TECHNIQUES, TOOLS, AND SERVICES

        Numerous approaches have been developed over the years to help job seekers. Some of these include mailing resumes, filling out application forms, and making cold calls by phone and in person. Services that job seekers traditionally use include employment agencies, headhunters, college placement offices, and state employment services. While these techniques, strategies and services do not work very well for most people, each has its benefits. I’ll share my insights and observations to help you determine which techniques, tools, and services you might use most effectively in your job search.

The Resume

        When people decide to seriously look for a job, they immediately begin working on their resume. Usually they pull out the old resume and simply add their latest job description, with little thought given to whether the overall effect of the resume will help sell them into the types of positions they are now seeking.

        I believe that everyone should have a resume. I also know that creating a strong resume will require that you spend 5–10 hours writing and rewriting. A resume is important for a number of reasons. It forces you to focus on what you want, it can open doors for interviews, it can help guide an interview by causing employers to ask questions about your results, and it can help employers remember you weeks after meeting you.

        In Resume Power you’ll learn how to write a resume that will get you interviews at a rate many times the norm. To accomplish that, the resume must be well-written and concise, it must be visually attractive, and it must concentrate on results and contributions rather than on mere dates, job titles, and duties. Pages 242-244 of Resume Power  will provide the details on how to use your resume during your job search.

        The major advantage to using resumes is that once the resume is completed, it can be put to use quickly and inexpensively. People use resumes primarily to respond to want ads and to mail to employers unsolicited.

        The major drawback of resumes is that most people must send out lots of them to get an interview or two, and many people fail to get any interviews, even for jobs that they thought their background matched perfectly. Very few resumes make employers eager to meet the sender. In fact, a well-documented study indicated that companies received 245 resumes for every interview offered. When you figure an average of six people interviewed for each position, it takes approximately 1,470 resumes to land a position. These are not good odds. Despite this poor success rate, people continue to mail out masses of resumes and, in turn, receive masses of rejections.

        I seldom recommend the mass mailing of 250–500 resumes suggested by some. For most people there simply are not 250 organizations that they would be interested in. Furthermore, because this machine gun approach does not work for most people, I recommend instead a rifle approach with a distinct target. This strategy obtains better results. For the rifle approach, a marketing letter is a much better tool than a resume. A marketing letter resembles a cover letter and typically highlights experience and results rather than dates and names of employers. See pages 263-268 in Resume Power  for examples of marketing letters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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        What makes the marketing letter distinct is that it is generally sent to a specific person, and it closes with a statement that the employer will be called in a few days in order to set up a brief, face-to-face appointment. If, after speaking to the employer, you do not get an appointment, then a resume is sent with a combination cover letter/thank-you note. Because the thank-you portion makes the cover letter much more personal, and because you’ve gained valuable information from the call, you will be able to specify various skills and strengths that are needed and valued by that employer. Thus you will have greater impact, and are more likely to be remembered when you follow up several weeks later, or when a position becomes available any time in the next six months.

        The process of seeking brief appointments with hiring authorities, even when they don’t have a immediate openings, works. Requesting a brief appointment typically results in a meeting 40-80% of the time.

Want Ads

        Almost all job seekers should read the want ads. After a little practice you can get through the Sunday edition of a major city newspaper in under a half-hour. Read the entire want ad section from A–Z, since good jobs are sometimes placed in unusual categories. For each position that looks interesting you may spend a half hour or more preparing a customized cover letter. Looking through the want ads can get depressing at times—they are not a lot of fun to read—but they can be helpful. About 25% of the people who use the want ads will find their jobs that way.

        People often feel frustrated with the want ads, and for good reason. The want ads never present a good cross-section of the jobs that are available on any given day. Instead, the advertised positions tend to be poor-quality jobs, or jobs which are so specific in their requirements that few people qualify. These types of jobs are rarely filled by internal or external referrals, and therefore advertising becomes necessary. Of course there are also some good jobs advertised that are not overly specialized, but these are in a definite minority.

