In summary, remember that good recruiters belong in your career planning network. Network with your friends and colleagues to find good recruiters, and if you're seeking a position in the United States or Canada, remember to contact the Better Business Bureau for information about the search firm(s) in question.
Recruiters can be an effective part of your job search, but you should continue an active search on your own. You own your job search. Be honest and professional with recruiters, and expect the same from them. If your relationship with a recruiter is unproductive, gracefully exit. After all, it's your career.
Showing posts with label Careers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Careers. Show all posts
Monday, May 12, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Working with recruiters (part 6)
If a recruiter asks for an exclusive, meaning that the recruiter represents you for a fixed period of time and you agree not to work with other recruiters during that time, make sure you understand how you gain from this arrangement.
This is when you must make absolutely sure that your resume is not sent without your approval. You'll look disorganized if two firms present you to the same employer. Even worse, the employer may avoid you because it does not want to get involved in a dispute between two firms over who found you first.
Approach an interview with a recruiter as if it were with a potential employer. The employer's first impression of you will more often than not come from the recruiter. With that in mind, prepare for an interview with a recruiter just as you would for an interview with a hiring manager.
Even though the recruiter does not work for you, in some cases you can be more open with the recruiter than you would be with an employer without the adverse consequences. For example, specifying a number of job search parameters early on, such as maximum commute time, salary range, benefits, etc., may be considered presumptive or premature when interviewing with an employer, but it is much less so with a recruiter. In fact, skilled recruiters will appreciate the honesty, because they'll know not to waste their time and yours sending you somewhere you don't want to be.
If you aren't interested in a position, let the recruiter know. They may drop you if it happens more than once, but you'll probably be better off. Besides, why should they keep wasting your time sending you to positions you don't like? You deserve better.
Keep the recruiters in your network informed when you change jobs, get promoted, etc., especially those with whom you have already established a relationship (e.g., if they previously placed you).
To be continued....
This is when you must make absolutely sure that your resume is not sent without your approval. You'll look disorganized if two firms present you to the same employer. Even worse, the employer may avoid you because it does not want to get involved in a dispute between two firms over who found you first.
Approach an interview with a recruiter as if it were with a potential employer. The employer's first impression of you will more often than not come from the recruiter. With that in mind, prepare for an interview with a recruiter just as you would for an interview with a hiring manager.
Even though the recruiter does not work for you, in some cases you can be more open with the recruiter than you would be with an employer without the adverse consequences. For example, specifying a number of job search parameters early on, such as maximum commute time, salary range, benefits, etc., may be considered presumptive or premature when interviewing with an employer, but it is much less so with a recruiter. In fact, skilled recruiters will appreciate the honesty, because they'll know not to waste their time and yours sending you somewhere you don't want to be.
If you aren't interested in a position, let the recruiter know. They may drop you if it happens more than once, but you'll probably be better off. Besides, why should they keep wasting your time sending you to positions you don't like? You deserve better.
Keep the recruiters in your network informed when you change jobs, get promoted, etc., especially those with whom you have already established a relationship (e.g., if they previously placed you).
To be continued....
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Upcoming posts
Over the course of the next few weeks I will be posting on the following topics, but not exclusively:
Working with recruiters - I'll be continuing this series of posts. At this time, I think that two more posts, part 6 and part 7, remain.
Preparing for your performance review - Performance reviews, also known as annual reviews, performance evaluations, etc., are used for many purposes, from helping determine your salary, to serving as justification for your dismissal, to being proxies for references from your managers when you don't want them to know you're seeking employment elsewhere. I'll be discussing the strategies you should follow for a successful evaluation.
Career Portfolios - What they are, why you need one, and how to create one.
Lessons I've learned as a business analyst - This includes a discussion of why true dimensional data models are a rarity, why metadata repositories are often missing critical information, why we must understand the political dangers inherent in a data quality initiative, why you should never believe that your one-time-only assignment is really one-time-only, and why you don't want to become VP in charge of weather, among other things.
Working with recruiters - I'll be continuing this series of posts. At this time, I think that two more posts, part 6 and part 7, remain.
Preparing for your performance review - Performance reviews, also known as annual reviews, performance evaluations, etc., are used for many purposes, from helping determine your salary, to serving as justification for your dismissal, to being proxies for references from your managers when you don't want them to know you're seeking employment elsewhere. I'll be discussing the strategies you should follow for a successful evaluation.
Career Portfolios - What they are, why you need one, and how to create one.
Lessons I've learned as a business analyst - This includes a discussion of why true dimensional data models are a rarity, why metadata repositories are often missing critical information, why we must understand the political dangers inherent in a data quality initiative, why you should never believe that your one-time-only assignment is really one-time-only, and why you don't want to become VP in charge of weather, among other things.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Working with recruiters (part 5)
Once you meet with a recruiter, assess his/her knowledge of your field. Use this knowledge in deciding on the type of relationship you want with this recruiter. One example I often mention in the classes I teach: In 2000, I saw a job ad asking for someone with 5 years of XML experience, and 15 years of JavaScript experience. The problem? XML did not exist until 1998, and JavaScript did not exist until 1995 (when it was called LiveScript). Whoever wrote the ad had no clue what they were talking about.
