2. Where are the jobs
O
ver the next decade in the U.S., health and personal care jobs are expected
to see the largest increases in newly created positions. Significant gains
are also expected in computer and information technology, construction,
mathematics, business and finance. All of these so-called ‘STEM’ fields show strong
?
growth, which fits with the ongoing transformation of the global economy and broader
social and demographic trends.
What many do not realize, is that even in a slow-growth economic recovery, the
unemployment rate for individuals with a Bachelor’s degree or higher was only 3.9% in
December, 2012. To bridge the talent shortage gap, many companies continue to rely
on staffing agencies and search firms.
2
3. 3
-5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Architecture &
Engineering
10%
Arts & Design
10%
Building & Grounds
Cleaning & Maintenance
12%
Source: BLS Division of Occupational Outlook
Business & Financial
17%
Community &
Social Service
24%
Computer &
Information Technology
22%
Construction
& Extraction
22%
Education, Training
& Library
15%
Entertainment
& Sports
16%
Farming, Fishing
& Forestry
-2%
Food Preparation
& Serving
10%
Healthcare
29%
Installation, Maintenance
& Repair
15%
Legal
11%
Life, Physical &
Social Service
16%
2010-20 (projected)
Management
7%
Math
17%
Media &
Communication
13%
Office & Administrative
Support
10%
Personal Care
& Service
27%
Production
4%
Protective Service
11%
% change in total employment, by occupational group
Sales
13%
Transportation &
Material Moving
15%
4. why do you need a recruiter?
L
everaging the industry knowledge and networks of recruiters is a critical
component of any job search. A professional recruiter can offer career advice,
“Candidates need someone
inside knowledge of your target industry or company, compensation guidance
on their side as they begin
and “cultural fit” insight on prospective employers. to engage in the process
and meeting with a recruiter
With the right recruiter you can: is good practice for when
the client interviewing and
1. Avoid the general inbox: recruiters have direct relationships with human resources selection process begins.”
and hiring managers so your resume goes directly to them, not a “job response
inbox” containing hundreds of resumes.
2. Access unadvertised opportunities: recruiters often know about, and even fill
positions well before they are even advertised.
Ami Cole,
3. Gain valuable insight regarding company culture: a good recruiter should be
Kelly Recruiter
able to tell you about the company culture and what to expect from individual
interviewers on your schedule.
4. Get your own advocate: as an advocate, a recruiter can present you in the best
way, provide feedback and follow-up, as well as provide assistance through the
negotiation and onboarding process.
4
5. different types of recruiters
Staffing recruiters: work for staffing firms to provide a wide range of candidates to customers. Staffing
recruiters may place administrative, professional or technical candidates, ranging from entry-level to senior-level, in
temporary contract roles or as a permanent placement.
Corporate recruiters: handle most aspects of the employee recruitment process for their own organization.
Corporate recruiters are typically in the Human Resources division.
Executive contingent recruiters: work for search firms that are engaged by clients to perform a specific
search for a range of mid and senior-level positions. Contingent recruiters receive a fee only upon the successful
placement of a candidate.
Executive retained recruiters: work for search firms that are engaged by clients to perform a specific
search for a senior executive position. Retained recruiters receive a retainer (up-front fee) to execute a search.
5
6. make a recruiter shortlist
T
here are many types of recruiters; staffing recruiters, corporate recruiters and 4. Use LinkedIn to identify individual recruiters that work for the recruiting
executive (contingent or retained) recruiters. Each may have a specific industry organizations or companies identified in steps 1-3 and specialize in your targeted
or skill-set area of expertise. Ideally, you should focus on building relationships roles. (Example: Click on “Advanced” next to the search box on LinkedIn. On the
with the recruiters that have visibility into the opportunities that are most aligned with advanced search page enter “Recruiter” in the Title search box, “Kelly Services”
your career aspirations. in the Company search box, and your targeted geography in the Postal Code
search box.) Review the search results for recruiters that appear to specialize in your
Follow the simple five-step process below to find and connect with targeted roles.
recruiters that specialize in your targeted roles.