        There are also some types of jobs that are virtually never get advertised because all the potential candidates make direct contact with employers. That’s what happens in industries such as advertising, public relations, television, and radio, among others. That also explains why some people are telling their friends that the reason they haven’t found a job yet is because there aren’t any. They know there aren’t any of their desired jobs because none has been advertised. What these people don’t know, and what you do know, is that those jobs do exist. And the people who get those jobs are the ones who practice the principles of the Systematic Job Search.

        In fact some people seem to believe that there must be a law that requires companies to advertise positions. A client once related an interesting story which demonstrates this point. She was leaving her management position. Because she was so highly valued, the organization allowed her to handle the initial screening of applicants for the position. Three months earlier she had met two people who were interested in her type of work. She confided in them that she would be leaving in the next few months. While she was accepting applications for her position, she called the two people who had expressed interest. Both were still interested, but neither had taken any action because they had not seen the position advertised. The position had been posted internally, however, and was never going to be advertised because there were plenty of qualified people responding without advertising.

        Today the Internet is a great tool for reading want ads. The classified ads of many newspapers are now available for free on the newspaper’s own web site. Many people report that they much prefer reviewing the ads online.

Application Forms

        Employers like application forms because they provide the type of information which makes it easy to screen people out. For example, the application form makes it easy to spot people with gaps in their employment and to discover why a person left a position. Usually so little space is provided for job descriptions on an application form that you wonder if the employer really wants to know much about what you’ve done. While the resume is your document and gives you the best opportunity to sell yourself on paper, the application is clearly the employer’s document. Since most people treat application forms rather casually, you will stand out when you use the application to sell yourself and make the most of your background.

        People fill out applications to apply for specific jobs which have been advertised or posted, or to simply let an employer know that they are available if certain types of jobs open up. Filling out applications can take considerable time. If you utilize the concepts of the Systematic Job Search, you will seldom fill out application forms except for those jobs you actually get interviews for. If most of your appointments are with the people who have the power to hire, rather than with personnel department staffers, you will rarely fill out an application except as a final formality after you’ve been offered the position.

        My experience has shown me that merely going around filling out application forms is not an effective job search strategy and is a waste of time for most people. It can work well for some, however, particularly for clerical workers and those who work in factories.

        If you intend to fill out lots of application forms, do it the smart way. First, identify all of the organizations you may be interested in and put their names and addresses on 4 x 6 note cards. When you’re through filling out your cards, arrange the organizations by their geographical location. Then, target a certain area each day and concentrate on visiting organizations within that specific area.

        Next, obtain an application form and take it home with you. Fill out the form carefully and thoroughly. This will be your model for all of the other forms you fill out. It will cut in half the time you’ll spend filling out application forms. In addition, once you’re working from a model, the forms will be more complete and neater. Since very little space is generally provided for you to describe your duties, write small, using your resume to help you compose. Even when writing small, however, you probably won’t be able to include everything.

        Although you should leave a resume with the application form, do not say, “See attached resume,” and then leave the job description sections of the application form blank. The resume may get detached from the application. Worst of all, that tactic is often viewed by those in personnel as one of the biggest sins committed by job seekers. So, never do it. Instead, concentrate on your key duties and take your time to write your model job descriptions.

        When creating your model, be sure you get the current addresses and phone numbers of your former employers and former supervisors. If a supervisor you’d get a good reference from has gone to another organization, track that person down and let him or her know to expect calls from prospective employers. If your former boss has left and you would not get a good reference from that person, identify someone else in the organization that you may have worked for at one time. Or list your boss’ boss if you believe that person would give you a good reference.

        If you are going to visit many organizations, make the most of it. Fill out the application on location. As you do so, see what you can learn about the organization. Are the people friendly and helpful? While you shouldn’t judge the whole organization by the few people that you come in contact with, paying attention can provide you with some insight about the organization.

        If you are applying for a specific position, make sure that everything you include will help sell you into that position.

Tips On Filling Out Application Forms

        Take your sample application with you at all times. It eliminates your need to memorize phone numbers and addresses, and ensures that your application will be well written and thorough. Remember, an application can be filled out in half the time when you have a sample to work from.

