Re:recruiters - comment from the book's author (Score 1)

Hi Craig, I'm one of the recruiters who was at that event last Wednesday (Boston IT Job Seekers Meetup). As someone who has been unemployed several times myself, I can definitely relate to what you're saying and where you're coming from in your book (even if I don't agree with you entirely). Looking for a job sucks, and it's frustrating as hell--no doubt about that. Yet the life of a recruiter is no bed of roses either. It can be frustrating and thankless for us too. While it's true that we're "middle men" the bottom line is that we're just as exposed to the fickleness and vagaries of hiring companies and the economy as our candidates are. As contingency recruiters, we also only get paid when and if the client hires the person we've presented, so there is a lot of pressure to find and present only the best-of-the-best. That can make the process seem especially difficult and cruel (kind of like playing "lotto"), but I can tell you that I'm not out there trying to screw anyone--I'm human too--but the hiring process is just a reality of how this industry works. Of course, if a client isn't in a hurry or not too picky, they don't need us; they can just put up a posting on Craigslist and see what comes their way (and by that, I don't mean to discourage anyone from applying to Craigslist--in fact, I recommend it), but even in that case there's still only one job available, and so only one person is going to get the job! Everyone else will feel frustrated and ripped off, but it is what it is. Whether as a recruiter or a hiring manager, finding "perfect" candidates isn't easy. Especially when what constitutes "perfect" for one job, isn't necessarily the ideal for another job. So what we're left with is trying to talk to and meet with as many potentially qualified people as we can find, in the hopes of having that perfect candidate at our finger-tips when the ideal job DOES come along. It's a lot of work. And unfortunately, in a down economy, it's exacerbated by clients who sometimes have unreasonable expectations about what is out there. We've all seen those "laundry list" requirement lists on job orders. Sometimes, even WE have to laugh at those ourselves! If we have a good relationship with a client, we can reason with them and readjust their expectations, but not always, which means we're left trying to find candidates that may not even exist! Finally, there are the issues of timing and competition. We're often not the only agency working on a particular job order, which means that "speed-to-market" makes all the difference--not to mention the myriad unknowns and intervening factors beyond our control... So all of THAT my friend, is what I was talking about when I explained that I bring in people who may not always be an exact match for the particular job they're applying for. It's certainly not about trying to mislead people or waste their time. Far from it. But the sad and simple truth is that by the time I talk to anyone about a job, there's a distinct possibility the job I'm talking to them about may already have been filled--I have no way of knowing that; but if I let it stop me, I wouldn't talk to anyone, would I? ;-> However, having once met with a candidate, that person becomes a known quantity to me and is thus ready to go for the NEXT opportunity--meaning that I can have them presented to a potential client a lot sooner (ideally before the job gets filled) than someone that I haven't talked to yet.... That's just how it works. Obviously, as a candidate, that's not really encouraging, and perhaps shows you what a crap-shoot it is, and that working with an agency shouldn't be the only avenue in your job search... I have a lot more I could say on the topic, but basically, I just wanted to shed some light from the "other side." Recruiters are people too and not trying to screw anyone. Am I saying there aren't any sleazy people in this industry? No--as just like in every other industry and profession, there are always going to be people who try and take short-cuts or lack the proper empathy. But then there's the rest of us, who do feel for our candidates, and do what we do because at the end of the day, it's our job and goal to help match the right person with the right job--at the right time. That's what drives us (and gets us paid). So the conclusion: don't shoot the messenger. Recruiters aren't miracle workers. If you don't have the skills or the experience that a particular job requirement calls for, there's nothing we can do about that--except hope that the right job will finally come your way, and that we'll be the person to place you when it does! Ben