Dan writes:
I am an architect in my late 50s who is finding it exceedingly difficult even with an exceptional work history to get any response to resumes sent to executive-search firms. This even when (1) it would seem my background would match perfectly with senior management position requirements advertised, (2) I state my salary is negotiable, and (3) when asked, I respond that I am open to relocating if necessary. In a youth-oriented profession such as architecture, is there a certain approach that should be following in submitting in seeking a position or in the job-hunting process in general?
As baby boomers continue to get older, I think we will see many changes in how older job-seekers are viewed — and we’re already seeing some of those changes — but perceptions are slow to change (and vary by industry and profession).
Are you focusing all your energies on executive recruiters? And if so, why? Recruiters can be one source of job leads — but should only be one source. Remember that headhunters work for the employers — and not job-seekers — so you need to be just as aggressive in following-up with these recruiters as you would employers.
Have you been networking? I know long-time readers of my blog are probably tired of me constantly beating the networking drum, but all studies point to the importance and power of networking when job-hunting. And many professional organizations also often have career and job postings on their Websites and at conferences. Investigate all the possibilities.
One of the other things I’ve discovered about older job-seekers, especially those who have been out of job-hunting for many years, is that they are often weak on job-search techniques and tools. What does your resume look like? Have you taken dates off your degrees and limited your list of experience to no more than 20 years of work? Is your resume centered around accomplishments and achievements?
Finally, what about the resources of your alma mater? Contact the college where you received your architecture degree and see how the career services and alumni offices can help you with your job search.
Get more help with your resume by reading numerous articles and reviewing samples in the Resume Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Diane writes: I would like to send my resume with a cover letter to recruiters/employment agencies. The career development office I’m working with advises that it is better to have someone’s name to address the cover letter to. Since it would require a great deal of time to try and get a staff member’s name for each agency, would it be acceptable to use a generic salutation, such as Dear Recruiter?
The rules of cover-letter writing are a bit different when writing letters to headhunters than when writing letters to employers, but the one rule of all cover letter writing is that the job-seeker must — as best as possible — address the letters to named individuals. Think about it, when was the last time you read (junk mail) addressed to “Dear Homeowner” or “Dear Pet Owner.” If you don’t read these kinds of letters, why should busy professionals? Job-seekers must always take the time to get names and titles for cover letters.
Before I get to the differences in content, let me also address one other red flag
in your question. Why would you be sending off so many letters to recruiters?
Take the time to research the recruiting agencies that specialize in your field
and in your preferred location — and contact only those recruiters. Don’t waste
your time — and the time of those recruiters — by writing to recruiters who don’t
work in your area.
One other comment about strategy. The majority of recruiters say that the resume is the single most important document they look at when evaluating job-seekers; cover letters are a distant second. The message here? Make sure your resume is exceptional.
Your cover letter to a recruiter should focus on these elements:
- Contact information
- Why you are on the job market
- Job titles and industries of interest to you
- Salary history and salary expectations
For more information about this topic, please read the article published on Quintessential Careers written by my partner Katharine Hansen: Cover Letters to Recruiters Require Special Handling.
You can also follow this link to a sample cover letter to a recruiter.
And don’t forget to follow all the other guidelines for good cover letters — especially avoiding typos and misspellings and always being truthful. Find more resources in this section of Quintessential Careers: Cover Letter Resources.
Anonymous writes: Do you know of a local headhunter agency reliable and with moderate fees? I have a Ph.D., 3 master’s, and live in Washington, D.C., metro area, in Virginia. Thank you!
Since I don’t know your specialty, I cannot offer you much more advice. There are numerous recruiters located in the Washington, D.C., metro market (as with any large metropolitan area), but I don’t know if any of them specialize in your field.
The best source for getting information about using headhunters and finding recruiters? Go to this section of Quintessential Careers: Recruiter Directories & Associations. You’ll find a growing list of articles and other resources about how job-seekers can best use the services of recruiters, as well as recruiter directories and recruiter associations. My favorite recruiter directory is Oya’s Directory of Recruiters.
Best of luck with your headhunter search!
A Guest Post by CareerAlley
From time to time, we’re publishing guest posts via Recruiting Blogswap.
“Man is flying too fast for a world that is round. Soon he will catch up with himself in a great rear end collision.” - James Thurber
I remember the original Gulliver’s Travels movie (The Three Worlds of Gulliver) where (as you may have guessed from the title) there were three worlds, one where he was a giant, one where he was a “little person” and one where he was “normal.” The original movie was based on a book written in 1726, and even back then they understood that the world looks different depending on your vantage point.
Now I’m sure you know where this is headed. Job search is much the same. There are a few vantage points and depending on where you are sitting, the world looks very different.
