Q. Anxious about the slow progress of my job search, my dad told me I should be working through an executive recruiter. I always thought recruiters were for people further along in their careers, not just about to graduate from college. What’s the right approach for me to get job search help from a recruiter? –EB
A. While your father’s intentions are understandable, your gut is right. I can’t think of any executive recruiters who are looking for entry-level talent, and reputable one aren’t for hire by candidates. They work for organizations seeking talent.
Continue to focus your search on agencies, big and small. Their in-house recruiting efforts seek to fill positions at all levels of the organization. Bottom line, full-time executive recruiters get paid per search, and with the current glut of available talent agencies don’t need to pay them to find entry-level employees.
If you are graduating in May or June, your job search may be a bit premature. Unless filling established summer internship programs with set application deadlines, most agencies hire entry-level staff throughout the year on an as needed basis. They rarely hire months before an individual is available to begin work. Use this time to organize your search, strengthen your resume and brush up on your elevator speech.
Many websites of executive recruiters provide valuable tips and resources for job searches, so be sure to check out sites like Heyman Associates and Bloom, Gross & Associates.