jsync | Java Staffing Specialist

How Much Do You REALLY Know About Working With Recruiters??

01/11/2006

by Dave Fecak

Once your resume gets out to recruiters or a website like Monster or Dice, you suddenly have several new best friends ready to help you find your next job. Here’s a quick quiz to see what you know about staying on top of your job search (answers at the bottom):

1. When sending out your resume, it is important to keep track of:

a. only the recruiting companies that it was sent to.
b. only the ‘hiring’ companies that it was sent to.
c. all the people and companies it was sent to.
d. none of the above.

2. Scenario – you are called by recruiter Alvin about a job at company X.COM. You give permission to Alvin to send your resume to X.COM. Recruiter Simon calls you and also discusses the position at X.COM. You should:

a. Tell Simon to also send your resume to X.COM (it can’t hurt, right?)
b. Tell Simon you want to speak with Alvin first as you may have been sent already.
c. Tell Simon ‘I think I’ve been sent already, but you can send it as well’.
d. Tell Simon ‘no thank you, I’ve already been submitted there’

3. A recruiter asks you about your compensation history. You should:

a. Tell the recruiter, ‘that is none of your business’
b. Give the recruiter a number $5,000 – $10,000 higher than your actual salary
c. Give the recruiter your true current compensation and that of your last position
d. Plead the fifth – that always works in the movies!

4. You are interviewing at five companies through a few different recruiting firms. One of the recruiters you are working with asks, ‘what other companies are you interviewing with and how far along in the interview process are you with other companies?’ You should:

a. lie and say ‘I’m not currently interviewing anywhere else’
b. say ‘I’m interviewing with a few other companies’ but don’t give names
c. say ‘I’m interviewing with a few other companies’ and give the names
d. say ‘It’s none of your business if I’m interviewing anywhere else’

5. Scenario: Your recruiter tells you ‘Company X will require a background and credit check before hiring you – do you anticipate any problems with this?’ Your credit is average, but you have a recent arrest that may show up. You should:

a. tell the recruiter about your credit and arrest history
b. tell the recruiter ‘I don’t think there will be any problem’
c. ask the recruiter to elaborate as to what type of things might cause you to fail the background or credit check

THE ANSWERS

1 – the correct answer is ‘c’. You should keep track of everyone who you have sent your resume to – even friends you’ve sent it to – in case you need to track down how your resume may have been sent somewhere against your will or without your permission (our policy is to always ask permission before sending your resume anywhere)

2 – ‘b’ or ‘d’ are the only acceptable answers here, with ‘b’ probably being the best answer. If your resume is sent to the same hiring company by two recruiting firms, the hiring company will often be concerned about potentially causing a controversy between two recruiting firms and will choose not to pursue you at all. Not to mention, the hiring company will question how you have managed your job search and your ability to communicate effectively.

3 – ‘c’ is the right answer. Answer ‘a’ and most recruiters will walk away. Answering with an inflated salary figure can come back and bite you – some hiring companies ask for documentation such as a paycheck if they feel you are not being accurate. Answer ‘d’, as mentioned, only works in the movies! Recruiters depend on you for accurate information regarding salary history and expectations for the future. If you feel you are underpaid, tell the recruiter your real salary info and let him/her know that you feel you are not being paid market value. A knowledgeable recruiter will recognize you are underpaid and will educate his/her clients on market value for your services.

4 – ‘b’ or ‘c’ can be considered the correct answers. If you are not entirely comfortable with your relationship with this recruiter, ‘b’ is probably the best answer and you should feel at ease giving him/her this information. If you are a bit unsure if you can trust this recruiter, ‘c’ is your best bet and simply let him/her know you are interviewing but would rather not discuss the company names (however, you should say how far along in the process you are). Recruiters will typically ask how far along in the interview process you are to make sure their own clients are aware that they need to move quickly if they want to hire you – it is most often to your advantage for a recruiter to know how deep into the process you are.

5 – ‘a’ or ‘c’ can both be acceptable here. The recruiter tells you this to save everyone’s time – your time, the recruiter’s time, and the company’s time – so the best way to save time is to be forthcoming. Often a small credit problem or a minor misdemeanor will not cause any problems. If you are fairly sure your credit problems or criminal problems are significant enough to eliminate you (recent felonies or bankruptcy), simply let the recruiter know you will not be interested in moving forward.

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