in-house recruiters and agency recruiters.In-house recruiters work for one company and help that company hire.  Thats it.In-house recruiters conduct job interviews and screen applicants but they cant take your resume and show it to multiple companies, and they cant help you expand  your job search. So lets move on.What  about agency recruiters? They work for a recruiting agency and help multiple companies find people to hire. Theyre the ones  we need to focus on in this article.But not so fast they cant help everyone.  Lets look at why.Agency recruiters  work for the company, not youTha ts the reality. They serve the needs of the companies who hire from them.Whens the last time you paid a recruiter a single penny as a job seeker? The answer should be never.Meanwhile the companies they partner  with are paying them thousands of dollars. That should be enough proof who they really work for. (More info coming up on how much they get paid and how it works!)That doesnt mean they cant help you thoughSo, recruiters work primarily for the company. But they  need job seekers  too. You cant fill a job without both sides of the equation.  And most agency recruiters are only paid when they  fill jobs. So thats the good news. Heres the bad news thoughBecause of the pressure to fill positions, they  need to focus on job seekers who have in-demand  skills or very impressive experience. Not necessarily the people  who need their help most.So, lets  take a look at how you can quickly decide whether or not you should use a recruiter in your job search.Should You Use A Recruiter?Who recruiters can help  most in their job search:If you fit into one or more of these groups, you should consider using a recruiter  to find a job.You work in a field with a shortage of talent. There are more open positions than good people to fill them (software engineering is an example right now in many cities).You have very specific and hard-to-find skills. Or a lot of experience in your industry. Youre a specialist or expert in your profession.Youre in a top company that is known for having talented people (Google, Facebook, Tesla, LinkedIn, etc.)Youre an experienced manager or executive. Most recruiters get paid a  percentage of your starting salary when they find you a job (15-25% is normal) so theyre willing to spend more time helping you if the potential payoff is bigger.Youre a consultant or contractor who is looking for a temporary position, not a permanent job.  If this is the case you should talk to plenty of contract recruiters. Most of this article assumes youre looking for a full time, permanent job.Who recruiters can help  least  in their job search:Youre an entry  level job seeker. Most recruiters cant help you. There  are a few exceptions, like college campus recruiters who specialize in entry level jobs. But most companies wont pay recruiting agencies to fill entry level jobs because  they  can find enough  people on their own. (Remember, employers pay  a 15-25% fee if they hire someone through a recruiter, so they  have to decide if its worth it for each job!)You are looking  to make a transition or pivot your  career. A company  isnt going to pay a big fee to a recruiter if youre not coming in with specialized knowledge and a track record of doing what they need. So if youre a customer service expert but looking to get into marketing, youre better off job hunting on your own.Your job  does not require specific  skills  or knowledge, so companies can easily find enough people to fill open positions.Youre looking to find a job in a new city bu t dont have a compelling reason why companies should hire you over a local candidate (such as a shortage in talent in that city, or a unique skill or piece of experience you bring.)The right  way to use a recruiter to help you find a jobTheres no harm in sending your resume to a few recruiters. If you want to, go for it. Regardless of what I said above.Why do I say that? Well it doesnt cost you anything to try. Plus they might give you some  resume tips  if you ask.But  heres  where people run into trouble:They  contact a recruiting agency and talk to a recruiter. The recruiter takes their  resume and promises to  keep an eye out for opportunities.So they  sit back and relax, thinking alright! I have a pro  helping me now. This is going to be easy.Two weeks pass. The person  hasnt heard anything. They  start getting frustrated and angry. Why isnt he recruiter  helping?? Well, because of the reasons above.So  heres the key: You can talk  to a few recruiters, but dont count on them. Y ou should assume  you arent going to hear anything from them and go  start your  job search on your own too.  If they are able to help, itll be an added bonus and a nice surprise. But it wont hurt you if they cant.How you can get hired by companies even if a recruiter  wont submit  your resumeIf  a recruiter says they cant submit you for a job, you can still apply on your own. Sometimes a company will be more willing to hire you without the recruiters fee attached. So dont let yourself get  discouraged.Seriously, I cant tell you how many times as a recruiter Ive found a job seeker  who seemed qualified but my recruiting manager wouldnt let me introduce  them to the employer I had in mind for them. Here were my managers exact words: Theyre not bad for the job, but this isnt the type of person this company pays us to find.If  you apply on your own you might still get that job.The 4 best ways to find a job without using a recruiterHeres what Id recommend you use along with recruiters i n your job searchUse your network. Talk to people you know and see if they know about any relevant openings. This is one of the best ways to get hired because companies trust you more if you are referred by somebody theyre familiar with!Apply for jobs on  LinkedIn. (Use this LinkedIn job search method, its my favorite method by far!)Job  boards. Indeed  is one of the largest and easiest to use. Start there.Use Google to find individual companies and  apply through their websites.