Interviewing & Job Hunting Questions
Construction Executive Online
Headhunters can be so callous. They don't call back. They get huffy if you call them. They don't find you a job. Why does anyone even bother with them?
I've heard the complaints - that 'recruiter' is a four-letter word, and that we should substitute the word 'recruiter' for 'lawyer' in all the lawyer jokes. But before you give up on recruiters, remember that good recruiters know more about searching for a job than almost anyone else because of the amount of it they do.
Not everyone can be helped by a good recruiter. Good recruiters typically place only about 10% of the construction executive job seekers they see. Why only 10%? Companies pay recruiters thousands of dollars to find the very top talent, the people who are going to make an immediate impact, the top 10% to 20%. By the numbers, not everyone is going to be in the top 10% to 20% talent range.
Start by realistically assessing your ability and accomplishments, then ask a recruiter how he assesses you compared to other people he sees. If you're going to fall in the bottom ranks of qualifications, isn't it better to know this than to waste time in wishful thinking about your chances of being placed by a recruiter?
Not everyone can be helped by a good recruiter. Good recruiters typically place only about 10% of the construction executive job seekers they see. Why only 10%? Companies pay recruiters thousands of dollars to find the very top talent, the people who are going to make an immediate impact, the top 10% to 20%. By the numbers, not everyone is going to be in the top 10% to 20% talent range.
Start by realistically assessing your ability and accomplishments, then ask a recruiter how he assesses you compared to other people he sees. If you're going to fall in the bottom ranks of qualifications, isn't it better to know this than to waste time in wishful thinking about your chances of being placed by a recruiter?
Because the marketplace has cooled, recruiters are full of construction executive job seekers and short on job openings. In better economic times you might be an excellent construction executive job seeker, but they truly don't have many search assignments right now. So take them at their word when they say they will keep their eyes open. They probably mean exactly that, which is saying they don't have opportunities that match your background.
Almost all recruiters, except those in a few industries such as health care and pharmaceuticals, are struggling to get enough searches to pay the bills. A contingency recruiter is paid only when a job is filled. That means that a recruiter must maximize her time to increase the percentage of her "closure" ratio.
A recruiter can only do that by understanding a construction executive job seeker's preference in opportunities, as well as the chemistry between a construction executive job seeker and hiring manager (most people are hired based on chemistry).
If a recruiter spends only a few minutes with you that you believe falls short of getting to know you, ask the recruiter point-blank if he is going to submit you on an opening, if he is going to market you, or if he is placing you in his database. Although recruiters have to prudently manage their time, they should be candid with you about their intentions.
Ask a recruiter if she is a member of Top Echelon Network (a recruiting cooperative) or another network that can give you confidential exposure.
Finally, if a recruiter hasn't already explained to you how she works and how she follows up, you do the asking. Then try not to call every two to three days to see if the recruiter has anything.
When you do call, the best time is late in the afternoon because the good recruiters are working hard during the prime hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you want to keep in front of recruiters a little more often than they have requested, drop a brief but pleasant e-mail. Tell the recruiters in your e-mail that you don't need to hear back from them if they don't have anything or ideas for you. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness, and you will have accomplished your purpose of causing the recruiters to think about you
Answer: 1
I've heard the complaints - that 'recruiter' is a four-letter word, and that we should substitute the word 'recruiter' for 'lawyer' in all the lawyer jokes. But before you give up on recruiters, remember that good recruiters know more about searching for a job than almost anyone else because of the amount of it they do.
Not everyone can be helped by a good recruiter. Good recruiters typically place only about 10% of the construction executive job seekers they see. Why only 10%? Companies pay recruiters thousands of dollars to find the very top talent, the people who are going to make an immediate impact, the top 10% to 20%. By the numbers, not everyone is going to be in the top 10% to 20% talent range.
Start by realistically assessing your ability and accomplishments, then ask a recruiter how he assesses you compared to other people he sees. If you're going to fall in the bottom ranks of qualifications, isn't it better to know this than to waste time in wishful thinking about your chances of being placed by a recruiter?
Not everyone can be helped by a good recruiter. Good recruiters typically place only about 10% of the construction executive job seekers they see. Why only 10%? Companies pay recruiters thousands of dollars to find the very top talent, the people who are going to make an immediate impact, the top 10% to 20%. By the numbers, not everyone is going to be in the top 10% to 20% talent range.
Start by realistically assessing your ability and accomplishments, then ask a recruiter how he assesses you compared to other people he sees. If you're going to fall in the bottom ranks of qualifications, isn't it better to know this than to waste time in wishful thinking about your chances of being placed by a recruiter?
Because the marketplace has cooled, recruiters are full of construction executive job seekers and short on job openings. In better economic times you might be an excellent construction executive job seeker, but they truly don't have many search assignments right now. So take them at their word when they say they will keep their eyes open. They probably mean exactly that, which is saying they don't have opportunities that match your background.
Almost all recruiters, except those in a few industries such as health care and pharmaceuticals, are struggling to get enough searches to pay the bills. A contingency recruiter is paid only when a job is filled. That means that a recruiter must maximize her time to increase the percentage of her "closure" ratio.
A recruiter can only do that by understanding a construction executive job seeker's preference in opportunities, as well as the chemistry between a construction executive job seeker and hiring manager (most people are hired based on chemistry).
If a recruiter spends only a few minutes with you that you believe falls short of getting to know you, ask the recruiter point-blank if he is going to submit you on an opening, if he is going to market you, or if he is placing you in his database. Although recruiters have to prudently manage their time, they should be candid with you about their intentions.
Ask a recruiter if she is a member of Top Echelon Network (a recruiting cooperative) or another network that can give you confidential exposure.
Finally, if a recruiter hasn't already explained to you how she works and how she follows up, you do the asking. Then try not to call every two to three days to see if the recruiter has anything.
When you do call, the best time is late in the afternoon because the good recruiters are working hard during the prime hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you want to keep in front of recruiters a little more often than they have requested, drop a brief but pleasant e-mail. Tell the recruiters in your e-mail that you don't need to hear back from them if they don't have anything or ideas for you. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness, and you will have accomplished your purpose of causing the recruiters to think about you