|
Home > Archive > General Discussion > January 2001 > playing hardball with headhunters/recruiters
You are viewing an archived Text-only version of the thread.
To view this thread in it's original format and/or if you want to reply to
this thread please [click here]
| Author |
playing hardball with headhunters/recruiters
|
|
|
| Does anybody know of a website where I can learn more about dealing with recruiters or headhunters? I'm looking for information on what my legal rights are. What information they need or don't need. Are they allow to check my salary history? What's the point of filling out an application if you have a resume? I want to have the upper-hand when it comes to dealing with these organizations. I'm sure if I down-right resist and refuse to cooperate with these people I may not get a job. That's not the plan, I want to know how to play hardball with them better. | |
|
| The only way you'll win the hardball game is if you have something they want - badly. And as answer to your "can they make a call to check with your prior employers", I believe they can. Get ready to take a drug test. Pretty standard now. | |
|
| The recruiters/headhunters are weeding out unqualified people. Before they would send candidates to the employers to prove that they could meet the employer's demand for new recruits. However, this backfired when many of the candidates they would send to the employer's interviews were not qualified and not what the employer was looking for in the first place. Now, to protect their reputations, the recruiters and headhunters will gather as much info on you as possible.
So be ready to give them alot of information about yourself. If you feel uncomfortable with that, then go another route in finding your job.
------------------
CCNA, MCSE, MCP+I, MCP, I-Net+, Network+, A+, MCP 2000 | |
|
| The best way to "deal" with a recruiter is to find a good one and stick with him/her. That is stay in touch and use again if things don't work out where they place you.
Find the recruiter who is advertising the job you want. ( must be a real job - some bad recruiters need clients and make up general "too good to be true" ads - stay clear of these types) Your initial contact over the phone will tell you a lot if you treat it like an interview of the recruiter - subtly that is. One important question to ask is if you'll be required to sign any agreement to only work through this recruiting agency. Don't go this route a good recruiter is confident enough to know if you're a good candidate then you'll stick with him. It's a lot like dealing with Real estate agents.
------------------
MCP A+ | |
|
| Sticking with a good recruiter will help you a lot. After being placed, you will be able to easily tell if your recruiter was good or bad. In addition to that, just remember that you should be firm with them. For example:
1) When asked for salary histories, either lie or exaggerate. A recruiter won't check this out, and by all rights has no reason to check it out. However, an employer may and can check this information out, so remember to be careful when filling out applications and paperwork with a potential employer. How can you exaggerate? Well, include bonus in your salary. Give a broad range and don't nail down a specific number. The recruiter only wants this info to low-ball you. So you have to sell yourself well.
2) When asked for a salary range you are looking for - go high. Most recruiters will peak your interest in a place then try to low-ball you. If you over-represented your needs initially, you're in position to lower your demands. If possible, ask to be part of the negotiations.
3) If a recruiter asks where else you are interviewing - always lie. Be very vague and do not give them any names. They are asking in order to talk you out of that place ("I heard XYZ Corporation is having a terrible year.") or to call up that place and tell somebody there that you are taken.
I realize none of the above are ethical ways to do business. However, this will protect you from the recruiters who only care about getting you in and out with no interest in how the deal turns out, while representing your interests to the legitimate, good recruiters. Be careful and good luck.
Cheers,
Mark, MCP+SB, i-Net+ | |
| for whatever it's worth 2001-01-03, 3:23 am |
| Do not depend entirely on a recruiter. Post your resume on Hotjobs, Monster, headhunter, computerjobs.com......and plan on spending time searching for jobs on these sites yourself.
Unless you have exceptional (rare) skills, your resume is just another piece of paper in a recruiter's office or one of a large number of e-mails that might not even get read.
That's not a bad attitude, it's just how it is. Do not depend on them to find something for you--you are going to have to work at it yourself. (Unless you are a rare find.)
Also, one important lessen I learned, if you respond to an ad, unless it specifically says not to call, call them. I would not have gotten a job if I had not called them several times. (They would not have even seen my resume even though I sent it to both addresses that were in their ad.)
If you are asked a specific question such as what your salary is, respond with what you are looking to make. (What do you make? I'm looking for something in the thirties, sixties, whatever.)
I have never filled in the salary block on an application. If they are interested in you they will talk to you.
The application instead of the resume is because there is a place for you to sign it saying everything is true and often it has a statement that authorizes them to check the info you provide. They can nail you if the info is not true.
Also, resumes are submitted in a variety of formats. If they want some specific info they know where to look on their form.
If you do not want to fill it out, staple your resume to it and write on the application See Attached Resume. If they don't like that they will let you know.
Hope some at least some of this helps.
| |
|
| Go the extra mile and fill out the application completely. If there is a portion that you are uncomfortable with, simply write "willing to discuss in interview". I have two stacks of applications on my desk right now. The ones that were not filled out, filled out sloppily, and people that are not qualified for the current openings are in one pile. The people that I will call in to interview are in the other pile.
My feeling has always been that if you don't want to go to the effort of filling out an application, why should I go to the effort of interviewing you? I already know that you look for ways to cut corners and do the least amount of work possible, and that's before you even get the job.
If your phone isn't ringing, that's probably me not calling.
-PCGuy | |
|
|
|
|
|