Avoid Job Search Mistakes from Recruiters

We all know that recruiters and headhunters are often necessary middlemen in the job search efforts. What we may not always appreciate is just how much influence they may have on our current and future job search success. This is especially true for $100k+ jobs.

Did you know that many headhunters have blacklists kept in their databases? As you may infer from the name, if you are blacklisted, they will not consider you for any openings today and well into the future and worse, they won’t tell you that you’ve been blacklisted.

Even if a recruiter or headhunter does not have a formal list, they will remember you if you left a bad impression. As recruiters often move from company to company, that reputation of you is carried with them for a long time. As you will see from these two articles in the Wall Street Journal – Avoiding Mistakes While Job Hunting Online and How a Black Mark can Derail Job Search, recruiters are even less forgiving since there are so many applicants, especially in a tough market.

So what do you do? Don’t wait until you get on the blacklist to do something. Your goal is to never get on that list. Here are some tips:

• Don’t lie about your experience – It’s okay to reposition your background, but outright lying about an experience or job skills that you don’t have will surely land you on the blacklist.
• Don’t intentionally play two or more headhunters against each other – I’m not saying don’t work with more than one headhunter, but make sure they represent you for different companies. Knowingly agreeing to work with more than one headhunter for the same company openings will not increase your chance but will only create a lasting and damaging reputation for you.
• Stay courteous and professional – I hear many times that recruiters don’t call back or don’t make interviews they schedule. Even so, this is an employer’s market with too many applicants. Don’t take it personally. I’m not excusing the behavior, but it’s prevalent in this market and not worth it for you to write a nasty email to that recruiter just so you can feel better about being stood up. This gets you no results but can leave a strong negative impression with that recruiter. You’ll just guarantee that they’ll never call you again even if they find a good fit for you.
• Always be on – With recruiters, every conversation is an implicit interview. Don’t be fooled even if you’re just chatting at a networking event. Always stay on message around what you’re looking for and why you’re qualified. Unnecessary honesty about your weaknesses will be remembered.
• Clean up your online presence – Recruiters are all very internet savvy these days and will check for you on Linkedin, Facebook, Google, etc. Put yourself in their shoes and do these searches. If it’s searchable and inappropriate, get rid of it from your public online history. It can only hurt you.
• Don’t spam your resume – Avoid applying to too many jobs with the same headhunter or company. You’ll just look unfocused and create unnecessary work for recruiters. Know why you’re applying to every job.
• Communicate what you want – Maintaining a good relationship with headhunters does not mean saying yes to exploring all openings they offer. It’s okay not to be interested in a job opportunity they present to you. This will save your time and their time. Just communicate and you can also use the opportunity to reiterate what you’re looking for in case they come across it.
• Build recruiter relationships over time – Don’t wait until you need a job to contact headhunters. The best time to build relationships is when you have a job and not when you’re desperate for one.

It’s important not to underestimate the value and influence of recruiters in this market or in a good market. I recommend reading “Rites of Passage” by John Lucht if you want to know more about how the executive search industry works.