Six Things You Should Do Before Contacting An Executive Recruiter

Executive search firms are known for placing qualified candidates in high-impact leadership roles in competitive industries. Demand for mission-critical executive talent is constant, even (especially) amid downturns and challenging times. It is understandable that job seekers might assume contacting an Executive Search Partner, a recruiter or search firm is a great way to find a new role, new career or new company. I field inquiries every day from sincere people who think I have the magic sauce to land them a terrific job or advise them on a career move. I love to help people, and it pains me when our interaction isn’t set up for success.?

In the spirit of radical transparency and care, before you reach out to a recruiter—or introduce someone in your network to a recruiter—here are a few things you should know:

An Executive Recruiter’s job isn’t to help people find jobs. Partners at executive search firms are responsible for the business-to-business relationships with other firms, and the hiring firm is the client. Recruiters will not represent YOU. If you are a finalist for our client’s open position, we can (and often do) offer advice on your career. We get to know you very deeply—your goals, style, aspirations, strengths and weaknesses in an effort to determine perfect fit. I operate in a way that is “straight down the fairway,” managing expectations and ensuring clarity for both sides, and am especially gratified when a prior candidate becomes my client down the road. But make no mistake about it, I work for the client.??

The recruiter you’re talking to likely has a specific domain competence. Most search firms’ teams specialize—some very narrowly—in the search process for a niche of an industry, or in a certain business function or seniority level. For example, highly compensated C-suite executives in industrial supply chain for Fortune 250 companies.?

Talking to recruiters can be a waste of a job seeker’s time. Really! If you are not currently in a recruiter’s specific field, talking to her won’t be helpful. Unless we are contacting you, the chances of being a perfectly suited candidate, with the right skills, in the right location, at the right compensation level, at the right time, for one of the projects the recruiter is working on in a certain sector are—slim.?

The good news is, there are six specific things you can do to increase your return on investment before talking to a recruiter:?

1. Aim before you fire. Spend some time defining who you are, what you want to do, and what resources you need to achieve your goals. I recommend asking one or two people you are close to for this kind of help. Do not ask your professional network for assistance with a job search until you know what you desire in terms of location, industry, company, title and compensation. Specificity is a competitive advantage.?
2. Contact Career Services at your alma mater. Your university likely has a free career services center that offers feedback on your resume, career counseling and perhaps even assessment services. They may offer networking events, online courses, one-on-one coaching and connections to a huge alumni network. Most likely these services are low or no cost. This is the place to get started.?
3. Invest in your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is your business card in today’s professional world. Are your picture and background updated? Are your achievements quantified and relevant to the next career step you’re trying to take? Do you post content regularly? Be helpful to others on the platform, and engage consistently. This can be the easiest action to take as you begin considering a career move, but is often the most unattended.
4. Hire a career transition coach. If you need help defining your goals and sticking to the process, a coach who specializes in career strategy and transition can be a game changer. I’ve used a coach multiple times throughout my career with great success. Our Korn Ferry Advance tool is exceptional, as are many individual coaches. Transition coaching is different from professional coaching. The latter provides assistance in performance improvement, leadership and acceleration of your career at your current company. A transition coach helps you create a transition strategy and plan, and provides candid feedback during your job search.
5. Maintain a vibrant network. Build relationships with people before you need something. Go to conferences specific to your industry, speak at events, participate on panels and work on consulting projects in your targeted area. And, yes, answer the calls from recruiters in your space. Provide them with candidate recommendations, interesting news in your field and announcements of job openings.??
6. Read. Exercise. Be passionate about something. Read Lose the Resume, Get the Job by Gary Burnison and The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired: Performance-based Hiring Series by Lou Adler. Then go outside, be active, find time for what you love.?

What if you’ve done all of the above and you still want to contact an Executive Recruiter??

I would encourage you to research first. Learn about the top global recruiters. I’m at the very best global talent consultancy, Korn Ferry, and we are absolute experts in the field of recruiting. There are also other firms with great reputations, including boutique firms that have unique relationships in specific areas. Ask your network if anyone has had a good experience with a specific person or recruiting firm.?

Understand roles at a recruiting firm. Associates and Engagement Managers typically find candidates for search firms, while Principals and Partners manage client relationships and conduct interviews in later stages of a recruitment process.??

Identify multiple recruiters aligned to your area of expertise, then start building relationships. If you’d like a warm introduction to someone in your field at Korn Ferry, for example, I would expect a short email with the name of the partner or team, their email (their information is public), along with a 1-2 sentence background on the role you are seeking, the level, title, compensation and geography. Include your phone number and LinkedIn hyperlink in your signature line. Be concise in your outreach, patient and responsive.

Contact recruiters when you’re employed, not when you’re looking! Answer their call when they are looking for candidates, even if you are not interested, and offer ideas from your network. Engage your network with substance (projects, innovations, conference attendance) and set yourself up to be “found” by a recruiter who has been retained by your dream company.??

I share all of this with you from a place of empathy and compassion. Undertaking a career transition and job search is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. Plus, the recruiting industry can be mystifying. I made all of the mistakes as a job seeker and, since I have joined this field, find great joy in hearing when these tips have helped someone. Good luck with your search!?