Top 5 Myths about Working with Recruiters
Job seekers need all the help they can get, and recruiters are not always there to help them through the job search process from beginning to end. Job seekers don’t always know what exactly recruiters do or how to work with them. This can lead to frustrated on not getting interviews for their dream jobs, and not understanding why they have not received any updates on a position after being submitted. This article will explore the top 5 myths that job seekers may have and what the role is of the recruiter.
- Myth: Recruiters have my best interest in mind.
Recruiters talk a good game to the applicant when they would like to submit them for a open position. Recruiters can be in-house at the company at an employment agency. They are paid by the company for filling the open positions. They have the interest in the company instead of yours.
- Myth: Working with a recruiter will help find me a job.
Many people believe that you need to work with a recruiter to find a job, but this isn’t the case. A recruiter is only one way to find a job. Other job search engines, as well as online or in-person networking can help you find new opportunities. You can even make connections at conferences and networking events. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, check out some of the different companies in your industry by browsing their websites or LinkedIn pages.
According to the HR Examiner, odds are better with winning the lottery than landing a job with a recruiter. Important facts from an article on HR Examiner, “The Odds of Getting a Job With A Recruiter“:
“So, assuming that the headhunter you’re talking to closes 12% of the positions she tries to fill, the odds are:
1 in 12 (8.5%) That a recruiter will ever call you
1 in 30 (3.3%) that you will make it to the short list
1 in 10 (10%) that you will be selected
1 in 8 (12.5%) that she will fill the job she is talking to you about
In other words, the overall odds are about 1 in 28,520 (.0035%) that your conversation with a headhunter will land you a job.”
- Myth: The recruiter will negotiate the highest rate on my behalf.
A recruiter’s goal is to fill the position, not necessarily negotiate the highest salary for you. It is in your best interest to know how to negotiate a salary and what you’re worth. There are many ways to find out this information including looking at salary websites on what the current going rate compared to your experience. Once you have an idea of what you should be making then you can have a foundation to negotiate what your rate is for the new opportunity. You also want to take into consideration how often there are raises with that company as well as what benefits come with it. You want to make sure that you are asking for enough money where the company will value you but also feel like they aren’t paying too much either. The key is to do research so that you know exactly how much you’re worth before entering any negotiations with a company or a recruiter.
- Myth: Recruiters will tell me everything about the position.
Recruiters know a lot about different positions, but they won’t tell you everything. Items that they may not tell you is how many individuals that they submitted, applied, internal culture and urgency for filling the position, etc. They want to make sure you’re qualified for the position and that you would be an ideal candidate for the company.
- Myth: Recruiters will let me know when I am not selected.
Recruiters may not be giving you all of the details about why they did not select you. They might not tell you that they have already found someone who is more qualified or better suited for a job. There are lot of other factors that may have affected this decision even if your qualifications were a direct match. For example, they had an friend of a senior leader in the company they decided to hire or decided to go with an internal candidate. This is something that is not a reflection that you did something wrong but really the company’s direction for how they wanted to fill the position.
A job search is more than talking to a recruiter about what you want in your next role and waiting for the recruiter to call you. You need to have a strategy that is multifaceted and a plan to accomplish what you are looking for. If you need help with this, we would be honored to work with you to get your job search back on track. Visit our website to learn more about our Job Search Kickstarter and Career Search Accelerator programs. We can also create a customized plan for you, contact us today to get started.