Recruiters: The Good, The Bad, and The Game-Changing
Working with a recruiter can be an asset – whether you’re an employer or a job seeker.
Even if you’re just a working professional not looking for a new job, there’s no downside to having great opportunities sent your way every so often.
The recruiting profession is often misunderstood by candidates, and oftentimes, the barrier to entry is low. So there do seem to be a lot more negative stories out there than good – stories of recruiters that are ineffective, shady, sloppy - giving a bad name to the whole industry.
But before you write us all off, let’s take a moment to consider the value and upside that comes with partnering with a GREAT recruiter. (Yes, there are actually some really great ones out there who can be an asset to your business’s hiring process to find top talent, as well as to you job seekers trying to write your next great chapter.)
This month, let's pull back the curtain on working with a recruiter - both from the candidate perspective, and the employer’s.
For Employers:
A great recruiter has a deep understanding of your industry and the marketplace. They can provide you with feedback on the market, salary insights, what your competitors are doing, hotbeds to search for talent, etc
A great recruiter has a strong network of candidates and connections. They know people to reach out to and have credibility in the industry to get candidates to take their calls.
They do the heavy lifting for you so that you can focus on the hiring and vetting process instead of trying to search for/cold call candidates.
A recruiter with a strong industry reputation can add great third party validation when ‘pitching’ the opportunity with your company
For Candidates:
A hiring manager is more likely to think outside the box and consider an unconventional candidate at the recommendation of a trusted recruiting partner.
Someone going to bat for you citing how also you are can get you ‘top of the pile’ consideration.
A third party can be a great sounding board to discuss compensation expectations going into the process. Recruiters want to make deals that are mutually beneficial so they can be a good partner in the negotiation process between getting the candidate a fair number and helping the company make a fair offer.
Third party recruiters can typically give you deeper perspective on the hiring manager’s personal/style, company culture, etc And get it in writing).
What are some possible red flags for a recruiter? Those who…
🚩 Know nothing about your industry
🚩 Try to convince you to take a job that is clearly not the right fit (a step back, huge pay cut, etc)
🚩 Stop responding after you’ve already begun the interview process, providing no updates/feedback.
Sometimes a candidate’s frustration with a recruiter is simply a lack of understanding of the process and how it works.
If you’ve got questions - what the relationship is like between recruiters and candidates? Recruiters and employers? How does the process work? Who is the recruiter’s loyalty to? Who pays them? Check out our FAQ section here to answer common questions: https://www.nb-talent.com/faqs
“We’re here to help make great mutual connections in the insurance space, and provide a little education along the way. ”