The Three Worlds of Job Search:
- Candidate — So as the candidate, you want the best job, for the most compensation. If you’ve had any job leads, you will know that there is (generally) no “perfect” fit. You will most likely fit many of the requirements (but not all) and the job opportunity might be close to what you want (but not a perfect match). If you’ve been looking for a job over an extended period of time, your requirements for a “perfect” fit begin to broaden a bit. If you are anything like most of us, you will defend your qualifications as a perfect fit for any job that is close.
- Hiring Manager — Now the hiring manager wants to hire the most qualified person for the job for the lowest “fair” salary. While they understand that there is probably no “perfect” candidate, they will look to find the best match and are probably (but not always) as stressed to fill the job as many candidates are to get a job. So your “close” match may not interest the hiring manager (even though you think the match is close enough).
- Recruiter — The recruiter’s view sits somewhere between the candidate and the hiring manager. Their goal is to fill the job with the best candidate, but they understand the sometimes contradicting views of their candidates and the hiring manager. They will try to present the best candidates, but will work with the candidates where the fit may not be “perfect”. A delicate balance for sure.
Tools for Navigating the Three Worlds of Job Search:
- Job Search Techniques and Preparation - Finding a Job Using Effective Strategies and Techniques — This article, posted on suite101.com provides information on some of the basic (but oh so important) tools you will need to prepare and become the “perfect” candidate. The article provides information on job-search techniques as well as resume and cover-letter preparation. There are also embedded links with related information.
- Favorite Candidate Interview Preparation — Part 1 — This article is from a hiring manager’s perspective and you are probably wondering why I would post this. But, as Sun Tzu would say — “In conflict, straightforward actions generally lead to engagement, surprising actions generally lead to victory.”. The best preparation is knowing the tactics and questions you can expect as a candidate. The best way to do that is to understand the hiring manager’s preparation as well. This article, posted on manager-tools.com, provides a view from the other side. Take a look at some of the related information on this site as well.
- How to Work With a Recruiter — You will most likely work with recruiters in your job search, and understanding how to do that will help you achieve your goals with less frustration. This article provides a good overview of the recruiter relationship and will help you manage your expectations. There are embedded links for related articles as well as links at the top of the page for additional job search tips and resources.
Good luck in your search.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
Brian writes:
I have the resources that make me available for contract work in other cities.
I have a toll-free number, top-of-the-line laptop, and all the programming tools I can think of.
I cannot get even a nibble from recruiters (even for a smaller project that was an exact duplicate of one I worked in the past and got high-praise for it).
P.S. — On top of this, a recruiter has told me that it is office policy to focus efforts on those that live in the state, because of per-diem, but I state that per-diem is not required.
What do I change? Thank you.
The Career Doctor responds: Brian, I think you have the right equipment and the right skills, but your approach is all wrong. Why are you focusing all your efforts on recruiters — and on recruiters who you’ve never even met? Unless they specialize in placing consultants, I would make them a very low priority.
Your best bet for building a client base is your network of personal and professional contacts. These people know and respect you — and they may be potential clients or may be able to refer you to others in their network who may be potential clients. Other potential sources of clients include past employers, professional associations, civic and community associations, and specialized “free agent” Websites.
You can find more specific information about finding clients, as well as explanations about the in’s and out’s of consulting in our article, The Word is Out: Becoming a Free Agent is a Hot Career Path.
Kelly writes:
What is the best way to search for an executive recruiter? I have been contacted by search firms in the past but have not kept a record of who they were. Now I am in a situation where I would like to look for a new career opportunity and don’t know where to begin. Can you offer any suggestions on how to find an executive-search firm to help me in my new job search?
The Career Doctor responds:
There are any number of methods to finding good executive-search firms.
My all-time favorite place on the Web to find recruiter is Oya’s Directory of Recruiters, with recruiters organized by specialty and by location. It’s an extremely useful service. You could also try the National Association of Executive Recruiters, where you can also search by specialty and location.
Offline sources of recruiters include your network of friends and colleagues (especially those with personal experience), your industry’s professional association(s), and even a phone book or chamber of commerce directory.
David writes:
My home and family are here in Oklahoma City…
Why is it that nearly every recruiter or job search agent’s first words after “hello” are either “relocate” or the name of some other city?
This happens even though I have indicated in my resume objective I am looking for work in Oklahoma City…
Am I just a piece of meat who gets the recruiter a better commission for forcing me to relocate, regardless of job openings in the city where I already live?
The Career Doctor responds:
David, recruiters are paid by employers for placement, not by the job-seeker. So, while you may be looking for employment in Oklahoma City, the recruiters you’ve talked with may have clients elsewhere with needs that match your qualifications. Since I don’t know the type of job you’re looking for, your background, or current employment conditions in Oklahoma City for you’re a person of your talents and skills, it’s hard for me to offer any better answer.
But here are a few broad suggestions. First, how many recruiters have you spoken with? Are you talking to generalists or specialists to your industry/profession? I’ve worked with some great recruiters and then others who seemed more suited for selling cars, so you may be on a stretch of bad luck … or there are simply better opportunities for someone such as yourself outside your area.
