Reputable Headhunters

Career builder doesn't seem to have a big deluge of headhunters but I did get about two or three. Notice I also didn't get a job yet, so I'm not sure if it's careerbuilder or a bad personality on my part. Who knows. I only got a couple of bites. I would like to hear if anyone else got a job through Careerbuilder. It seems like I haven't heard of anyone. I have responded to jobs that I qualify for and don't get calls. (yes, I have my correct phone number, etc.) I do know that legally it is required to post a job elsewhere but a lot of places do that then hire Aunty Jane's niece. Since I don't know what you do I can't help, but there are other resources. If you are involved in education as an example try Board of Ed joblists. If you are involved with graphic design try newspaper websites, etc. If you went to college, there are lists there. I haven't jumped as deeply into jobsites but I'm not ready for a headhunter either. Someone told me about Craigslist. I am going to check that. I'd like to hear of other places. I've applied to hotels, for instance and hospitals and really don't even get a response. I suppose the next thing is to make phone calls. Advice always helpful...

I was a headhunter turned corporate HR recruiter and manager. I think the best way to use the online job boards to find a recruiter are to search for a job you are qualified for or OVER qualified for in the industry you're most familiar with. Third-party recruiters and and headhunters will post jobs for their clients. Chances are, the jobs you run into are posted by recruiters who work specifically in your industry. Contact those recruiters. Check out what other jobs they're posting, visit their direct websites, and contact them. You CAN post your resume on any of the sites anonymously. Just choose to keep your name and contact information confidential. People - both 3rd party and corporate recruiters - are going to respond to you if they're interested in your resume. They're going to have to contact you by email. It can be hard to find and to fill jobs right now, so be patient. Don't assume that everyone who sees your resume is out to get you. You do want to be employed, so it's a risk you take to some extent. It's not all bad, though. A recruiter isn't worth a dime without a good candidate, and they know that. Their income depends on it, and so does their reputation. You've got more control than you think. Good luck!

I work in Human Resources and read hundreds of resumes a day. Our main job site is Career Builder just because it is easier for employers to use than Monster, but you should post on both sites because Monster is so much cheaper for employers a lot of them don't post to Career Builder. We have also been using Craigslist as well because it is so cheap, but then we get tons of junk responses from there.

Make sure you put dates next to all of your previous employment and explain any gaps in employment. If you have short job lengths explain why you left the positions. A lot of us are wary of people who job hop.

Hope this helps. What type of position are you looking for and where?

hi L.,

As a former Chicago headhunter and recruiter I'd be glad to help if I can.

When you publish your resume on boards like Careerbuilder and monster, you run the risk of unreputable headhunters downloading your resume and presenting it to all their clients without your knowledge. Then, guess what happens when you decide to apply there yourself? The employer has already got you in their database through that headhunter and are obligated to pay a fee to the headhunter. My advice is to be very selective where you send your resume and not to publish it openly.

If you'd like to e-mail me privately and let me know what your background is, I might be able to connect you with some former colleagues. I was a technical, executive and financial recruiter - but know hiring people in other fields as well.

Meantime, pasted below are 'questions to ask recruiters', I copied this from '____@____.com' - a good place to get job seeking advice.

good luck :-)

W.

QUESTIONS TO ASK A RECRUITER / HEADHUNTER:
(if they hesitate or become aggravated with these questions, move on to someone else).

1) How long have you been working with this employer?
2) How many positions have you filled for this employer in the past 12 months? Which positions were they?
3) If I agree to have you submit my resume, how long after doing so will you get back to me and let me know what's happening? How shall I reach you?
4) I will need to know the name of the employer before I give you permission to contact this employer on my behalf. I'll agree not to contact the employer directly if you keep me posted with at least weekly updates from the employer.
5) How long have you been recruiting? What sorts of positions do you typically fill?
6) If I send you my resume, and if the client says "no thanks" on my resume, or if you yourself say "no, this isn't the job for you" after seeing my resume, then I'll need your feedback on what sorts of jobs ARE good for me.