Staffing Agencies & Headhunters
What types of success & failures have people had utilizing staffing firms/headhunters/agencies?
I know there are a lot of different feelings out there with these types of Recruiters who don’t work for the actual company but are hired to help them find candidates. The biggest issues I’ve heard from candidates is that these types of Recruiters don’t always get back to you with feedback or they are trying to place you in jobs that don’t line up with what you are looking for.
My advice is that even if you’ve had a bad experience with these types of Recruiters, DON’T STOP using them! There are no industries where 100% of the workforce is perfect. Agency Recruiter’s work on a commission based compensation plan, so they are trying to help you! The majority of the time they don’t get paid unless they place someone in a job…so they do want to help. It doesn’t cost you the candidate any money to use them, so what's the harm?
The market is so flooded with bogus job announcements that often we waste time filling out applications for positions that are no longer available or they are scams. I have applied for at least 2 jobs, that turned out to be BS. Job hunting is tough enough without all the non-existent listings.
Would you recommend this type of service for an entry or mid level job opportunity? Also, are there any salary advantages using a recruiting agency?
Mark, as a follow-up...search consultants work for their clients, and are paid commissions to find job candidates they cannot. The firms generally will not make huge efforts if they don't see the potential value in making commission off of your current skill set.
They promise to "keep you in mind" if they can't market you right away to their network. In English, that means "no activity" on your behalf, unless you acquire new skills they can sell.
I do agree with this. I had used some in the past and did have a few times where they came to me with jobs that didn't really line up with what I was interested in, or what we had talked about. I think the hardest part for me is just having to keep contact with them. They wouldn't always call me while I was looking for something, so I'd have to call them a couple times a week to follow up. It can get a little disheartening when you call and they say they don't have anything for you at the moment, but you just have to keep on them.
Hey Mark! I used an agency a few years ago and the guy I worked with was awesome, but I have also had some negative experiences too.
I think whatever agency you work with you will need someone who will listen to your needs and take that into consideration before placing you anywhere. I don't enjoy recruiters who are pushy, rude, send me emails with jobs I am not qualified for (as it wastes my time), or again won't listen to me. I love recruiters that are personable, caring, maintain contact and ultimately have my best interest at heart.
I wouldn't hesitate to use an agency in the future if it were the right one and had great recruiters on their team! I feel that in many ways they were working for ME and not the company, which was nice.