For many job candidates, working with a recruiter is a new and unfamiliar experience. Below we address common questions about the process, while providing a few tips that we hope you find valuable. Please keep in mind that these tips are specific to Blue Flaire – other recruiting firms may work differently.
How Blue Flaire Works
Blue Flaire is a third-party recruiting firm, which means that we are contracted by our client companies to find candidates to fill open positions. Our overriding goals are to ensure that the employer is highly satisfied with the candidate we place in a given position, while ensuring that the candidate is in a role that best suits him or her.
How Do Recruiters Get Paid?
Blue Flaire receives a placement fee from an employer when we place a candidate in an open position within their organization. We are never paid by job candidates for any of the services we offer. Nor are we paid when we receive an open job position from an employer client – it is only when a candidate that we have presented to a client fills a position that we receive payment.
Who Does the Recruiter Work For – the Employer or the Candidate?
The question of how we get paid logically leads to the question of for whom we work – the employer or the candidate. The short answer is both. Yes, it is important to understand that employers pay Blue Flaire, but it is in everyone’s best interest that we are able to match candidates to jobs that are a good fit for them – otherwise the likelihood of long-term success is reduced.
What Does a Recruiter Do, Exactly?
Great question! The specific benefits we provide candidates will vary from position to position, but here’s a general idea:
• Access to exclusive jobs – many of our employer clients give Blue Flaire positions that are not available through other sources, such as public websites.
• Resume feedback – from our experience, we understand what information employers are looking for in a candidate’s resume and what information is less important. We provide our candidates with honest feedback.
• Screening – our clients know that before a potential candidate is hired, we have conducted extensive screening – including background checks, employment and education verification, reference checks, and drug testing.
• Interviewing – a large part of our recruiting process entails getting to know potential candidates and helping to determine whether there’s a good match between their career needs and the requirements/responsibilities of the particular position.
• Salary consultation – through our experience working across various industries and functions on thousands of jobs, we can provide a unique perspective on fair market value for a specific position.
What Blue Flaire Recruiters are Looking For
Recruiters are looking for candidates who meet the necessary job qualifications for a particular position, while also being a good fit for the client company’s culture and work style. While you may feel that you can perform all the job responsibilities as laid out in the job description, it is important to keep in mind that recruiters are typically given very specific guidelines from their employer clients. With so many candidates in the job pool, recruiters will focus first on the candidates who most closely match the client’s requirements.
How You Should Respond to a Recruiter
A recruiter may contact you if he or she feels that you may be a fit for a particular position. The recruiter may have received your resume if you applied for the job, from a job-search website, or from a recommendation from a colleague/co-worker. Our advice is to always listen to what the recruiter has to say. You may not be interested in the position at that particular time, but your situation may change in the future, so it is in your best interest to learn more about the position. If you know the position isn’t a fit for you, think about friends or colleagues who may be a better fit and let the recruiter know. They will appreciate the referral and it’s also a great way to help a friend advance their own career.
Why Hasn’t My Recruiter Gotten Back to Me Yet?
Recruiters work to place candidates in positions where they believe the candidate will be successful. If you have applied for a specific position, but the recruiter is not responding to you, it is likely that you do not meet the job qualifications, as outlined by the employer. Remember, recruiters cannot dictate which jobs are open – we can only fill jobs that are given to us by employers. While we make every effort to respond to job inquiries, due to the volume of resumes we receive, it is not always possible.
What is a “Good Fit”?
The term “good fit” is commonly used in the recruiting field. It refers to the candidate’s potential fit with an organization from all aspects – from work experience to work style to culture fit. Recruiters want to make sure they place the right person in the right job the first time. Therefore, it’s very important that the candidate and position are a “good fit” from all perspectives.
Tips for Working with Recruiters
As recruiters, we interact with wonderful people each and every day. And while the vast majority of job candidates are well meaning, sometimes the stress and anxiety of the job search can lead candidates to take some actions that are not in the best interest of their search. Hopefully you find this list helpful:
• Only apply for jobs for which you are highly qualified. Read the job description carefully – if your background and skills are not a good match, do not apply for the job. Applying for jobs for which you are not well-qualified not only wastes yours and the recruiters’ time, but it also demonstrates a lack of career focus. Wait until you see a job that matches your work experience and skills – if one does not come up, you may want to continue searching for a recruiting firm that has open jobs that better match your career goals.
• Help a recruiter. You may get a call from a recruiter about a job for which you currently have no interest. We recommend directing the recruiter to other candidates who may be a better fit. It’s a great way to establish goodwill with a recruiter who may be able to present a better fitting job in the future.
• Do not keep calling. Unless a recruiter has specifically asked that you call to check in about job openings or to inquire about a position, try to resist the temptation to consistently call recruiters. For Blue Flaire – if you are looking for a temporary position, we recommend calling no more than once per week. For permanent or direct hire positions, we recommend calling to check in every few weeks. Another approach is, instead of calling, periodically email the recruiter to let them know you are still in the job market. Outline steps you have taken to build your resume or to otherwise improve your marketability.
• Be honest. In addition to being the right thing to do, with so many job seekers in the market, it’s important to be upfront with your recruiter. Recruiters will filter out candidates who are dishonest about gaps in employment, responsibilities, salary history, skill set, and other qualifications. Being honest with your recruiter will help build mutual trust and will enable the recruiter to better position your candidacy to potential employers.