        Write or print as neatly as you can. Employers make decisions based on impressions. A messy application causes unfavorable impressions. Always write in ink. If you mess something up, ask for another form.

        Be truthful in all your statements. Most applications specify that providing false information is grounds for immediate dismissal. Often there are positive ways to explain an embarrassing past such as having been fired. People often inflate their past salaries when completing applications, hoping to obtain a higher starting salary. The risk of being perceived as dishonest, however, is not worth it. Some companies will contact your last employer after you’ve been hired. If you’ve fudged on your application, it could mean losing your new position.

        A former client had a job offer rescinded when it was discovered he did not have the college degree he had claimed in the application. He was only 15 credits short of a degree, but his lie kept him from an outstanding opportunity.

        Other people have been fired even though they had worked for the organization for several years before it was discovered they had lied on their applications. In some cases it came about because an enemy discovered the truth and passed the information on to HR.

        Most applications ask your reason for leaving each employer. Keep your responses positive with statements like, “Offered higher salary and greater opportunity for advancement,” rather than using statements like, “Couldn’t get along with boss,” or “Wasn’t getting anywhere in the company.” If you have been laid off due to cutbacks, say so with phrases like “Reduction in work force,” rather than using negative terms like “fired.” If you have been fired from a recent position, develop as positive a response as you can. In this section of the application, employers are also looking for evidence of job hopping. If they see a number of statements like, “Boss and I did not agree on how to run the department,” employers will assume that the same problem is likely to arise if you work for their organization.

        If asked, “Are you willing to relocate?” indicate “yes,” unless you are applying for a clerical position, or one that you know would never require you to relocate. Applications often ask if you are willing to travel. Again, indicate “yes” on the application. In an interview determine if the amount of travel is acceptable to you.

        It is illegal to ask certain questions on an application. Know your rights! Questions concerning marital status are illegal. An application may ask if outside activities will interfere with your work schedule, but it cannot ask how your children are taken care of or whether a husband or wife is employed. Questions about having children and questions about pregnancy are also illegal.

        Some applications will ask about disabilities. Such questions may be worded in this fashion: “Describe a handicap, major illness, or injury which might require accommodation,” or “Do you have any handicaps or health problems that may affect your ability to perform the job applied for?” You must list only those problems which would affect your ability to perform the job. For example, if you have a bad back, but the job you are applying for would require only light lifting, you would not mention the back problem on the application or during interviews.

        Space for listing professional, trade, business, or civic activities is often provided. Most will have a statement telling you to leave off any organizations which indicate race, color, religion, national origin, age, handicap, or veteran’s status. Even if such a statement is not included, those types of organizations should usually be left off. Exceptions would be those you really want an employer to know about because they will help sell you. Women should feel free to list organization such as Women in Management, but would leave off politically-based organizations such as the National Organization of Women (NOW). Men would also leave off the names of controversial organizations they belong to. List offices you’ve held. The space can also be used to list licenses or various types of awards or honors.

        Applications which ask for general information give you an opportunity to say anything you want that will sell you. The section may be worded, “State any additional information you feel may be helpful to us in considering your application.” Use such sections to your best advantage.

Personnel Departments

        Many people send out hundreds of resumes addressed to the personnel or human resources departments of organizations, typically with little success. It is not surprising since personnel can respond to a resume only if a suitable opening exists. If a position is not open when the resume is received, the resume will be filed either alphabetically or by job category. And once your resume makes it to the file cabinet, the likelihood of it seeing the light of day again are about as great as winning the lottery. I won’t say that resumes and applications are never sifted through, but it is rare. 

        Today many larger companies (mostly those over 500 employees), utilize electronic databases where resumes are stored and managers can access resumes by using “key word” searches.