Check out Oya’s Recruiter Directory for some new leads on recruiters. Second, I would suggest going the networking route — either through a professional organization or civic organization — or your existing network of friends and associates; surely, these networks are a great place to get some help in finding a better job.
Finally, check out some of the general job sites, such as the one on Quintessential Careers, or any of the many others — both general and industry-specific — listed for you at Quint Careers.
Tristan writes:
I work in higher education. Three months ago, I applied for a pretty significant fundraising position at another university. For about a month, I didn’t hear anything but then in June I got a call from the consultancy firm handling the search. The search consultant suggested that I was a “front-runner” for the position and told me that he would be presenting my application along with several other finalists to the university steering committee that week. Since then, I’ve spoken with the consultant twice. Although he is generally responsive and helpful, he tells me that the university steering committee has not decided on interview finalists and has been slow to make any progress. I understand how enormously democratic and bureaucratic higher education can be, but I’m beginning to get a bit frustrated since the process has been dragging on for the last three months and still, I understand that interviews have not been conducted.
I don’t have another offer at present — and don’t particularly want to suggest that I do even though I work in an entirely different region — but I’m wondering what I should I do. Should I reach out to university personnel or HR and risk damaging my relationship with the search consultant, or should I just continue to wait?
The Career Doctor responds:
I would definitely not suggest going over the consultant’s (recruiter’s) head; that will surely backfire. I know from experience that academia moves really slowly. I think you have few choices other than waiting it out and continuing to follow up with the consultant periodically. If you were dealing directly with the employer, your followups would show persistence and interest. The same is true with the consultant, but the persistence doesn’t have quite the same effect. You might try seeing if you can come up with something to update the consultant with, say a new accomplishment in your current job or a new piece of learning (completing a course or certification, for example).
Kelly writes:
I’ve been using an executive recruiter to find a new job, and it has worked well. I just came back from an interview for a job that is perfect for me, and with a company I want to work for. I immediately called my recruiter and told him how I felt. Should I still write a thank-you letter to the employer? I don’t want to upset my recruiter by going around him. What do you think I should do?
The Career Doctor responds:
I’m glad you wrote me this question because I don’t get many emails about working with recruiters (also referred to as headhunters), and they can be a valuable addition to your job search.
There are recruiters for just about every profession/industry and location. The relationship is often stronger when a recruiter contacts you, but job-seekers — especially those with several years of experience — should at least research potential headhunters when undertaking a job-search.
A couple of other pieces of information. Recruiters work for the employer, and they get paid when they place someone in the position. Job-seekers never have to pay a fee to reputable recruiters — because the employer pays the fee.
That all said, yes, you should always tell your recruiter exactly how you felt about a particular prospective employer - especially when you are as sure as you seem to be. It’s then the recruiter’s job to push your candidacy with the employer.
However, working with a recruiter does not suspend basic job-search etiquette, and you most certainly should write thank-you notes to all the folks you interviewed with. Doing so will not undermine the recruiter.
For more information and articles related to using headhunters, please go to this section of Quintessential Careers: Recruiter/Headhunter Resources, Directories & Associations
Finally, check out these Sample Job Interview and Career Thank-You Letters published on Quintessential Careers.
Ken writes:
Could you please send me a list of the top financial services recruiters?
The Career Doctor responds:
A number of sources are available for finding the information you seek. The best online source is Oya’s Recruiter Directory, which allows you to search for recruiters by location or specialty. If you are more of a print person, the best source is The Directory of Executive Recruiters, published by Kennedy Information, a leading source of executive recruiting information.
But before you jump into the world of working with recruiters — also referred to as headhunters, executive recruiters, executive search consultants — let me offer some advice.
First, it always works better for you if you have been contacted by a headhunter rather than the other way around. Headhunters work for the companies that hire them to find and screen the candidates they seek, so a headhunter may not be as interested in you if they do not have a particular slot they are trying to fill that matches your qualifications.
Second, never pay for any kind of services. Some folks mistake employment agencies with recruiters. Recruiters are always paid by the employer; job-seekers never should have to pay any company a fee for helping them find a job.
Third, adjust your job-search materials to the format that recruiters want. Your resume must be a standard, chronological format. You should have a specific job-search goal in mind. And you should have a detailed list of your specific — and ideally quantified — accomplishments.
Recruiters and headhunters can be a valuable asset to you in your job-search. They are connected to positions that may never be publicly known — the so-called hidden job market. And if you have the skills and accomplishments that match the types of jobs they fill, it can be an extremely beneficial relationship.
But remember, you should always strive for a balanced job-search — using multiple sources of job leads.
Learn more about using and finding headhunters in this section of Quintessential Careers: Recruiter/Headhunter Resources, Directories & Associations.
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