Don't sit back and leave your future entirely in the hands of a recruiter. Be sure to keep looking for a job on your own to the degree that your schedule allows it. To avoid problems, however, be sure to require a recruiter to get your permission before sending your resume to an employer. The recruiter should tell you the name of the employer, and honor your wishes to not pursue employment with that employer, should you feel that way. Also, be sure to inform your recruiter of any companies to which you will be sending your resume on your own.
About eighteen years ago, one recruiter sent my resume to an employer that already had my resume as a result of my own job search. The employer told me what happened, and said that they would inform the recruiter that they already had my resume. They told me that, should they hire me, they would not consider me to have been presented by her. When that company eventually did hire me, the recruiter was not compensated. At that time, I was two years out of grad school, and she was an experienced recruiter, but we both should have known to avoid a situation like that.
If one recruiter is not getting you as many opportunities as you'd like as quickly as you'd like, then consider engaging more than one recruiter. Why not have more people working to help you find a position? Different recruiters know about different openings, especially retained recruiters, who typically have an exclusive agreement with a company for a particular opening or for all their openings.
Inform each recruiter with whom you are involved that you are pursuing other job leads, and that some of those will involve working with other recruiters. Use judgment in giving more details.
To be continued….
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Working with recruiters (part 4)
A recruiter is absolutely not your career adviser. Since recruiters have an incentive to place you, any advice they give you can be biased. I've experienced this personally. Fortunately, I had a strong sense of self-interest and I knew what she was doing. I made one of the best career moves of my life by doing the opposite of what she advised. Even though the recruiter does not work for you, your relationship with the recruiter must advance your own interests. If there is no value exchange, then gracefully exit the relationship.
I remember being a candidate for a position for which the recruiter said that the employer wanted candidates to be able to go on an interview with less than two hours notice. This was an unreasonable request, but it was very telling. A potential employer completely unconcerned with a candidate's circumstances at the time that they want to woo candidates is unlikely to care at all once they become the candidate's employer.
Contact a recruiter only when you see an open position whose requirements match your skills. This can be a position posted to a job site or on the search firm's own web site. One exception will be covered below.
Think outside the region. Even if you're seeking employment where you currently live, keep in mind that some of the recruiters seeking to fill jobs in your area live and work elsewhere.
Speak to recruiters that contact you even if you aren't actively searching for a job, and return their calls if they ask you to. One exception is if you have good reason to believe that a relationship with that particular recruiter would not be beneficial. I had a friend who was contacted by an independent recruiter who wanted to meet her in person. She didn't meet with him because she wasn't able to find anything out about the man or his company.
Don't think you're being disloyal to your current employer by maintaining contact with recruiters. For all you know, your current employer could be giving you a pinkslip tomorrow morning.
It is in your best interests to include recruiters in your career planning network. You could face downsizing, reorganization resulting in a difficult manager, relocation, etc. A good relationship with a good recruiter is a good investment in your future.
To be continued….
I remember being a candidate for a position for which the recruiter said that the employer wanted candidates to be able to go on an interview with less than two hours notice. This was an unreasonable request, but it was very telling. A potential employer completely unconcerned with a candidate's circumstances at the time that they want to woo candidates is unlikely to care at all once they become the candidate's employer.
Contact a recruiter only when you see an open position whose requirements match your skills. This can be a position posted to a job site or on the search firm's own web site. One exception will be covered below.
Think outside the region. Even if you're seeking employment where you currently live, keep in mind that some of the recruiters seeking to fill jobs in your area live and work elsewhere.
Speak to recruiters that contact you even if you aren't actively searching for a job, and return their calls if they ask you to. One exception is if you have good reason to believe that a relationship with that particular recruiter would not be beneficial. I had a friend who was contacted by an independent recruiter who wanted to meet her in person. She didn't meet with him because she wasn't able to find anything out about the man or his company.
Don't think you're being disloyal to your current employer by maintaining contact with recruiters. For all you know, your current employer could be giving you a pinkslip tomorrow morning.
It is in your best interests to include recruiters in your career planning network. You could face downsizing, reorganization resulting in a difficult manager, relocation, etc. A good relationship with a good recruiter is a good investment in your future.
To be continued….
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Working with recruiters (part 3)
Much of the advice about dealing with recruiters is written by recruiters themselves. Unsurprisingly, it is geared toward getting you to behave in a manner best suited to their needs. So how do you find accurate information about recruiters?
