Dealing with Recruiters (as a Candidate), Part II

As a candidate, perhaps the most important thing you should remember is that recruiters are not working for you. That is to say, they do not take your resume and look for a job that matches your skills. Instead it’s the other way around; they take a job req and look for resumes that fit.

So with that in mind you need to actively help the recruiter help you. You need to be up front and honest about your skills, interests, and goals. Because the better a picture they have of you, the more likely they can match you to a position they need to fill.

Also, you should be on the lookout for shady recruiters. Although most recruiters are upstanding people, there are some that engage in questionable practices. Watch out for behaviors like these:

• Asking for all your references up front. They may be trolling for additional contacts.


• Inviting you into the office to chat – I’ve never found these meetings with recruiters to be of much value, and I have yet to get a job through a recruiter that I’ve talked to in person. Often the meetings lead to the next bullet point:


• Asking where you’ve been interviewing. If they ask this to avoid double submissions that’s okay, but if they ask who you talked to at each company, they’re likely just pumping you for leads.


• Claiming they have an inside track with hiring managers at certain companies; or even worse, claiming they can fast-track your resume even when the company already has it.


• Trying to convince you to consider a position below your current pay, claiming either “poor market conditions” or “a learning opportunity”. Clearly they are just trying to fill a position and don’t care about your needs or even the quality of the fit.


• Finally, run, don’t walk, from someone who wants payment to “market” you. Candidates should never have to pay for a recruiter.