Recruiters Don’t Know S***
In my experience, most recruiters don’t know s*** about the industry or even the job description. But they can be the troll-y little gatekeeper you have to pass through to get the job you want. So today, let’s talk about how to pay this pesky troll toll. Here are 5 things to keep in mind when dealing with recruiters.
Recruiters can help you get your foot in the door. You can simply apply via the company website and hope that someone gets in touch with you. However, it’s not always productive to be self-sufficient this way. In some cases, companies will post positions they intend to fill in-house or have already filled to fulfill some kind of advertising quota. In others, your resume may just get lost in the mix. The recruiter (whether we like it or not) will have contacts with the people we need to connect with to get the jobs we want. If you can make it through the recruiter, they can snag you the interview.
Recruiters have an ulterior motive. I once was working with a recruiter who was pushing a company where I would have a long commute. Before I committed fully to the idea of a long commute, I asked if we could look into a few local options where he had a few contacts. His effort in helping me look into these local options was far from enthusiastic. Later I found out that his son worked at the company he was pushing for. It could be personal connections, money, or other biases, but the recruiter may not always have your back. So make sure you’re playing the field and use multiple recruiters.
Use keywords and say the same thing in different ways. When you’re discussing your background and qualifications with the recruiter, you may as well be speaking simlish. Commun snanna? But if you hit a lot of keywords when you’re speaking, you may ring a bell with something they’ve heard from the client. For example, if you want to express that you have experience in structural modeling software. Say just that but also list examples like SAP, STAAD, or RISA. Give examples of the applications like for design of boat hoist piers. The more keywords you use, the more likely something will ring a bell with the recruiter.
Ask them who they’re looking for, and then don’t believe them. My sister had a recruiter tell her the job was for wastewater treatment. As my sister explained that she has experience with groundwater and not wastewater, the recruiter realized that those were two different disciplines. Your best bet is to review the actual job description and research the company independent of the recruiter. If you have specific questions on the job requirements, they may get lost in translation with the recruiter acting as a middleman. You may need to make note of your questions to ask the source when you get to the interview.
Ask them about their concerns, and then debate it. They will have a list of things the client asked for and little to no critical thinking or comprehension. (I’m sorry to any recruiters reading this, but someone needs to tell you.) So, you should ask them, “do you have any specific concerns about me as a candidate?” This will allow you to understand the reason they are hesitant to bring you to their client and give you the opportunity to prove them wrong. For example, one recruiter responded that I may not be the right candidate because I didn’t have my masters. My response? “Having worked in the field, I have real-world experience. I know how contractors prefer to perform the work and can anticipate typical issues that come across during construction. I know the nuances of environmental permitting and have settled disputes between contractors and consultants. I actually think you should see my time working in the industry instead of obtaining my masters as a strength!”