5. Send an invitation to connect to the individual recruiters identified in step 4 with
1. Use keywords in a search engine (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) to identify recruiting
a short personalized introduction. (Example: Hi Kim, I am building my network
organizations (Example: Executive Search Firms, Boston).
of recruiters specializing in Finance and Accounting and would appreciate the
2. Use yellowpages.com to identify recruiting organizations (Example: Engineering opportunity to connect. Please consider me for current or future openings. Thank
Staffing Agencies, Chicago). you.) After the recruiter accepts your invitation, you will have an email address to
connect directly and build relationships.
3. Research and build a list of companies that you would like to target for
employment opportunities.
6
7. Don’t just engage a recruiter, build a relationship
T
he best recruiter – candidate relationships are mutually beneficial. A candidate 4. Keep your information current: ensure they never have an out-of-date resume on
receives access to unadvertised career opportunities and gains an advocate. A file and update your recruiter when things change.
recruiter will appreciate reciprocal access to your network of potential referrals
5. Be open to a recruiter preparation call and constructive feedback: a recruiter can
as well as specific company or industry insight.
share a great deal of information about the company, role requirements and even
specific interviewer characteristics before an interview. After the interview, ask for
A common job-seeker mistake is to only engage with a recruiter when actively searching
and be open to constructive feedback.
for a new job. A strictly transactional relationship (candidate needs a job, recruiter needs
a candidate to fill a job), is less valuable for you, the recruiter, and ultimately the hiring 6. Share insights: what did you learn in the interview that would help both you and
organization. Be prepared to invest time into building and maintaining a long-term your recruiter? Was the role as described by the recruiter or has it changed? Was
relationship. there a new interviewer in the process? Is this the right role for you based on your
career goals?
Consider these guidelines to strengthen a
7. Keep the communication open: maintain a positive relationship for the future, even
good working relationship with recruiters:
if you secure another role.
1. Make a good first impression: approach a recruiter as you would a prospective
8. Become a resource: share your industry knowledge and network of contacts that
employer and send an email with a professional cover letter/social media message.
may be interested in learning more about an opportunity.
Introduce yourself during the first conversation as you would in an interview. A
recruiter will need to be comfortable with you before advocating for you as a 9. Consider all kinds of work if appropriate: project and contract (short or long-
candidate to a prospective employer. term) work can often be a stepping-stone to a permanent role and allows you an
opportunity to evaluate the job and company.
2. Be proactive: let a recruiter know how you found them and if you’re interested in
working for a specific company or targeted industry. 10. Be clear: an open dialogue regarding your work experience, career goals and salary
requirements will increase the chances of a successful placement.
3. Think longer term: be prepared to stay in touch over the, short, medium and long-
term to find the right opportunity.
7
8. Cut through and position yourself as a great candidate
T
o best position yourself as a top candidate, be focused, professional and ensure
your personal online brand is in order. Read through these two ebooks, which
“I really enjoy engaging
will help you present yourself online and avoid the pitfalls of social media: ‘Clean
with candidates who partner
Up Your Digital Dirt’ and ‘Building your Online Portfolio’. <add links> with me in the job search
rather than seeing me as
‘just a recruiter’. People who
In addition, make sure you have:
show they are consultative,
1. Completed and updated your LinkedIn profile. This is critical regardless of whether can take on feedback and
you’re an entry-level graduate or a senior leader. It’s the first go-to-resource for treat our relationship as
recruiters and hiring managers when sourcing and researching candidates. they would that with their
employer are always going
2. Added all your relevant skills and experience to your profiles and online pages. to be great candidates.”
Ask for people within your network to provide testimonials or references.
Christopher Parsons,
Kelly Recruiter
8
9. get ready for the initial call
B
e prepared and ready to clearly articulate your experiences and the type of
position or industry you are targeting. Remember that recruiters are tasked with
finding candidates to fit a specific opening, and a call from a recruiter usually
means they are trying to determine if you have that particular skill or experience. You will
be elevated as a candidate if you can provide an example of how you used the skill or
experience to be successful in your current or past role.
If you find an opening online that you are interested in, follow the links and apply for
the job. Then, do a little research and send a note to the recruiter or recruiting group
directly and request an opportunity to discuss the opening. To find the specific recruiter,
follow the steps in “Make a recruiter shortlist”.
If you are able to share how your skill-set and experience will help you achieve success in
your targeted role, you will have a much better chance at being the selected candidate.
9
10. Every three and half minutes, a Kelly temporary employee
is offered a permanent position by a Kelly customer.
Visit our job search site now: www.kellyservices.com
References
• http://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cpseea05.htm
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