I just picked up a new recruiting project and one of the first things the client said was, “Will you post this job?” And I immediately said, “NO!”. I don’t think I even let him finish the sentence. I am a real recruiter! I don’t post jobs, I hunt for my candidates! Posting is for inexperienced, slacker recruiters. Seriously, if my candidate comes from a posting, what value have I brought to the client?
I pride myself on finding the ideal candidate whether they are looking for a new job or not. I search my database, search LinkedIn and contact my network. I search for conferences and seminars that potential candidates would be interested in and I look for the names of speakers and for the attendee lists for these events. I search for associations that my candidate would belong to and I scour those websites for names of potential candidates. If I am really lucky, I will find a member list! At the very least, I can usually find names of people that head up committees for the association, serve in leadership roles or write articles. I look at the website for my target companies and search the “About Us” and “In the News” sections for the names of employees.
Why am I telling you this? Because, if you are looking for a job and your strategy depends on responding to job postings, you are missing out. You have to be visible where the REAL RECRUITERS can find you. Here are some tips for making youself easier to find:
- Add your email address to the “Contact Settings” section of your LinkedIn profile to make it really easy for recruiters to contact you.
- Write recommendations on LinkedIn for friends and colleagues. When a REAL RECRUITER comes across your friends and colleagues, they will find you also! AND – your email address will be right there at the bottom of the page, so it will be easier to contact you!
- Join professional associations and attend meetings, chair committees and write articles. This will broaden your network and increase your visibility.
- Work with recruiters, even if you are not looking for a job. Try to offer them referrals or information when they call you. Collect and save their contact information so that you can ask them to return the favor when you need help.
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Very eye-opening information. Thank you Cathy!