In difficult economic times it helps to have a strong relationship with an executive recruiter. It is also useful to understand how the placement process works. 

Our job as recruiters has to be one of the most misunderstood of any that I can imagine.  We would love to help every job applicant who contacts us.  But few candidates realize we are not in the market of finding people jobs – we find specific talent for our client companies. It’s an important distinction to understand.

Here’s how the process works. The client company gives us a detailed job description and wish list for positions that they are trying to fill.  This description might include number of years experience or experience in specific categories, sku count, or dollar volume.  For example, a company might say, “We are searching for a National Account Manager with 5 years of experience in Dept XX, with a bachelor’s degree, and experience as a Senior Analyst or Category Manager.” You may meet a majority of  those criteria but sometimes the one box you don’t check is a deal breaker.  

Remember: Companies use recruiters to find that special expertise – those candidates they wouldn’t find on their own.  They are looking for that hard-to-findcandidate that is in some way special. 

Our main focus is to find the best talent to meet the needs of our client companies. We are looking for those details in a background that show not only that you are qualified for a particular position but you would be a better fit than the other hundreds of potential candidates who also feel that they are qualified.

While a good recruiter will actively market you to their client base and contacts, the fact is that they can only place you in roles that they have been assigned by their clients. The good news? You have an ally to state your case for great jobs you likely would not know of otherwise. The bad news? Securing interviews for qualified candidates can take weeks or even months.

Companies know that their biggest asset is great people. It takes time to locate and meet the best people and determine who is the best fit for the team. Because there’s so much at stake, it’s rare for companies to make quick hiring decisions. Anyone planning a job search should take note and plan accordingly.