Boomers: Get job recruiters on your side
By Andrea Coombes: Aug. 2, 2013, 6:01 a.m. EDT
If your idea of job hunting is responding to online listings, you’re fooling yourself.
The key these days is connecting to the person who can get you that job, and that includes reaching out to recruiters because—don’t forget—they have direct access to hiring managers.
Job seekers who apply for positions solely via responses to online postings are "missing the boat," said Abby Kohut, a career consultant, author and recruiter based in Springfield, N.J.
"Reach out to recruiters, reach out to your network, to hiring managers, go to networking events—that’s what’s going on with people who are actually landing" a job, said Kohut, who is in the middle of a cross-country tour with the goal of educating 1 million job seekers. See her site.
Others agreed. "You should be reaching out to recruiters," said Amanda Augustine, job-search expert with job website TheLadders. "It’s like networking: you never know what they may have in the future," she said. "There’s nothing wrong with taking 15 minutes to talk and explain what your needs are and how you’re qualified for whatever your dream job is."
Making the connection
There are two main ways to reach out to recruiters, Augustine said. "One is just making sure recruiters find you by building up a strong online presence," she said.
"If you’re not building that online presence, they’re not going to find you." Read more: Make the most of your LinkedIn profile.
Second, contact them by email, with your resume attached.
Often, you can find individual recruiters or recruiting companies because they’re associated with specific job listings in your field. Or, look on recruitment company websites to find people who specialize in your field. Also, do a search on LinkedIn or on the web; for example, for "financial industry recruiters in New York."
"Identify the ones that are specifically filling positions relevant to what you want to do and reach out to them," Augustine said.
Aim to reach five recruiters a week, she said, with a message that says, "This is who I am, this is what I’m passionate about, I would love to talk to you about how I could provide value to one of your clients."
"I’m not a fan of the blind connection request," Augustine added, "but if a recruiter is putting out their contact information online in any form, whether their email address or phone number, that’s an open invitation."
Then, follow up with a phone call a week later.
Treat them like a customer
Don’t get frustrated if a recruiter isn’t responding to your emails or phone calls, or pitches you with job offers that have little to do with your area of expertise. Remember that recruiters, in one way or another, get paid by the company that’s posting the open position. Recruiters don’t think of job seekers as clients.
Also, they get busy. "Recruiters don’t have time to call back every candidate," Kohut said. Even if they don’t call or email, they will put your resume in their database, she said. "That’s why it’s good to get your resume in to a variety of recruiters, so when they do have something they will call you."
Source:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/boomers-get-job-recruiters-on-your-side-2013-08-02