        With these points in mind, when conducting a systematic job search, avoid personnel as much as possible. Personnel almost never hires people; it screens in or screens out applicants—usually out. When a position is advertised, it is usually a personnel clerk who screens out the 50–250 resumes that pour in. The personnel clerk has the job description in one hand and your resume in the other. If the job description calls for five years of experience and you have three, you end up in the reject pile even though you may be ideally suited for the job. Personnel clerks are murder on career changers who have tons of related experience but no direct experience.

        Deal directly with department managers and other hiring authorities whenever possible. Nevertheless, when you must deal with personnel, always be friendly and tactful. Do everything you can to make all those you deal with want to help you. If you must go through a screening interview, make the screener your ally. Demonstrate that you have all of the energy, personality, and potential to succeed in the position.

Employment Agencies

        Employment agencies act as brokers by matching qualified applicants with organizations needing to fill positions. The applicant never pays a penny unless a position is accepted which was arranged by the agency. Within 30 days, a fee, typically ranging from 10–20% of the first year’s salary, must be paid by the individual or the employer. Although agencies do have fee-paid positions (where the employer agrees in advance to pay the full fee), most are paid by the individual who is placed. Employment agencies are regulated in almost all states and there are certain things they can and cannot do.

        Approximately 24% of the people who use agencies, find their positions through the help of an agency. Agencies work best for clerical workers, placing about 17% of all clerical workers.

        Not everyone should use private employment agencies. Most tend to fill clerical and entry-level positions, with a few filling other types of positions. In most cases, if you are willing to market yourself by calling employers and asking for appointments, you will do better on your own.

        It will help to understand how employment agencies operate. First, an agency needs job orders. That is why most employment counselors make 30–80 calls a day and may be on the phone 75% of the time. As they call, they will typically mention a specific candidate and ask if the employer could use such a person. Usually the answer is no. Then the counselor will ask if there are any openings at the moment. If there is an opening, the counselor will ask if the organization would pay the fee for a placement. With a “yes” answer, the counselor will learn as much about the job as possible. Unfortunately, the job description is often sketchy, and in fact, the employer may not even be clear on what is needed. Ideally the counselor will get a sense of the culture of the organization and discover what personality type would fit in best with the organization. Ideally, the counselor will also know what the employer truly needs in the way of skills and experience. The reality, however, is often far from the ideal.

        Once a job order is obtained, any of the counselors in the agency can fill that position with one of their clients. The counselor who obtained the job order may act as the contact person and arrange the interviews. Since there is a tendency for counselors to want to send their clients out on as many interviews as possible, someone must determine who will be sent. The person who obtained the order will usually fill that role.

        The counselor must then call and sell the employer on meeting each of the candidates the agency has selected. The counselor will usually sell each of the people over the phone, and if necessary, will send their resumes. Ultimately the employer decides which ones to interview.

        Employment counselors also obtain job orders by looking at the want ads. When a company places its own ad, agencies will typically call and ask for permission to send candidates.

        The counselor who got the job order and the counselor whose client got the job will each receive about 25% of the fee, with the remaining 50% going to the agency to cover overhead.

        The jobs that agencies fill are typically in the $18,000 to $45,000 range, although they may go up to $65,000. The high end, for a firm placing office personnel, could also approach about $65,000 for a senior administrative assistant or executive secretary. Those placing salespeople or lower-level managers would also approach the $65,000 range, but the vast majority of jobs will be far below that.

        If an agency has an exclusive on a position, the employer will take only candidates sent by that agency. More frequently, however, several agencies will be vying to fill the same position, so competition can get intense.

        Employers use agencies for various reasons. When the employer is prepared to pay the fee, which would usually be $5,000 on a $25,000 a year job, it is only because the employer believes that it will be worth the investment. The employer saves on the expense of advertising and a reduction of screening time.

        Of course, when the applicant will pay the fee, employers are obtaining the screening work basically for free. That’s a good price if the quality of screening is high.

        Agencies have received a lot of criticism over the years. Because of past abuses, state regulators require that any jobs that are advertised must accurately describe real job orders. Too often in the past, applicants came to an agency only to find that the job they were interested in had just been filled. In other words, that exciting sounding position never existed. Unfortunately, among some firms those bait-and-switch tactics still exist.