If you're looking for a job in the United States or Canada that will require you to work through a search firm, you can search the Better Business Bureau database for a reliability report on that firm. Many search firms can be found in their database, and you can learn which of them are BBB accredited, have a satisfactory rating, have had any complaints, etc. If a particular search firm cannot be found in the database, the fact that the firm didn't bother to subscribe to BBB practices is revealing in itself. I view BBB accreditation as a critical differentiator between search firms.
Another source of information about recruiters is your own network. Whether it's people you know personally, or through a social networking site like LinkedIn or Facebook, you should ask them to privately share their experiences with that search firm with you.
Finally, some employees placed by the search firm itself should be willing to share their experiences with you. Ask the search firm for the names of some people they've placed that would be willing to speak with you. If they do a good job, there should be no shortage of people they've placed who have had positive experiences.
If you decide to work with a particular search firm, ask yourself how attentive they are to your concerns. Do they send you to the kinds of employers you want? Do you feel pressured to act against your best interests? Remember that recruiters do not work for you. They are not at your beck and call, and they don't have time to return all the calls and/or emails they receive. If you fit a job they are recruiting for, you can be confident they'll contact you.
To be continued….
If you're looking for a job in the United States or Canada that will require you to work through a search firm, you can search the Better Business Bureau database for a reliability report on that firm. Many search firms can be found in their database, and you can learn which of them are BBB accredited, have a satisfactory rating, have had any complaints, etc. If a particular search firm cannot be found in the database, the fact that the firm didn't bother to subscribe to BBB practices is revealing in itself. I view BBB accreditation as a critical differentiator between search firms.
Another source of information about recruiters is your own network. Whether it's people you know personally, or through a social networking site like LinkedIn or Facebook, you should ask them to privately share their experiences with that search firm with you.
Finally, some employees placed by the search firm itself should be willing to share their experiences with you. Ask the search firm for the names of some people they've placed that would be willing to speak with you. If they do a good job, there should be no shortage of people they've placed who have had positive experiences.
If you decide to work with a particular search firm, ask yourself how attentive they are to your concerns. Do they send you to the kinds of employers you want? Do you feel pressured to act against your best interests? Remember that recruiters do not work for you. They are not at your beck and call, and they don't have time to return all the calls and/or emails they receive. If you fit a job they are recruiting for, you can be confident they'll contact you.
To be continued….
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Working with recruiters (part 2)
Recruiters generally receive about 25%-35% of the starting salary of the new hire, plus expenses. Ideally, this should be paid to the recruiter as per their relationship to the employer (i.e., retained vs. contingency), and not through any payment from the new hire. Study any agreement with a recruiter very carefully to determine if you will have to pay any fees.
According to Kennedy Information (a partner of CareerJournal.com), as of several years ago, there were about 5,500 search firms in North America, of which 2,650 work on a retainer basis (48%), and 2,850 work on a contingency basis (52%).
I will be discussing search firms (i.e., third-party recruiters), which are typically what people mean when they refer to recruiters. I will not be discussing search firms that charge you fees. I've never worked with such firms before, as there are plenty of firms that will seek to place you without charging you.
Using one or more search firms as part of your job search does offer some advantages. They often have access to job openings that aren't otherwise advertised, and they often have information and contacts that you don't, and some may even specialize in your particular industry. An applicant submitted by a search firm often has an advantage over other applicants because the search firm prequalifies them.
Disadvantages of working with search firms include the fact that you are not their customer, but their product. The employer is interested in finding the right product. If this fact disturbs you, then consider avoiding recruiters. Also, if you are seeking an entry level position, a search firm may not be interested in you (unless they posted an opening for such a position.) A search firm often adds little value in filling entry level positions.
Also, if you come to an employer through a contingency recruiter, it costs more to hire you than if you had come to their attention through another route. Retained recruiters usually submit a candidate's resume to one potential employer at a time, which can limit your opportunities.
Other disadvantages of working with search firms include the fact that you will probably lose some control over how you are presented to others. About twelve years ago, a contingency recruiter was preparing to present me as a candidate to a very large firm. At least I thought it was me, but the person they described in their written communication to the firm was much better than I really was. I decided not to continue working with them.
To be continued….
According to Kennedy Information (a partner of CareerJournal.com), as of several years ago, there were about 5,500 search firms in North America, of which 2,650 work on a retainer basis (48%), and 2,850 work on a contingency basis (52%).
I will be discussing search firms (i.e., third-party recruiters), which are typically what people mean when they refer to recruiters. I will not be discussing search firms that charge you fees. I've never worked with such firms before, as there are plenty of firms that will seek to place you without charging you.
Using one or more search firms as part of your job search does offer some advantages. They often have access to job openings that aren't otherwise advertised, and they often have information and contacts that you don't, and some may even specialize in your particular industry. An applicant submitted by a search firm often has an advantage over other applicants because the search firm prequalifies them.
