By Jeff Altman, Big Game Hunter
In this video, we’ll go over some ways to evaluate the recruiters and headhunting firms you encounter during your search.
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Many people view the job search as a game of chance. You hand your resume to the recruiter, wait for them to pull you up, and hope they don’t put you back in the pile before you contact the hiring manager. Most of the time, you’re dealing with a basic filter.
These recruiters create rigorous mental checklists, looking for square pegs to fit into square holes without looking at the person behind the credentials. Relying on a fast-talking person trying to sell their resume is a liability. Their priority is to get a commission quickly, and if it’s not the right fit, it will cost you your career six months later.
We need a better way to vet the people who represent you. We can evaluate recruiter effectiveness by examining three specific characteristics of recruiters—character, curiosity, and technical ability. Ultimately, your career trajectory is directly related to your ability to choose the gatekeepers you trust.
Executive recruiters display a calm, honest demeanor. They don’t sound eager to fill a position, and they don’t treat your background as sales material. They respect your time by being direct and concise.
You’ll notice that they listen more than they speak and refuse to oversell the client or play with the details of the position. You can also identify professionals by surveying you. While amateurs only want a PDF resume, professionals will interview you extensively to understand how you actually brought a boost to the organization.
They look for things that are missing from the resume. They ask about your organizational impact, impact on colleagues, and career goals you care about. If they don’t know something, they say this
Good recruiters don’t make up answers – they find them for you. This level of investigation is the only way they can determine whether a position is truly a good fit for your skills and interests. Then there is the issue of capabilities.
Professional headhunters manage your expectations through in-depth knowledge of the current market. They will guide you through the specific mechanics of your search. Before your first meeting begins, you should know exactly what to expect from the phone screen, video call, and ultimately the face-to-face interview.
They also don’t apologize for missing out. If your background doesn’t fit a client’s needs, a professional will tell you straight up. They will point out specific gaps in experience that led to the wrong choice for this particular role.
Consider the final touchstone. Can this person write a detailed and highly targeted executive summary about you based on just one conversation? Competencies are the ability to synthesize your raw history into a clear market asset that hiring managers can actually use. As you vet recruits, remember that the mirror cuts both ways.
The most elite headhunters are evaluating you at the same time. Even the best recruiters can’t help a candidate who refuses to put in the effort. If you’re not willing to expose your personality, no amount of publicity will get you the job.
Many job seekers look to a mom or dad recruiter to offer a new career without having to do any of the heavy lifting themselves. They recycle old resumes and hide their true selves, then complain when the process fails. To have a top headhunter represent you, you must be a hardworking partner.
You have to be transparent about your goals and gaps. For more job search advice, books and guidance, visit jobsearch.community. Jeff Altman has over 2,600 episodes of job search insights to help make the process easier for you. A successful search requires both world-class advocates and candidates truly worthy of the initiative.
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About Big Game Hunter Jeff Altman
Jeff Altman, Big Game Hunter is a coach and has been a recruiter for a hundred years. He is hired worldwide to provide career advice without a bachelor’s degree. This may involve job search, recruiting staff, management, leadership, career transition and advice on solving workplace problems. Schedule a discovery call on my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 job search podcast on iTunes with over 3,000 episodes.
Website: www.TheBigGameHunter.us (Schedule a paid coaching session, a free discovery call or ask a question using my Trusted Advisor service)
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