This is part of an ongoing series in which I’m answering questions from job seekers. Please post your questions in the comments section below to be answered in future articles. Please include your name and location if you want to be addressed by name; otherwise the question will be attributed to “Anonymous.”
“I’ve read recruiters do not like nonspecific job seekers. However, with my background, education and interests, it’s hard to escape ambiguity. How does one get around this handicap if you’re truly willing and interested in career diversity?
– Kevin Acker, Duluth, MN
Allow me to first explain how recruiters work. Recruiters work for client companies in order to fill a particular opening.
A recruiter’s job is not to find people jobs.
It is to find the right person for clients’ jobs.
Like any professional, recruiters must spend their time working on what will best serve the client. Recruiters’ compensation is based on finding and placing the right candidate for the job.
As Bill Vick stated in his blog post, My Recruiter Hasn’t Found Me a Job – Understanding the Role Headhunters Play in Your Search, “…while a recruiting firm has quite a few active searches ongoing at any given time, it’s not a guarantee that any of them will be a fit for your background and experience. It doesn’t mean the firm is “no good” or that they’re not doing their job – it simply means they have nothing for which they can submit you for consideration at that moment.”
Unfortunately, this means that recruiters can’t interview everyone who submits a resume or is looking for a new job. They must focus on candidates who are a close match for current requisitions.
So, how can candidates with varied backgrounds and interests position themselves to work with a recruiter?
It’s important to take a targeted approach with your job search. I commented recently on Twitter that “I’ll do anything” is the Kiss of Death for a job seeker.
Job seekers’ Kiss of Death —> Q: “What do you want to do?
A: “I’LL DO ANYTHING.”
Cartoon by Hugh
Rather, determine what you want to do. While your initial reaction may be, “But I have many talents,” or “I can learn!” or “I don’t want to limit myself,” consider this:
You are in sales. You are selling YOU.
Successful companies and entrepreneurs target their audience and design marketing and relationship-building campaigns to capture the interest of a specific group and move them to action. [Think “sniper” -- as opposed to “firing squad.”]
- If you were selling sports cars would you pay to advertise in nursing homes?
- If you were selling medical equipment would you focus your marketing efforts on corporate attorneys?
- If you owned a cupcake store would you market to diabetic patients?
- If your product was heated blankets would you set up shop in Miami?
I hope not.
Taking an “I’ll do anything” approach makes it difficult for anyone to help you; particularly recruiters, since their job is to find specialists. Marketing yourself as someone who excels in personal training, retail sales, and plumbing, is confusing – and it’s certainly not inspiring. Recruiters aside; how will your network help you?
Depending on your background, one solution may be to conduct two or three searches simultaneously. This would require separate resumes highlighting your experience in relevant areas, and probably more than one recruiter based on niche. The down side to this is dilution. It may also become murky when using social media such as LinkedIn and Twitter as part of your job search.
In the end I firmly believe that a targeted and focused approach with a clear objective that is easily communicated and understood is your best bet.
For more information you can contact Stephanie via email and you can find her on Twitter at @StephanieALloyd.
Happy hunting!
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