        Agencies cannot afford to advertise all of the positions they have, so they try to draw applicants to their place of business through just a few ads. The ads are deliberately written to make the position sound exciting. Most of the positions, however, are not.

        If you see a position which is interesting, call the agency and ask to speak to a counselor. Since you are interested in the position, and not particularly in the agency itself, get as much information about the position as possible and find out if you would qualify. The counselor will ask that you come down to the office so you can speak in person. Only by getting you to come to their office and sign their contract can they hope to earn any money off you. Resist those efforts until you have enough information. Of course you can understand their not wanting to divulge much information, but they should be able to indicate whether you would be a strong candidate. If the person won’t provide any worthwhile information I would suggest saying something like this: “I am interested in this position, but I am not willing to come to your office unless you can at least tell me something about it. I’m not asking who the employer is. If you are unable to give me some information, I’ll simply look elsewhere.” Say it tactfully but firmly. You could also ask to speak to the office manager. That will either cause the counselor to give you more information, or perhaps the office manager will supply the information you want.

        Employment agency counselors work strictly on commission. The pressure is on and it takes a toll on counselors. Although some stay in the business for years, the average agency staffer has less than six months’ experience. That’s not enough time to develop valuable contacts. Because of the high turnover rate, the field has not achieved a professional status. That some desperate staffers have resorted to deception has further damaged the reputation of such agencies.

        Because agencies depend on a fast turnover of applicants, they are looking for the most easy-to-place candidates. If you haven’t been placed in four weeks, interest in you diminishes.

        Agencies have lists of job orders to fill and all too frequently will try to push you into interviewing for known openings, whether it is really what you’re looking for or not. If you show signs of being picky (which you should), many agency counselors will drop you. They simply aren’t willing to make calls to locate a specialized job just for you.

Tips For Using An Agency

        Even though there are certain problems associated with employment agencies, there are some highly experienced and competent agency counselors out there. Your challenge is to find one, sell yourself to that person, and establish an understanding of how the two of you are going to benefit each other.

        Although some agencies have better reputations than others, you are really not looking for a specific agency, but a specific counselor. Ask friends and people you know who they’ve used. Don’t just get names, learn about the type of relationship which was formed. Determine if that’s the type of person you would work well with. If you can’t get a referral from a friend, call the personnel department of a few companies and ask who they use. Get the name of the counselor they work with rather than just the name of the agency.

        There are numerous advantages to finding a good counselor. A good counselor will try to identify your strengths and understand your personality so you can be better matched with the job’s requirements and the culture of the organization. A good counselor will refer you only for the type of position you’ve indicated you want.

        Unfortunately, really good counselors are too few and far between. Too often I hear stories like this: “She doesn’t seem to listen when I describe what I’m looking for. The next day she’ll call up to say an interview has been arranged, but the job is nothing like what I’m seeking. Then she gets angry when I turn it down and says I’m too picky.” I’ve also heard stories where the counselor told the job seeker that he or she must be willing to accept a salary that is lower than the salary the person was seeking. If you know you’re worth a certain amount, stick to that amount and simply tell the counselor to contact you only about jobs which meet your salary requirement. After experiences like these, many of my clients say that they will never use an agency again. This type of intimidation is unfortunate. Since job seekers often have low self-esteem already, to play on this low self-esteem is cruel.

        If you can’t find a specific counselor to use, try to find a good agency. Study the want ads and determine which ones seem to have the most jobs similar to those you are looking for. Then ask to speak to the office manager and ask who that agency’s best counselor is. Make it clear that by best you do not necessarily mean the highest paid. Ask for the person who will be most helpful to you and who will truly help you get the right job. Once you have made it clear what you want, trust the judgment of the office manager.

        If you do not take this approach you will simply go to an agency, fill out their form, and be assigned to the next counselor whose turn it is to see a client. That’s not how you want to do it.

