Recruiters: So tell me about recruiting...
I will be the first to admit that I'm not well versed with the world of technical recruiting or staffing. So I'd like to learn more, and I'll start simple:
- How do YOU go about finding candidates?
- What is the hardest part of your job?
- Every field has some established norms between professionals. What unspoken rules of etiquette are there between recruiters?
- How much do you use the national job sites (careerbuilder, monster, dice, etc.) versus other methods of finding candidates? Do the big sites work?
- How do you distinguish yourself from amongst other recruiters in the playing field?
- How much pressure are you under to find someone with ALL the qualifications the employer desires? Chatter on door64 seems to indicate that candidates have to meet all requirements before being considered.
That's good for starters... Thanks!
Wow, I will respond to this, but will take some time...I'll send you my answer weekend :)
Happy Friday door64!
Hey - thanks! Happy Friday to you too BrookeLyn!
RE: So Tell Me about Recruiting.
Matt - your questions are broad and deep. Some of them might require that we give away some of our secrets. I will respond as best I can...
How do you go about finding candidates: Most recruiters work from the path of least resistance first. If possible, they post a job on a board and try to draw in "active" candidates who are qualified. We will do this first to see what "new" candidates are on the market and to bring them in to our "pipeline" for future opportunities. Next, we search our own databases and those we subscribe to online and try to connect with qualified candidates. Using sources like door64 would be about step 3. For the more difficult skillsets, we will need to get creative, by calling in directly to companies or networking for "passive" candidates. The techniques for finding passive candidates are many, and it takes all of them to find the perfect talent. I have used the free lunch, the private happy hour, the party invitation, the conference attendance list search, blog-searching, user-group meetings, and many more.
The hardest part of my job is when I have a great candidate and I cannot find an employer for him or her. My mission is to match good people to good jobs and my passion is for the people I connect to, so when I have a good candidate who is unemployed and I can't get them hired somewhere...
As for unspoken norms - in reference to the item above, one unspoken norm "should" be that we recruiters would refer those candidates around to our peers if we cannot place them. Unfortunately, we often don't connect enough on that level or we are too focused on our next placement to take the time to do it.
The big sites do work - and they work well.
I distinguish myself in 2 ways, but I am not alone with these characteristics. First, I am thorough and I spend quality time with my candidates to really get to know them, their talents, their technical skills and their personal needs. Second, I care about finding them employment. Like many recruiters, I am often overloaded with requirements to fill and I cannot return every email or phone call from candidates I have met, but I don't forget them nor do I lose my desire to help their career.
I am under extreme pressure to find the perfect candidate for my clients. That usually means matching every skill in the job order. When I have the opportunity to clarify the requirements of a job posting with my client, I will test them on each item for their "must haves" and "nice to haves" but in then end, they expect my candidates to meet or exceed their expectations - or its not worth the fee or contract rate they are paying me for my service. Candidates should keep this in mind as well. If they do not truly match the job requirement - almost to the letter - they should not apply. It is practically a waste of time.
Thanks very much for taking the time to reply. I don't want you to give up any trade secrets - that wasn't my intent. I'm just curious about the life of the elusive recruiter :)
So does the initial path of least resistance often work? I would think that a company looking for someone would only retain a recruiter if the candidate could not be found through "normal" means (posting their job on their company website, big job boards, etc).
I have met at least one other recruiter who tells me she passes along candidates for which she does not have an opportunity. That seems like the right attitude to have; hopefully the good will spread will come back to you.
Have you observed any shift with employers desiring absolutely 100% of all candidate requirements? There was another discussion on door64 where it seems like on-the-job training is a thing of the past. I'm sure it's a matter of supply and demand regarding how much the company will relax candidate requirements. So perhaps there are certain general job descriptions where companies are more strict (more supply), and others where they are more lenient (more demand). Any idea what jobs fall into each category?
Thanks again for the perspective.
Matt,
The path of least resistance will often lead you the land of no productivity.
It can be difficult to prospect for new clients sometimes you do all the work to get in the door only to realize it is not somewhere you want to be. I signed on with one of the largest semiconductor companies last year - it was a 5 month process and within 5 days of signing them, I had to let them know that I could not work with them - I did not like their system for interviewing and selecting.
In other situations, you might call a company and they will just add you to the list of 27 other recruiting companies, and wish you luck. That is low quality business and it can tempt you to think you are placing people or getting closer when it will probably never happen for you.
What you want to find is a company that will partner with you - that you can have a high trust relationship, open communication and respect. They don't waste your time and there is an understanding that your job is to add value, not just collect fees.
I have a couple like that, but it takes a lot of time to find and develop.
David Rees
reesonance.typepad.com
Thanks for taking the time to share your insight. I don't think a lot of us on the other side of the recruiting equation have much perspective on the recruiter's world.
A lot of people on the recruiting side don't have the perspective of what it is like to be a candidate - especially in the tech market.
I was a sysadmin for 10 years and I have been a recruiter for almost 3 years now. I was a contractor, consultant and full-time tech guy so I have walked a mile in the shoes of many of the people I work with and they appreciate the perspective.
David Rees
reesonance.typepad.com