From the Yeti of Nepal to the alligators lurking in Manhattan’s sewers, urban myths exist everywhere – even in the world of executive job search. Are you considering a change? If so, this job search myth might be standing in your way:
Myth:
“A recruiter will help me find my next job.”
Truth:
Executive recruiters don’t find jobs for people; they find people for jobs. They only work for the client companies that hire them to find specific talent. As a result, search firms can be highly selective about how they invest their time. Unless you’re a fit for a job opening they’ve been hired to fill, they have no time for you. Don’t take it personally.
So in a marketplace of millions of candidates, how can you make yourself stand out as the prime candidate? Is there any advantage to having a relationship with a recruiter?
My Advice:
If you really are the right person for the job, prove it. Produce an extraordinary letter of recommendation from someone your possible next boss knows personally or respects. Draw their attention to a product you built or project you led that they can see or touch. Have a reputation that precedes you. The person who gets hired is the one who does great work, picks the right job, gets personal, and convinces his possible next boss that he can get stuff done.
As for recruiters, the best ones understand that their long-term success is based on building relationships with talented and well-connected people. They remember people who helped them with a search and will likely want to help that person later on. They appreciate it when an executive candidate who isn’t a good fit for a current opening goes out of their way to introduce them to other strong candidates or to people who are strong connectors to high performers in their specialized field.
I hope you’re blessed with many opportunities today! Finally, please remember that at best only 10-15% of the positions available at the senior levels go to search – which is just another reason why networking is the key to making a change. But we’ll leave that topic for another day.
