| the current state of affairs in this country’s | | | | There is no question that it can be a very helpful |
| job market, it really is hard to believe that anyone is | | | | service when everything goes right. |
| getting a job, not so much because of the | | | | But all too often, everything does not go right. First |
| unemployment rate, but because the process has | | | | you have candidates who seem to think that |
| become so arduous and ridiculous. | | | | recruiters know about the bulk of available jobs out |
| With all of our progress in technology, we seem to | | | | there and, more importantly, assist in placing |
| have further alienated prospective employers from | | | | candidates in any job they want. Second, you have |
| prospective job seekers. Job seekers are shunned | | | | recruiters who are only looking for the best possible |
| from calling employers, even their HR departments, | | | | fit for the positions they have been assigned to |
| which are partly in place to assist with the hiring | | | | recruit for, which often is not the candidate who is |
| process. Forget trying to speak with an actual hiring | | | | contacting them. Instead, it may be the candidate |
| manager. He or she is like some mystery figure that | | | | who is currently employed and not really looking. |
| only comes out after candidates have been | | | | Third, you have the companies who don’t |
| prescreened, screened, and rescreened (kind of like a | | | | always play by the rules. Put that all together, and |
| ritual cleansing). Sometimes candidates are even kept | | | | you can end up with a mess. |
| in the dark about to which company they are actually | | | | Many candidates don’t realize that recruiters |
| applying, only to be revealed at the last possible | | | | and other employment agents don’t work for |
| second (and then companies wonder, “why | | | | them. In other words, a recruiter is not out there |
| doesn’t the candidate seem to know much | | | | looking for a job for you. The recruiter is out there |
| about us?”). And don’t get me | | | | looking for the best candidates for the positions he |
| started about online job posting sites that are nothing | | | | or she is trying to fill. And sometimes recruiters |
| but black holes in which resume after resume just | | | | overlook good quality candidates simply because |
| keeps going in. I mean, what are companies doing | | | | some aspect of the candidate’s background |
| with all those resumes? | | | | does not fit perfectly the idealized candidate of the |
| So in 2009 we are left with more and more reliance | | | | job description. |
| on the middle man to bridge that gap. Cue the | | | | So what is a job seeker to do? First and foremost, |
| recruiters, headhunters, employment agencies, etc. | | | | get informed! Know what job search tactics work |
| Is that a bad thing? Sometimes, yes, because here | | | | the best and what don’t. Understand how |
| again we have just another layer between the hiring | | | | recruiters and headhunters operate and do some |
| company and the candidates. | | | | research to find ones that specialize in your area. |
| The concept of recruiting seems simple enough on | | | | Second, stop spending so much time on the Internet |
| the surface. Company needs a strong candidate to fill | | | | and network more. Statistics continue to show that |
| a vacancy. Strong candidate needs a job. Recruiter | | | | both employers and job seekers find networking to |
| plays matchmaker and brings the two parties | | | | be the best possible way of connecting. Third, align |
| together. Everybody’s happy, especially the | | | | with other job seekers, who can often be the best |
| recruiter who only gets paid when he or she sets up | | | | eyes and ears out there. Look for group job hunting |
| successful matches. | | | | opportunities, both online and in your geographic area. |