IT Hire Wire

Job Seekers in today’s increasingly complex employment market often ask me, “Should I use job boards or a recruiter for my job search?”  “Are they mutually exclusive?”  In my opinion, the best approach for any job seeker is to strategically use both recruiters and job boards to successfully find your next position. Using the internet to do your research, just like you would for any other major life decision or purchase, and backing that up with an experienced professional recruiter could give you the career results you are looking for.
 

The advantages of using a recruiter are:

• You get a personal advocate and partner in your job search.  Don’t forget, we recruiters typically aren’t compensated unless we actually get you a job!  Furthermore, we are someone you can follow up with regarding your search instead of the “submit and forget” scenario often faced with replying to job postings.
• Recruiters offer an intimate knowledge of the hiring practices of many of the employers you might be targeting in your search.  With this knowledge, we may be better able to navigate the obstacles (i.e. Human Resources) and channels it takes to pursue a position with one of your target companies.   Furthermore, we may be able to target companies that you are not aware of, and who are not using the job boards to advertise their openings.
• You can delegate (basically outsource) your job search efforts to us! Applying to jobs, following up with hiring managers and setting up interviews can take a ton of time. Recruiters take care of the legwork for you.
• You get an accurate assessment of your skills and marketability, which will result in a fair salary negotiation.
• If you are out of work, open to contracting, and/or actively looking, a recruiter is a great source of employment opportunities for you.

Be aware when using recruiters that you:

• Work with established recruiters that are Preferred Vendors of the client.
• Document the jobs you have been submitted for and enforce the policy of “don’t submit my resume without my permission.”
• Avoid double-submittals to the same client when working with different recruiters.

The advantages of using job boards:

• You control your search and apply to the positions you are interested in pursuing.
• You might find a position with a company that is not utilizing the services of a recruitment firm.
• Direct connection to the hiring manager (in some cases)

Your strategy also depends on how “active” or “passive” of a job seeker you are. If you are an active seeker, a recruiter may be your best ticket to immediate employment. If you are passively seeking employment, browsing through job ads on national or niche job boards can give you a sense for what’s out there. I think the gains you might reap from working with a recruiter far outweigh trying to do it alone. Of course, as a recruiter working for a staffing agency like Hudson IT, I may be a little biased!

photo by thomas pix

Tags: Job Boards, Job Search, recruiting

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