If you’re looking for a job, you might be considering using a recruiter as a resource. There are many benefits to working with a recruiter during your job search.
Some of these include having someone else do the research for you and having access to jobs that are not on job boards. Recruiters can also help you negotiate a better offer with employers.
When searching for professional recruiters you want to find recruiting and staffing agencies that specialize in placing people with your particular skill set.
As engineering, IT, and renewable engineer recruiters, we know the best ways on how to find recruiters in different fields and industries.
The Best Ways To Find A Recruiter
Update Your Resume
As soon as you reach out to any recruiter or staffing agency they are going to ask for your resume. Make sure and have an updated copy ready to send them to avoid any delays.
Create and Polish Your Linkedin Profile
Linkedin is the largest business social network is one of the best ways to be seen by a recruiter. If you have not created a Linkedin Profile do so immediately. You want to list your last 3-5 jobs with a paragraph for each job.
Add keywords about the types of software, systems, and equipment you have used.
You want to do this because recruiters search candidates by keywords. The more descriptive keywords you have in your profile the better chance that you will be seen by a recruiter.
Reach Out and Connect With Recruiters On LinkedIn
Once you have your Linkedin profile created and polished it’s time to reach out to recruiters. Search recruiters by industry such as engineering recruiter or IT recruiter.
You can use LinkedIn Business Email Finder tools to reach the company’s decision-makers, which would give a list of recruiter’s contact email addresses. You can download it as a CSV file.
This should pull up a good list for you to reach out to. Message the ones you like and offer to send them your resume.
You can then set up a time to speak with them on the phone and go over the type of opportunities you’re seeking.
Ask For Recommendations
Reach out to your network of friends in the same industry that has worked with recruiters and ask them which agencies they like best. They should be able to give you referrals of recruiters to reach out to during your job search.
Browse A Job boards Jobs listings
When searching for jobs in your field you will come across job postings from recruiters listing positions in your industry.
Browse the job listings and make a list of agencies that work in your industry. You can then reach out to them individually and send them your resume.
Do this once a week and you should get a good idea of the agencies working with companies that match your skillset.
Upload Your Resume To The Major Job boards
Recruiters search for candidates on job boards. Depending on your background you should upload your resume to the job search engines ziprecruiter.com, indeed.com, monster.com, careerbuilder.com, or dice.com.
The recruiters will then call you or email you about the job openings they have that match your background.
You should update your resume on these job boards at least once a month. This way your resume will always be near the top of the search list when they are reviewing resumes.
Use A Search Engine To Find Local Recruiters
By searching for staffing agencies on Google or Bing you can find local recruiters that specialize in the field you are working in.
You can also check out their reviews online. Just search by whatever field you’re working in.
For example, if you’re a software engineer in Atlanta you would search “Atlanta IT recruiters” or some similar variation.
Use A Recruiting Directory
Using an online directory is more of an old-school approach these days. However, you can check out I-recruit which is one of the largest recruiting directories online.
Here you will find a vast amount of potential recruiters to get in touch with.
Use Social Media
Recruiting and staffing agencies often list their jobs on Facebook. This is a good place to find agencies in your area. You can also search for recruiters on Twitter by “recruiter looking for” or “hiring now”.
What Does A Recruiter Do?
Recruiters reach out to candidates on behalf of their company or client. They evaluate the job seekers’ skills, interests, location, and if their required compensation is a fit.
They then set up interviews and extend offers on behalf of hiring managers and HR teams.
There are 2 main types of recruiters for the typical job seekers these are known as agency recruiters and corporate recruiters.
What Is A Agency Recruiter?
Agency recruiters recruit on behalf of their clients and their job requirements using tools such as Contactout’s chrome extension for finding emails. A recruiter’s job is to find candidates to present to their client company.
Agency recruiters are compensated by placing a candidate with their client company. Job seekers do not pay recruiters directly.
What Is A Corporate Recruiter?
Corporate recruiters recruit candidates on behalf of their company. The internal recruiter posts the job openings, review applications, and resumes.
They also source candidates, conduct phone screens, and present the best candidates to hiring managers for review and interviews.
How Much Does A Recruiter Cost?
A job seeker should not be charged anything by a recruiter. The employers pay the recruiting fees of the recruiters they use for placing candidates with them.
If a recruiter is trying to charge you the job seeker money then don’t use them. Find an ethical recruiting agency to help you with your job search.
How Long Should It Take To Hear Back From A Recruiter?
Once your resume has been submitted to the hiring manager it could take a few days or two weeks to hear back. If the company likes your resume they will inform the recruiter and set up an interview.
If you have not heard back in a week or two it’s a good idea to reach out to your recruiter. Ask them for a status update on the position you were submitted for.
How Long Does It Take A Recruiter To Find You A Job?
There is no exact timetable on how long it takes a recruiter to find you a job. Recruiters fill openings from their clients.
The job openings they have available depend on the types of candidates the client needs. This means a recruiter could find you a job in a week, a month, a year, or not at all.
Final Thoughts
Finding the right recruiter should not be a long-drawn-out process. Reach out to 4 or 5 recruiting agencies in your area.
Hopefully one of them will be able to help you find that great opportunity you’re seeking.
