Eric asks: Having worked with a recruiter, what was your experience with interview preparation? Interview preparation is part of the recruiting process. I am interested to hear your experience about the type and amount of interview preparation you received from recruiters you have worked with.
Specifically:
How much time did the recruiter spend in preparation?
What did the recruiter do to prepare you?
What was the content of the preparation?
How well prepared did you feel going into the interview?
Is this different between a Retained Recruiter (receives a fixed fee up front to fill the position) or a Contingency Recruiter (receives a fee only if his/her candidate is hired).
In answer:
I think 95 candidates out of any 100 asked the same question would say "what preparation?"
In background, most recruiters start as fixed fee trainee's with most of their fee paid up front by the employer, and its a volume approach to processes and complete as many filled jobs as possible in the shortest possible time scale. These jobs are mainly skills dependent - ie, you have the skills, qualifications or experience or not - and hence not a lot of interview preparation is required.
Hence, when these recruiters move on to contingency fee placements they often employ the same fixed fee learnt procedures - as many placements as possible in the shortest possible time scale. This creates problems for both the candidate, as well as the employer - often both complain about a mutual lack of briefing, and hence unsuitability.
A good recruiter should give a candidate adequate pre-vetting, briefing and preparation before they meet the potential employer. It is in their interest, both in terms of fee note billings and reputation with the employer/customer. How much time is that - I would question the recruiters selection criteria and the candidates suitability if that was more than one/two telephone interviews of about one hour in total, and one/two physical meetings again of around one hour each before the candidate meets the potential employer: either the capability and fit is there or not, but most candidates need some briefing and preparation
If a recruiter approaches you about a position, then I always suggest to candidates that their first question should be "where did you get my details from," and another should be "and how do you/your company get paid?" A more motivated and focused recruiter - normally on a contingency fee - will be paid more after the chosen candidate is in place, rather than before. If its a fixed fee recruitment process with most monies paid before placement, then expect to be treated like a piece of meat going through a grinder - my sincere apologies on behalf of my chosen profession.
Good Luck!
Showing posts with label job adverts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job adverts. Show all posts
Friday, 8 August 2008
Career change and time to look for a new job while working
Catarina asks: I work in the financial field for 7 years now and I never really liked it, I felt in it by chance. I feel so burned out and depressed and I need a career change. I had some holidays abroad and spoke with a career counsellor that advised me to change into direct marketing, I´ve been working as a volunteer for charities in direct marketing and I love it, I really feel I´m using all my right skills. She helped write a functional C.V. for me to look for a new job. I already have a post-graduate degree in Marketing.
My problem is, due to my full-time job (I work from 9-6) I don´t have time to concentrate in looking for job ads and do the career change properly. Also my company is not very flexible with working hours. I feel really depressed about having to concentrate in something I´m so burned out and not be able to have free time to concentrate instead on my career change. What do you advice me to do? Should I take the risk and just quit? I don´t know how long will it be till I find a new job in this new field, although I have a recruiter friend that´s helping me with the job search part. Please advice!
In answer:
Hmmm - the modern internet powered world was meant for you!
First, congratulations on accepting your unhappiness, and doing something about solving it. Honestly, having found what you now want to do, you are 7/10ths of the way there mentally, and 5/10ths of the way there in the timeline. And secondly, don't yet leave your existing job - being employed gives you leverage when negotiating for salary, benefits, etc.
In the old pre-internet world, you had to leave your job to find a new job - not now in the internet world! Tap into Google "Direct marketing jobs X" where X is the state or city in which you wish to work - I suggest you don't go down to town or county level, unless you live in a big city county. From that, you should find a series of jobs board with such jobs listed on them - choose the board where the most jobs you like are listed, and register as a candidate.
Modern recruiters and employers accept that candidates are busy, and that 9-5 interviews are often a thing of the past. As you register two things happen - now you can apply for those listed jobs, and recruiters looking for people with your skills can approach you. When you come home at night, simply check your eMail, and respond to the jobs/recruiters you think will fulfill your needs. When you are approached by recruiters or employers, explain that you will find it difficult to attend an interview during work hours, so would an initial telephone interview suffice with follow-up either at lunchtime or another time when you are free.
If you want something slightly more advanced, do the Google search again. Now comes the nifty modern bit - Google provides you with an RSS feed, effectively a whole stream of information which matches your search criteria. There will be an orange-coloured symbol to the left of the URL return, that looks like a square with a series of ripples coming out of it - press that and a piece of text will appear. Click on the text, and on the next window select Google Reader (if you don't have a Google Reader account, simply register for one). This feed will now keep you informed on a daily basis of all the new things Google finds which match your search criteria - in other words, Direct marketing jobs in X!
You have made great progress so far, but the dilema of "stay unhappy or leave to find happy employment" doesn't really happen in the modern world - it works for you to find a better position!
Good luck, and if I can help further, please - just ask!