        Once you identify the person you’ll work with, set up an appointment. You’ll be asked to fill out their “application” form, which, when signed, also becomes their contract with you. The counselor will then ask questions, almost like any personnel screener would. You should treat it as an important interview. If you sell yourself well, this person will be working for you. Present yourself as a marketable commodity. After all, the number of phone calls this person makes on your behalf will be directly proportional to how likely the counselor believes he or she can place you. In all other types of interview situations I recommend that you avoid discussing salary requirements, but when working with an employment agency counselor or a headhunter, the person simply has to know what your expectations are. Be prepared to discuss your salary needs candidly.

        Ask the counselor what he or she will do on your behalf and ask what you can do to make the counselor’s job easier and more productive. Set yourself apart from all the other people this counselor will meet this week. Make this counselor want to help you. Yes, this counselor would like to receive a commission from placing you, but it is possible to make this person take a personal interest in you as well. You will receive more attention from the counselor if you can create this type of relationship with him or her. Tell the counselor that if you get good results you will be glad to refer your friends.

        Show the counselor how focused you are. Tell the counselor exactly what you want to do and what types of jobs would be attractive. Also provide your list of 100 or so preferred organizations and indicate that those are the ones you will be contacting on your own. This will help prevent confusion later. If the counselor mentions you to a company and you also apply to that company on your own, the agency might still seek to collect a fee from you, claiming that you obtained an interview through their efforts. Tell the counselor that you are willing to consider companies other than those on your list, but you have developed this list on your own and will market yourself to those companies.

        Tell the counselor you intend to stay in touch, then call weekly. Make the calls short, but ask if any interesting positions have opened up. If you see an ad from the agency which looks interesting, call the counselor and express your interest. The counselor may have had a reason for not referring you to that position, but if you indicate an interest, the counselor may recommend you for an interview.

        Typically the counselor will arrange an interview with the employer and then confirm the time with you. At that point the counselor will give you details about the job and provide some vague information about the firm, but will not reveal the name. On the day of the interview the counselor will generally invite you to the office to prep you for the interview. At that time you will be told who the employer is. Agencies are very protective of their leads and often will not reveal them over the phone. Once you’ve been out on a couple of interviews and have demonstrated that you are committed to working with the counselor, you might ask the counselor to give you the name of the organization sooner so you can do your own research. Although the counselor will likely hesitate, he or she may give you the information.

        Cooperate fully with the counselor. For example, the counselor will ask you to call shortly after the interview to discuss how it went. The counselor will then speak to the employer and ask the same thing. The counselor will be working as an intermediary to help the two of you form a sort of marriage. Your cooperation will help the counselor do his or her work more effectively.

        Before an interview, learn everything you possibly can about the organization from the counselor. Ask about what types of questions you will likely be asked and what the employer’s hot buttons are. If other people from the agency have already been referred, ask what types of questions were asked so you can better prepare. Also ask to be the last person interviewed. If that’s not possible, at least ask not to be the first person interviewed. Being the last person interviewed is always beneficial because you are the one best remembered. It also enables the employer to compare you to everyone who went before you. Assuming you did a good job of selling yourself, you will be more likely to be invited back for a second interview than if you had been the first one interviewed.

        Read the employment agency’s contract carefully. Make sure you understand everything in it before you sign. Because they are regulated by the state they operate in, most agencies will have a contract that is worded very similarly to the others.

        You should know whether you or the employer will pay the fee. If you will pay the fee you may be able to negotiate this point with your new employer. You might ask the employer to pay half the fee. Or you might ask the employer to reimburse you for the fee (or half the fee) after you have been with the organization for a year. It is also important that you know what you owe if you stay only 30, 60, or 90 days. Generally, you will pay 20% of your earnings if you stay under 60 days, but the full fee if you stay over 61 days. The full fee could be equal to more than a month’s salary. Since terminations often take place during the so called 90-day probationary period, if you have doubts about the sincerity of the employer, your ability to handle the job, or your willingness to stay for a year, the best thing may be to turn down the position.

        The contract for many agencies will read, “I agree to pay the full fee if within six months of a referral to an employer, I accept a position with that employer as a result of that referral, even though it may not be the position originally discussed.” The key phrase is “as a result of that referral.” Determine in advance whether the opportunity to interview for the new position was due to a previous contact that had been arranged by the counselor.

