CAREER GUIDANCE
Learn about recruiting and returning to office after an absence
Q: I have been working with a handful of recruiters throughout my job search. I find some recruiters helpful, while others ignore my phone call. I thought they would want to stay connected and that it would be in their best interest to help place me. I recently spoke with a recruiter who told me my background was a perfect match for the position. They called back to tell me the employer decided to go with another candidate without much explanation. Should I keep calling them back or move on to a new recruiter?
A: Job candidates commonly misunderstand the recruiting process, which often leads to frustration. For most people, a job search can be an arduous task full of uncertainty. Combined with the desire to find a good career opportunity, they naturally think of recruiters as the answer.
Recruiters can play a major role in your career, depending on the position you are seeking. However, it helps to understand what recruiters do and how this can influence your expectations.
Throughout your career, it helps to build good contacts with various sources, recruiters being one of them. Depending on their size, employers will usually have a team of internal recruiters that source candidates for open positions. But external recruiters work for outside firms to help their clients (employers) find the best candidates to fill positions. Some of those positions could be at a senior level that requires specific skills and experience for more technical roles.
It sounds like you could be talking about an external recruiter working with employers. Most recruiters earn a commission or operate on a retainer basis, depending on the role and candidate level.
A good recruiter will stay in touch to keep you updated on market trends and positions. However, building rapport takes effort from you as well, and it is important that you continue to talk with recruiters throughout your career.
Understanding a recruiter’s job will help you keep expectations realistic and lead to better communication. Recruiters help locate top candidates, and while they can be an influencer to a hiring decision-maker, the employer has the last word, even if a recruiter thinks you would be a great match.
Managing frustration and disappointment is one of the most important skills you develop during your job search.
When recruiters fail to return your call, that can be more of a reflection of their time management and decision rather than a problem with you.
Due to the high volume of applications for specific industries and employers’ needs, it takes a great deal of time to screen and qualify candidates for presentation to the employer. When you get a rejection from a recruiter, it helps to gather as much information as possible on what you could do differently.
Here are some behind-thescenes comments that recruiters interpret and often hear from candidates, leading to a less-than-honest relationship.
If you want to build a better working relationship with recruiters, consider your role in communicating with them as well.
• Be honest with recruiters as they explain the process to you. Candidates often convey their wishes to recruiters with comments such as, “I am looking forward to finding a good job and know you will do your best to place me” or “Glad you are out there searching for me.” Recruiters work for the employer, and when you convey such comments, it shows them you misunderstand the relationship.
• When a recruiter does take the time to explain a decision, listen to them and learn what you could do differently next time.
• Being transparent with your compensation needs is essential. You could miss out on a good opportunity when you wish for a higher compensation range rather than sticking to the facts.
• Build a good relationship with a recruiter by staying in touch with them throughout your career. You might be surprised that after candidates land a job, they often quit returning their calls. As in good working relationships, it pays to stay in contact and keep a recruiter informed of your career progression.
RETURNING TO WORKPLACE AFTER AN ABSENCE
Q: I decided five years ago to stay home with our first child, and now I am ready to return to work. Ideally, I would like to go for a position where I could work from home and in an office. It is taking longer than I expected to find a good opportunity, and I would like to know if my lack of recent experience could be an issue. When I dropped out of the workforce, I lost touch with my colleagues and was behind on industry trends. Any suggestions you have for returning to the job market would be helpful.
A: Searching for an ideal position can take more time than expected. However, the good news is that opportunities for finding a hybrid position are more prevalent today than five years ago. One of the most significant challenges people discover when returning to the workforce after an absence is their confidence.
Losing touch with colleagues and the latest changes affecting your industry often adds to the feeling of doubt. One concern people have when reaching out to their contacts is what to say to them. If you focus the conversations on what you are missing, the time away from work, and finding hybrid positions, you could add length to your search.
Think about structuring your conversations on why you are excited about a specific industry, such as the skills you enjoy using in the workplace. Focus on what you have rather than what you are lacking. A major part of a job search is how you communicate your goals and skills to your connections.
Staying at home for a while is not a career breaker.
Instead, it gives you an excellent way to rebuild your connections with colleagues. Reconnecting with people and expanding your network is always a good habit throughout your career.
Keep in mind that references will be essential to you. They will help with credibility and ease potential employer concerns about an employment gap.
Here is a quick list of things to do and avoid when returning to the workforce:
• Be prepared to reach out to people you know more aggressively than in the past. Identify key contacts in companies that interest you to discuss with your network.
• Develop realistic goals by identifying what interests you and how this relates to your skills.
• Practice answering concerns employers may have about your current skills and employment gap.
• Conduct informational meetings with people you know who are currently employed and who could provide information on what type of skills are in demand.
• Reach out to vendors and suppliers you worked with in the industry to gather updated information.
• Apply for jobs without a focus or purpose in mind.
• Attend professional association meetings in person and online, and join LinkedIn groups and networking events aligned with your industry.
• Consider taking a contract position. It will allow you to network and update your skills.
• Avoid dwelling on the length of time you were out of the workforce.
• Do not sell yourself short by describing your past skills. Instead, talk about what you can do now for an employer.
• Don’t forget to follow up with people you meet and expand your connections.