Business Insider: “How to Get Job Recruiters to Come to You”
By Kurt Schmidt In Blog, News On March 31, 2014
I guess “5” is a magic number because so many of these lists have five items – though usually, one or two are redundant. Business Insider’s Jacquelyn Smith’s article “How to Get Job Recruiters to Come to You” contains a couple of good insights from one of the three contributors cited. Paul Slezak from RecruitLoop actually sounds like a recruiter. He’s right about the “black hole” that swallows most online applications. Okay, let’s take a look at their ideas, one by one:
Number 1: Become a “thought leader in your field.” If you’ve got time to participate in professional associations or give lectures, get certifications or otherwise stand out in your field, then yes, it will help – not only for recruiters to find you but also hiring managers, peers, and colleagues who all may be able to provide leads or referrals.
Number 2: “Build and establish your network.” I like the word “cultivate” myself because the building and establishing is never over. Your network is a garden, grow it, treat it well, pull out the weeds and “cultivate” the plants you want to grow!
Number 3: This is good – and you know I love LinkedIn. Do keep your profile up to date. Do join groups that are connected to your profession or allow you to expand your network. Don’t pollute your LinkedIn profile or network with connections, groups or anything else that deviates from your goal. Goal? Yes, if you’re familiar with my posts and book, you’ll know that getting the most out of LinkedIn requires focus.
Number 4: Build a personal website to “showcase” your work. Sorry, this sounds like a waste of time unless you’re in graphics, design, media or something else that a website can illustrate effectively. It is far more important to spend your time finding contacts who will value your experience specifically and develop personal relationships with them. Creating a one-size-fits-all website to talk about yourself is one more example of transferring work to a recruiter or hiring manager and will create resistance.
Number 5: Refer candidates. This is gold. If you want to be remembered, contacted and, even better, owed a favor, send me referrals when I reach out looking for candidates for the jobs I’m trying to fill right now. Recommending good candidates to recruiters demonstrates empathetic thinking and a good understanding of what I need as a recruiter. Referrals show that you’re not just thinking about yourself and that is a good thing for every part of the job search process. Being generous with your time and contacts pays dividends. I’ve made tons of referrals and given a lot of free advice or connected people over the years and I have received the same in return.
Bottom line: It’s best to use your job search time in the most effective ways possible. As a professional, I urge people to try to be specific and keep your communications personal instead of broadcasting. The most important thing is to always demonstrate a willingness to help!