        In an attempt to inform you about employment agencies, I may have sounded fairly cautionary. To all the good and reputable agencies out there, I apologize. Nevertheless, in every service business there are those who take advantage of people who are vulnerable. This is as true of career and job finding counselors as it is of car repair shops. Because of this, it is wise to subscribe to the notion, “Let the buyer beware.” An educated consumer is a good consumer. Use this information to decide whether to use agencies, and if you use them, how to use them to your advantage.

Who Should Use An Agency

        No one needs to use an employment agency. However, it may be in your best interest to use one or several. For instance, you may want to use an agency if you are working full-time and if you are in a field which is commonly serviced by agencies. Do not, however, limit yourself to the use of agencies. Only 25% of those who use agencies actually get a job through them.

        If you use an agency, don’t rely on it as your sole job search resource or strategy. My recommendation is to treat an employment agency as merely one resource among several. You should still develop a list of at least 100 employers and do your best to get in to see the person with the power to hire.

Headhunters

        Headhunters are also known as executive recruiters and as executive search firms. Headhunters act as brokers for management, executive, or technical positions. Most of the jobs they fill are $50,000 and above. In most states headhunters are unregulated because employers pay the full fee, which can range from 15% to 30% of the first year’s earnings.

        Most headhunters have had experience in the fields for which they recruit people. They usually have an intimate knowledge of the industry or field, speak its language, and have plenty of contacts they’ve developed over time. They tend to specialize by industry or field. Headhunters who specialize in an industry, such as forest products or biotechnology, will recruit for all types of jobs which exist within that industry. Those who specialize in a field, on the other hand, will recruit for very specific types of jobs, such as accounting, or programming, or marketing. Because headhunters’ fees are paid by the client company, their loyalty is to the company rather than to the job candidate. Many recruiters do, however, form strong ties with candidates as well.

        Headhunters operate in a variety of ways. Retained recruiters receive a recruiting assignment and are guaranteed a fee and recruiting expenses. Recruiters from other firms will not be allowed to submit candidates for the position, and in fact, these assignments for executives are usually done in secret. A client company will ask such a recruiter to locate the best person in the country for an executive position. The recruiter will be looking for the fast movers and will try to entice them out of one company and into the company the recruiter represents. The recruiter will initially screen applicants by phone. When the choice has been narrowed down to two or three, the recruiter will either fly out to meet the candidates or have the candidates flown in to meet him or her. These types of searches are often conducted when secrecy is essential or when a company wants the very best person for that position. Such searches usually involve positions paying over $150,000.

        Most recruiters are not on retainer. They are called contingency recruiters and receive a commission only after a placement is made. Sometimes they will be given exclusives, meaning they are the only firm involved in the search for three top candidates. More often, however, several recruiting firms will have been given the same job order and are all busily trying to recruit top candidates.

        Contingency recruiters usually do all of their work over the phone, and rarely meet the people they place, or the executives to whom they refer candidates. The biggest part of this type of recruiter’s day is spent seeking job orders. Considerable time is also spent reviewing the 100–300 resumes which typically arrive in a week. The resumes of those with interesting backgrounds are filed using manual or computerized systems for easy retrieval.

        Once a job order is obtained, considerable effort goes into locating just the right person. Occasionally, ads are placed by the headhunter, but more frequently the headhunter spends his or her time calling managers trying to get leads on who might be a good candidate. Frequently, a headhunter will call a manager on the pretense of asking for leads, when what the headhunter really wants to determine is whether that particular manager would be suitable and interested.

        Headhunting firms suffer from the same turnover problems as employment agencies. Probably 80% of all recruiters drop out in their first year. Although some recruiters do very well, it’s a tough way to make a living. While their 30% fees seem high, many of their searches result in no placement, which means no fee. Those who stay in the field more than two years will generally make between $55,000 and $95,000, although some make over $200,000 per year. Those who stay in the field for over five years typically make a career out of it.

