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I am a recruiter and this is pretty spot on. I don't know who the author is, but it sounds like using one recruiter or nothing is the only option and that if you choose to work with a recruiter, you must do what they say. In reality: Recruiters open doors and give you a shot at a job. Sometimes the firm can't pay what they need to, sometimes the candidate isn't good enough for the role. Thats why recruiting is challenging. When I approach a hiring process, I am absolutely doing everything I can to make sure the deal has the potential for closing:
1) I do ask for the candidate's compensation expectations.
2) I do ask for the clients compensation expectations for the role.
3) I do frame things for both parties in order to get those expectations to line up.
4) I do share information with both parties on what is happening in the market (sometimes a company will think they need a junior guy with a 80k comp expectation, but if I tell them they are wrong, and that they need some with more experience in the 120k range, they listen).
5) I don't have perfect knowledge of everyone that is hiring in my industry. I'm good, but especially in my niche of Quant Trading, its so secretive, there is just no way I can know everything (unlike realestate brokers that more or less have an industry database they can use to get good info on the market). Ultimately, I will do what it takes to get an offer on the table. If its too low, Ill try to get more, but sometimes that won't happen and then its up to the candidate to make a hard decision. Your other points are all valid for executive recruiters (help with resume, deep domain knowledge, real relationships with hiring managers), but the vast majority of recruiters are in paper-pushing process shops where the person you are dealing with is purely gathering resumes, and not selling you in, learning about the market, etc. I know that it seems like splitting hairs, but the difference is huge. If you are making over 100k, dont both with the big companies, find a niche shop or an executive recruiting firm where the recruiter holds the hiring relationships himself. It makes a huge difference. |