You are busy at work and your phone rings. It is an executive recruiter. You have work to do and deadlines to reach. It is very easy to disregard the phone call. But wait one minute…great executive recruiters understand this and respect your time. So how do you determine a great executive recruiter from the rest? Here are some tips to help be prepared for the call that should only take minutes to ask.
- How long have you been recruiting? The recruiting industry is known as an easy entry profession. However, this does not translate into becoming a successful executive recruiter. Many search firm owners consider “the hump” to be somewhere between 24 and 36 months, during which a recruiter advances to an industry specialist.
- What is your industry specialty? The days of a generalist executive recruiter are quickly dying. In this day and age, great executive recruiter’s specialize and become industry specialist. Make sure the executive recruiter works in your specialty.
- Are you able to supply references? Many of the great executive recruiters will gladly show you their most recent references. If they do not have references, ask them why. This may be a red flag.
- Google the executive recruiter’s name. See what you get. You may not find anything. If you don’t, ask why. There are many social networking outlets and the best executive recruiters use these tools.
- Where is the firm located? You probably receive calls from recruiters all across the country. While there are many great executive recruiters that work a national desk (recruit nationally), it is better to develop a relationship with an executive recruiter in your location. Local executive recruiters usually are very knowledgeable about the local market and can provide a wealth of local industry knowledge.
Experienced executive recruiters can be a great asset to any working professional. They can become your resource for job openings, resume questions, local industry knowledge, career assessments and salary questions. They hold the power to provide a positive change in your working career. So next time an executive recruiter calls you, ask them theses few simple questions. You will be able to separate the great executive recruiters from the not so great.
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Christopher McGill impacts businesses by giving companies access to the best and the brightest within the IT Profession. He provides 360 degree full service talent management solution that help companies hire with precision & insight.
What they are saying: “Chris is the example of what I expect a recruiter to be.”
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