They are known by many names: Executive Recruiters, Direct Placement Agents, and perhaps most commonly, Headhunters. They are clouded in mystery and some industry ne’er-do-wells have slathered the profession with a slimy film. However, the professional recruiter is a valuable contact and often can mean the difference between a lateral move and an upward career climb.

How it Works...
While there are many different types of recruiting firms, legitimate recruiting agencies have a standardized operating plan. The process generally works like this:

A business concern, XYZ Corp, needs to hire a professional, suppose an HR Generalist. The hiring manager picks up the phone and calls a reputable recruiting firm and requests a “capable HR Generalist with Bachelor’s degree; five years work experience; PHR certification; located in or willing to relocate to Denver, Colorado.” Then the recruiter hits the job boards. She sifts through countless résumés and decides which candidates have the minimal qualifications for the position. This is where a well written résumé is your best friend.

Now she works the phone like a demon possessed. If the résumé looks good, she calls the candidates who made it through to the next round. She screens them to discover their strengths; asks about weaknesses (like job-hopping and employment gaps); and, gets a general sketch of how that candidate might fit in with the work culture. An on-the-ball Recruiter will make anywhere between 50 and 100 outbound calls per day. Recruiters at the top of their game will usually put in a solid 12 hours at the office.

Once the candidates have been screened, she will present the résumés and her recommendations to XYZ’s hiring manager. This is where the recruiter earns her pay. She has to sell the prospective employee to Corporate who makes a decision on who they will interview. After the interview, XYZ tells the recruiter which candidate got the job and the recruiter makes an offer to the candidate.

Who gets Paid...
After the candidate starts his new job, the recruiting firm invoices XYZ and the company pays the bill. The candidate does not pay any fees for the service. Unfortunately, some executive placement agencies have smeared the Recruiting industry by charging job-seekers an exorbitant fee to fast-track them to a 100K career opportunity. According to career expert Joyce Lain Kennedy, Search-Marketing fraud has been around for years and has a few red flags:

1. Special career-counselors promise to guide you through the “inner-sanctums” of Corporate America.
2. The huckster’s exclusive newsletter allows you access to “unpublished” job listings.
3. You will be required to sign a contract for a job-search marketing fee that may well run into the thousands of dollars.

In order to prevent getting scammed, research is your best weapon. A little due-diligence goes a long way. Reputable executive recruiting firms are plentiful and are a great way to find your next career opportunity.

One company we have worked with for years is www.ICRsearch.com . They have been executive recruiters for over 15 years and with drive of David Fishman VP and his team, they have placed thousands of people in great careers without a cost to the jobseeker.