Stuck in the Middle: I'm back on the market, but recruiters are ruining my career ambitions

7 October 2010

4 minute read

Stuck in the Middle: I'm back on the market, but recruiters are ruining my career ambitions

After eight months back at work on a 12-month fixed-term contract, it recently became "about time" to start testing the employment waters again.

While I have been keeping a close eye on all financial market and economic indicators, lead by a slow recovery in job advertisements, I have not been actively seeking employment until recently. In particular, I have not been speaking to recruitment consultants.

Over the past 18 months, I have read numerous comments and postings on the topic of recruiters. Many have lamented their treatment of candidates, while others have provided advice about how to get the most out of them.

Armed with this knowledge, together with about 10 months of previous job searching across a debt-crippled financial sector, and combined with an improving economy, I had higher hopes of success than last time I was looking for work. Indeed, having some recent Australian experience under my belt means my CV does read better than when I had just returned from London.

Recruiters? Don't get me started

But I must say that my experience over the past few weeks has reminded my how much I DO NOT miss dealing with recruiters.

I'm sure it's not that they try to be deliberately painful to deal with. However, sometimes it does feel like a "job for mates" mentality. Get chummy with the recruiter and you stand a much better chance of landing the role. This is very frustrating! In many instances you feel you would fit the advertised role perfectly, however you simply can't get to first-interview stage.

I understand they have a remit to fill, and in some instances have to be ruthless when culling CVs, but I find it somewhat offensive to be ruled out simply because the recruiter hasn't met me face to face (i.e. I'm applying for a role interstate), or because he or she has a different personality type to me.

Is having multiple skills worse than having one?

Call me cynical, but I also increasingly get the feeling that many recruiters have a limited understanding of people's skill sets. Simply put, if your CV doesn't match the job description 90 per cent or more, you are out of the running. Obviously this comes down to tailoring your CV, but I do find it disappointing that recruiters seem to "dislike" seeing candidates with numerous skill sets across varying fields.

To be fair to recruiters, to a degree this is probably a symptom of the way Australia chooses to operate at business level. I truly believe Australia offers little or no scope for sideways movement into new career paths. If you are a fund analyst, or a fund accountant, or a sales rep, that's where you are expected to stay. If I could honestly ask for one thing in my career, it would be "please don't pigeon hole me".

Invariably this is the environment we work in. It seems many firms simply want to hire people to do one role only. Is this because people with multiple skill sets cost more? I don't really know the answer to that. What I do know is that recruiters don't seem to care if I have a wide skill set across multiple sectors. "Sorry sir, you shall remain a desk-bound analyst for the life of your career, despite your ambitions."

So here I am, back in the employment market and wondering if anything has changed from last year. Of course it has, but not noticeably - at least not in terms of the continued highly-selective recruitment processes and lack of opportunity for those who feel like a bit of change in our lives.

Rest assured though, I will endeavour to play the game as recruiters do. Withhold more and tell them what they want to hear. It's all about getting to the front I suppose.

AUTHORAnonymous

Insider Comment

Wh
Whatyourworth
24 May 2012
A lot to say on this one; these posts go back to Oct. 2010 I have noticed - a lot has changed being May, 2012. Once upon a time ago in Los Angeles, CA when you could actually make it as a sole practitioner in the legal arena, a recruiter openly admitted that the golden age for an employee is age 25 to 35 with a college degree. The reason for this is, a) the pay, b) the mental and physical energies they contribute and c) the classic, not a threat to the older experienced counterparts within the office. I have been doing some extensive research on this matter since the housing meltdown in 2008; checking the blog postings, Craig's List to check out the resume sections and various job postings. Bottom line, recruiters are not only destroying opportunities for the professional executive to get ahead, but they are cutting into a lion's share of potential income that the employee has earned over the years. (no wonder they are preying after the 25 to 35 year old bracket). Here is my take, if you are professional and know you are talented, there is no reason why you cannot contact these companies yourself. It is not like the entertainment biz where you have to go through an agent. Besides, this way you are not over looked, ruled out or someone playing favorites. You know you will at least get paid for what you are worth. Some of the best job prospects come by way of creating an opportunity rather than it being put out there for the rest of the world to see.
May peace, prosperity and good fortune come to all Americans who were devasted by the housing market which led to job losses and the challenges you had to face. God Bless
Reply
Bu
Bunny
19 October 2010
Dear Goodluck,
It's your attitude that good employees reel from. Recruiters promise the world yet on so many occasions fail to deliver. They are after a commission and will unfortunately fail to understand what you are really looking for, pushing you into any old position. My advice is to try and avoid recruiters and apply directly to companies you really want to work for. If you have to go through a recruiter lay down the law ie don't ring during working hours, don't distribute resume without prior permission and don't offer jobs that do not fit - ie ignore the recruiter if they say that it is a "new career direction". In my experience it is these jobs that will lead to unemployment or bad experiences. Be strong - this is your career not theirs.
Reply
JR
JR
19 October 2010
Fees are paid by the client to the agent for successfully their vacancy.
Recruiters are agents acting of behalf their client which are the banks or company. You are not the client ...you are the candidate.
Recruiters are not career counsellors. They are not in a position to play a (definitive) part in managing your career...that is your responsibility...it comes down to your skills and experience...and the current market demand for that skill set.
It's very much an employers market...there's an abundance of recruiters (and candidates for that matter)...very few recruiters get a sole mandate...that's executive recruitment...which is not normally advertised.
A candidate's value to a recruiter is two-fold: either they can easily slot you into a vacancy or they will use your network or knowledge of a company to identify a suitable candidate.
If you perceive your recruiter is only mercenary then don't provide any names or contacts other than your own.
You are confusing the fact that if you are transparent with the recruiters they will reciprociate...it does not (normally) work that way.
If you understand these realities, you will have far less angst.
Reply
Sa
Sarah
15 October 2010
My experience with recruitment agents is similar. They don't appear to understand what my previous role was (I've been in the industry for 13 years) they don't follow up or give feedback. I find myself constantly having to call them to see if they are still alive. I get the feeling that none of the 9 agents I have seen have ever worked in the finance industry and have picked up a couple of catch phrases which elude to the fact they understand, when they actually have no clue. There is a definite niche in the market for anyone in the industry with an ounce of common sense and client relationship experience to get out there and start up an agency!
Reply
de
dexcousins
15 October 2010
From what I hear recruitment companies are in dire need of consultants. I'm sure they would be open to an approach from anyone keen to get back to work who has industry knowledge and contacts.
Reply