Resources to Utilize — Professional Recruiting Firms

Let’s start with a brief overview of the different types of professional recruiting firms. There are two types of these firms: contingency and retained. Contingency recruiting firms are those that get paid only when their client (company) hires the people they bring to them. Retained search firms get paid to be the exclusive search firm for a specific position. The assumption is that they will work on the search until they find a person that pleases the client. It most situations, retained search firms are typically used for senior level positions — those with salary ranges from $100,000 and up.

• Find firms that specialize in your profession. Some firms focus on just accounting or information technology. Make sure you are targeting those firms that handle the career track you want to pursue.
• Find firms that have strong visibility in your city or in the nation if you are open to relocation.

Once you have assembled your list of these firms, the next step is to contact each firm with the following objectives in mind:

• Confirm that this firm is interested in having you in its database. Do your best to confirm that it has had business and is continuing to have business placing people like yourself.
• Ask if someone would be interested in meeting with you in person. If the firm is open to this, I believe it is a good sign that it will do a better job in representing you and the clients it works for.
• Whether in person, or over the phone, spend some time with people of the firm. You want to make sure that a few keys things happen:
  • Your résumé gets into their database.
  • All the contact information about yourself is entered correctly.
  • They understand the specific types of jobs you are both interested in and qualified for. Depending on your experience and capabilities, this could be a variety of positions. Most sophisticated databases can handle a person with multiple job preferences, but you need to make sure that the people entering your information into the database understand this. Some newer database systems allow you to enter your own information via the Web. I strongly recommend you do this. That way you can tailor your profile exactly the way you want and ensure that your multiple job positions are accurately represented.
• Finally, take some time to chat with the people in these firms about:
  • Market conditions, what’s hot and what’s not? What companies are hiring? What types of positions are being filled? You can learn a lot about the current hiring climate from professionals who make their living finding people for companies who are paying significant sums of money to hire new employees.
  • Ask them to critique your résumé. Again, you are on the phone or having coffee with people who earn their living reading résumés, interviewing people and making decisions on whom to present to their clients based on those two activities. They truly are professionals at this. So, while you have their attention, benefit from their experience and opinions.
  • Lastly, thank them for their time and keep in touch with those whom you felt were truly professional and personable. Even after you find your next job, remember your job hunting days will come again!

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