I’ve been at executive recruiting for about a year and a half now.  During this period of time, I’ve had the pleasure of working with and placing a number of executives across the real estate management and investment space.  The experience has been unique in that I interact daily with individuals that I have little in common, if any at all, technical work experience. 

However, what makes a successful recruiter and what I pride myself on improving upon daily, is not necessarily being able to “talk shop” with my candidates or boast of great industry knowledge, but rather build a relationship in an effort get to know them and subsequently help them on a personal level.

I feel too many recruiters place more weight on being able to talk shop versus doing what’s in the best interest of a candidate – finding how to help them.  What we do is special.  We find out the deepest reasons behind why an individual would make a major career change and possibly relocate a family.  Here are a few things to look for the next time that you considering to return a call from a recruiter:

  •  “If they’re telling, they’re selling you.”  If a recruiter’s M.O. is reading you a job description during their pitch call to see if you think it sounds attractive or compelling, they’re doing you a disservice.  It is not my role to sell you on a position that will solve your problems rather to first understand why you’d even be open to making a change.  This can be for a myriad of reasons – ranging from lack of opportunity for growth which might quell a candidates chance to provide for a childs’ college education in the not so distant future.

  • Question their process.  Many different recruiters go about their business in different ways.  Some harvest resumes then go out into the market and advertise them to clients that they’d love to work with.  Some contingency recruiters are loosely committed to the search they pitch you on and may merely be trying to shove you through a rapidly closing window of opportunity to fill a search that three other contingent firms are also vying to fill.  On the contrary, retained firms are typically paid an up-front fee to go out into the market and find the perfect candidate for their client and stay committed to that task until the right candidate for the job is found (this is a mutual agreement by employer and candidate).

  • Understand what saying “yes” means.  Submitting a resume will probably take up the least of your time once you engage in a recruiter’s process.  If they do not clearly outline the steps of the interviewing/hiring process, something’s probably awry. 

In conclusion, I’d recommend the next time that you’re contacted by a recruiter, speak to them.  Explore where else your talents may be better suited.  We’re in a hot market and there are a ton of opportunities to get ahead in your career and personal goals.  So I challenge you, the next time a recruiter calls, ask questions!  Find out if they’re legitimate in their intentions to work with you or if they’re merely looking to market you unbeknownst to yourself in order for them to land a potential client.

Cheers,
Brian Blunkosky
Executive Recruiter, ibr Search