Disadvantages of working with search firms include the fact that you are not their customer, but their product. The employer is interested in finding the right product. If this fact disturbs you, then consider avoiding recruiters. Also, if you are seeking an entry level position, a search firm may not be interested in you (unless they posted an opening for such a position.) A search firm often adds little value in filling entry level positions.
Also, if you come to an employer through a contingency recruiter, it costs more to hire you than if you had come to their attention through another route. Retained recruiters usually submit a candidate's resume to one potential employer at a time, which can limit your opportunities.
Other disadvantages of working with search firms include the fact that you will probably lose some control over how you are presented to others. About twelve years ago, a contingency recruiter was preparing to present me as a candidate to a very large firm. At least I thought it was me, but the person they described in their written communication to the firm was much better than I really was. I decided not to continue working with them.
To be continued….
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Working with recruiters (part 1)
Although I'm not currently seeking employment, the reality of the current marketplace is such that it benefits all of us to be prepared to find a new job at any time. That very often involves working with recruiters.
Recruiters fall into two broad categories: corporate and third party. Corporate recruiters are usually part of an employer's HR staff, while third party recruiters belong to a company whose major business is finding employees for other companies.
There are two kinds of third party recruiters: retained and contingency. Retained recruiters typically have an exclusive agreement with the company for a particular opening, or for all openings. They are often paid a portion of their fee up front, and the balance when the search ends, and they are often paid whether or not they find qualified candidates.
Contingency recruiters typically do not have an exclusive relationship with a company. Often, they are paid only if the company hires a candidate presented to them by the recruiter. Contingency recruiters present candidates to multiple organizations, and the organizations usually use more than one contingency recruiter to help them find candidates.
If an employer uses a contingency firm, there is usually more than one such firm trying to fill that position. You may be competing with a larger number of applicants. However, if an employer uses a retained firm, you may be facing as few as three to five competitors if you make it through. It is in therefore in your best interest to find out if the recruiter is working on a contingency or retained basis.
To be continued....
Recruiters fall into two broad categories: corporate and third party. Corporate recruiters are usually part of an employer's HR staff, while third party recruiters belong to a company whose major business is finding employees for other companies.
There are two kinds of third party recruiters: retained and contingency. Retained recruiters typically have an exclusive agreement with the company for a particular opening, or for all openings. They are often paid a portion of their fee up front, and the balance when the search ends, and they are often paid whether or not they find qualified candidates.
Contingency recruiters typically do not have an exclusive relationship with a company. Often, they are paid only if the company hires a candidate presented to them by the recruiter. Contingency recruiters present candidates to multiple organizations, and the organizations usually use more than one contingency recruiter to help them find candidates.
If an employer uses a contingency firm, there is usually more than one such firm trying to fill that position. You may be competing with a larger number of applicants. However, if an employer uses a retained firm, you may be facing as few as three to five competitors if you make it through. It is in therefore in your best interest to find out if the recruiter is working on a contingency or retained basis.
To be continued....
Friday, January 18, 2008
New SIG leader
I'm happy to say that I've finally found someone to take leadership of the IT Careers SIG. Julie Dvornicky of New Horizons will be the new SIG leader. We will be discussing particulars of the transfer in several days. Details will be published on the current IT Careers SIG web site and on this blog as they become available.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Take my SIG, please
Because of other priorities, I will no longer be able to manage the IT Careers SIG. I am looking for someone or some group to assume leadership of the SIG. If you are interested, please contact me. As of this time, I will not be scheduling any future SIG meetings.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
My promotion
I accepted a new position within National City today. On September 17th, I will become Assistant Vice President - Senior Market Analyst. This is a promotion for me, and I'm looking forward to this.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
First meeting of the IT Careers SIG
The IT Careers SIG is the second SIG I've started, the first being the GCPCUG Data Warehousing SIG that met from 1/2000 - 4/2002. The Northeastern Ohio Data Warehousing SIG (NEODWSIG, no relation to the SIG I started) now serves the community in that capacity.
Friday, September 9, 2005
Received the go-ahead to organize the IT Careers SIG
I received the go-ahead to organize an IT Careers SIG within the Greater Cleveland PC Users Group.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Accepted a position at National City
I have accepted a position at National City. My HR title is Marketing Modeling Manager, but my functional title is Officer, Data Warehouse Business Analyst. My first day is 5/31.
Though my job search has concluded successfully, I am keeping my Job Search Assistant page on this web site to illustrate how JavaScript can be used to make one's life easier (honestly!)
Though my job search has concluded successfully, I am keeping my Job Search Assistant page on this web site to illustrate how JavaScript can be used to make one's life easier (honestly!)
Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Served as an IT Panelist
It's Career Week here at CSU. I served as a panelist at the Career Services Center's BioScience, Science, Engineering and Information Technology Roundtable Discussion
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