How To Make Use Of A Headhunter

        Before using headhunters, you need to decide whether you would be well-served by using them. Generally, they can help only those who have at least five years experience in their present industry and who intend to stay in their current field. Recruiters are virtually never able or willing to place career changers. That does not mean that career changers are not marketable, it just means that headhunters know they won’t be able to charge their 30% fees to place them.

        If you are going to contact one headhunter, you might as well contact several. You can find The Directory of Executive Recruiters at most libraries. The directory contains lists of recruiters and also indicates their specialties. Don’t limit yourself to local headhunters; virtually all of them do national searches, and many of their placements will be outside of their own metropolitan areas. Review Resources and Web Sites for web sites that will lead you to appropriate headhunters. Resume Blaster (www.resumeblaster.com) is a good way to quickly get your resume out to several hundred recruiters for about $65). Also utilize Executive Search Firms and Employment Agencies in Seattle by Linda Carlson for quite a complete list of local firms with a description of their specialties.

        Do what you can to obtain names of specific headhunters. Then, send them a resume and cover letter. Call the recruiting firm and tell the receptionist that you are sending your resume and you want to address it to the person who handles your field. Since firms are generally composed of specialists, there will usually be only one or two who handle each field or industry. Indicate in your cover letter that you will be following up with a call.

        Do not be bothered if the recruiter will not take your follow-up call. If recruiters spoke to everyone who sent a resume, they would never get any recruiting done. You can be assured, however, that your resume will be reviewed. If the recruiter thinks you are marketable, your resume will be saved and catalogued for later reference. If you do speak to the recruiter by phone, take only a short time to sell yourself.

        If you live in the same city as the recruiter, ask for a face-to-face appointment, but do not be offended if the recruiter declines. Just tell yourself that you did your best. You were willing to make the extra effort. If you don’t get an appointment, you will be able to devote more time to something else.

        If you want headhunters to call you, get active in your industry or do something to obtain some notoriety. It can be as simple as becoming a chairperson for a committee in your local trade or professional association. One step up is to become a board member. Or you might write articles for your trade publications. Find ways to get quoted in local or national business magazines. Become a recognized expert.

        Don’t expect too much from headhunters. I have gotten enough feedback from clients to know that many recruiters come across as blunt, self-important, and cold. There are many other recruiters who treat each person they come in contact with in a cordial and friendly manner. My suggestion is to care only about results. If you’ve heard that a recruiter is good, excuse his or her idiosyncrasies.

        Once you have made contact with a recruiter, send a thank-you note. Beyond that, there is rarely the need for further contact. You are in the system and nothing will happen until the right job comes up. Besides, since a recruiter may work actively on only 20–40 searches per year, the odds of the right job coming up with any particular recruiter are not great. The goal is to complete this part of your job search in the first week so you can concentrate on other aspects of the search.

College Placement Offices

        Virtually all of the 3,200 institutions of higher education have placement offices. They are often known as career planning and placement offices, but the names vary widely from school to school. About 21% of those who use their placement office find a job through that resource.

        If the title contains “career planning,” it indicates that at least part of their effort is devoted to helping students determine what they really want to do. Since a college of 10,000 students may have only five career counselors, you can see that their ability to spend much time with you on your career decision making will be limited. Take advantage of the career planning and job finding courses many schools offer. In some cases, you can even receive college credit for taking them. As with anything, some instructors are better than others. Make sure you take your class from the best.

        The placement function of career planning and placement offices often entails obtaining part-time and temporary job listings for students to look at. The major effort, however, is devoted to obtaining job listings for college seniors and to arrange for company recruiters to visit the campus to interview those seniors. Alumni will usually not be allowed to interview with campus recruiters, but they are often allowed to examine the posted job listings for one to two years after graduation.

            Make use of the opportunity to interview with campus recruiters. Be prepared for all of the common interview questions, and by all means read the company literature which is always sent in advance of a recruiter’s visit to the campus. Particularly be prepared to answer the question, “Why do you want to work for us?” and “What do you know about us?”