About Recruiters, Part Four

By Randy Wooden, Director, Professional Center by Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina

Can external recruiters – staffing or executive search firms – help with your job search?

Yes! You will want to present yourself as a good candidate.

Finding the right recruiters Just as recruiters use word of mouth referrals to identify good candidates, ask your friends and co-workers about the recruiters with whom they have had a good experience. Competency and ethics are important.

LinkedIn searches can help locate recruiters who focus on your industry or job function. Do a LinkedIn search for recruiters combined with your target job title and/or industry. You may add a geographic location filter to your search to pin down local recruiters who typically place people with your skills or credentials.

Make yourself marketable to recruiters Recruiters, like everyone else, develop relationships over time. Do they know you via a mutual friend? Has the recruiter met you? Recruiters who know you may have a greater sense of your experience, skills and personality, and be in a better position to present you to their client employers. Build a relationship with recruiters.

For recruiters who have not met you, make sure your online presence clearly communicates your skills and credentials. Look at your peers’ resumes and LinkedIn profiles to ensure you are incorporating common key words.

Review job openings for which you would like to apply. Does your online presence or application include their key words? Speak their language in your resume and online presence.

Recruiters can be a valuable part of your search. Position yourself effectively with them.