My problem is, due to my full-time job (I work from 9-6) I don´t have time to concentrate in looking for job ads and do the career change properly. Also my company is not very flexible with working hours. I feel really depressed about having to concentrate in something I´m so burned out and not be able to have free time to concentrate instead on my career change. What do you advice me to do? Should I take the risk and just quit? I don´t know how long will it be till I find a new job in this new field, although I have a recruiter friend that´s helping me with the job search part. Please advice!
In answer:
Hmmm - the modern internet powered world was meant for you!
First, congratulations on accepting your unhappiness, and doing something about solving it. Honestly, having found what you now want to do, you are 7/10ths of the way there mentally, and 5/10ths of the way there in the timeline. And secondly, don't yet leave your existing job - being employed gives you leverage when negotiating for salary, benefits, etc.
In the old pre-internet world, you had to leave your job to find a new job - not now in the internet world! Tap into Google "Direct marketing jobs X" where X is the state or city in which you wish to work - I suggest you don't go down to town or county level, unless you live in a big city county. From that, you should find a series of jobs board with such jobs listed on them - choose the board where the most jobs you like are listed, and register as a candidate.
Modern recruiters and employers accept that candidates are busy, and that 9-5 interviews are often a thing of the past. As you register two things happen - now you can apply for those listed jobs, and recruiters looking for people with your skills can approach you. When you come home at night, simply check your eMail, and respond to the jobs/recruiters you think will fulfill your needs. When you are approached by recruiters or employers, explain that you will find it difficult to attend an interview during work hours, so would an initial telephone interview suffice with follow-up either at lunchtime or another time when you are free.
If you want something slightly more advanced, do the Google search again. Now comes the nifty modern bit - Google provides you with an RSS feed, effectively a whole stream of information which matches your search criteria. There will be an orange-coloured symbol to the left of the URL return, that looks like a square with a series of ripples coming out of it - press that and a piece of text will appear. Click on the text, and on the next window select Google Reader (if you don't have a Google Reader account, simply register for one). This feed will now keep you informed on a daily basis of all the new things Google finds which match your search criteria - in other words, Direct marketing jobs in X!
You have made great progress so far, but the dilema of "stay unhappy or leave to find happy employment" doesn't really happen in the modern world - it works for you to find a better position!
Good luck, and if I can help further, please - just ask!
How To Follow Up With Employers?
Samson asks: I have been working on this issue with at least a few of the employers that I have applied to in the last two months, but it has not been too successful. Need suggestions on how to handle with an employer particularly when they state "Please, no phone calls about the job" as it is usually seen with almost all job leads from Craigslist. Of the few times that I have called to ask for a certain person or to speak to the hiring manager, they ask why are you calling about the job and/or they answer with that no phone calls are supposed to made to inquire about the job.
In answer:
Here's the problem form the advertisers perspective:
1. the main reason not to accept calls is the sheer number of CV/Resumes received, with literally 100's of CV's and Resumes to review. Positions need to be filled under time limitations, so Recruiters/HR professionals must be as efficient as possible.
2. With efficency in mind, employers will include all the basic information a candidate should need, eliminating the need to call
3. Most good employers have a great website. This gives active and bright candidates - ie, the people they want to employ - a wealth of information available to them about the company and what it does do. This means that employers are already pre-qualifying candidates in the application process. They want to know that you can do research online, that you can understand their business model, and that you can ask good questions when they do call you. Employers don't want to hire someone who does not take the initiative to learn about them before they apply for a job.
Your resume should speak for you. If an employer calls you for an interview, then expect them to answer all your questions then. Following up an application before they call you with a phone call when the instruction is "not to call" can signal the employer that either you're too desperate, or you don't follow instructions - or both: but you are certainly not for them. And not one single employer I know wants to hire those kind of employees.
Yes, sometimes you have to make a leap of faith, and good practice should mean you get a "thanks but no thanks" letter - but with all of the information available on the web, it should not be a leap made in ignorance.
Good Luck!
In answer:
Here's the problem form the advertisers perspective:
1. the main reason not to accept calls is the sheer number of CV/Resumes received, with literally 100's of CV's and Resumes to review. Positions need to be filled under time limitations, so Recruiters/HR professionals must be as efficient as possible.
2. With efficency in mind, employers will include all the basic information a candidate should need, eliminating the need to call
3. Most good employers have a great website. This gives active and bright candidates - ie, the people they want to employ - a wealth of information available to them about the company and what it does do. This means that employers are already pre-qualifying candidates in the application process. They want to know that you can do research online, that you can understand their business model, and that you can ask good questions when they do call you. Employers don't want to hire someone who does not take the initiative to learn about them before they apply for a job.
Your resume should speak for you. If an employer calls you for an interview, then expect them to answer all your questions then. Following up an application before they call you with a phone call when the instruction is "not to call" can signal the employer that either you're too desperate, or you don't follow instructions - or both: but you are certainly not for them. And not one single employer I know wants to hire those kind of employees.
Yes, sometimes you have to make a leap of faith, and good practice should mean you get a "thanks but no thanks" letter - but with all of the information available on the web, it should not be a leap made in ignorance.
Good Luck!
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