Guerrilla Marking for Job Hunters 2.0 - Jay Conrad Levinson [86]
Sourcers Are Polar Opposites of Recruiters
The term sourcer in the recruiting world describes the person who is doing pure research and name generation. Sourcers use the Internet, job boards, internal databases, and corporate phone directories to gather names and then turn them over to a recruiter. They almost never talk to anyone, and if they do, it is very brief. Usually, they are more introverted and prefer to work behind the scenes. If you are working with a recruiter, you may never talk with this person, nor know that he or she even exists.
Most Recruiters Don’t Have Sourcers Working for Them
Think. This impatient force of nature recruiter that you are dealing with . . . do you think he has time to do thorough research? Usually not; . . . most successful recruiters have good instincts, but they don’t have the time to do thorough research.
If you can provide valuable information to a recruiter, he will go out of his way to help you and give you attention above and beyond that which the typical candidate receives.
Here are several tips for working with a recruiter as a source of information:
• Find out if the recruiter works full life-cycle or if they work with sourcers and researchers. If he or she has a team, get to know the players on the team.
• Ask what he needs. Don’t make assumptions. It may be insight on additional job openings (new business for him) or candidates for positions he is trying to fill. Learn about all the positions he is working on; keep notes during your job search.
• Always call to give something. Every time you ever pick up the phone to talk to him, have something of value in hand: insight on a new position, candidate referral, news of a layoff at a competitor of his client. Train that recruiter. Teach him that your name is synonymous with valuable information.
• Keep him in the loop. If you are sending information to one of the recruiters’ team members, sourcers, or assistants, copy the recruiter on the communication. Don’t assume that if you are sending leads to the sourcer, that you will get attributed as the source.
• Maintain the relationship even after you get a job. If you’ve spent the time to understand and work with a recruiter, you will continue to have great value to each other. Many recruiters pay referral fees; don’t be shy to ask. A trusted referral source is well worth a $500, $1000, or greater referral fee.
Some of the best client-recruiter relationships are developed with a person that is first placed by the recruiter and then uses that recruiter to fill positions at his new company. Whether he places you at the position or not, you will use his services in the future. Remind the recruiter of this.
Bringing information to your recruiter will separate you from the mass number of connections that are simply reaching out to the recruiter to get something. Taking this approach of being a purveyor of insight and information will open the doors to creating a strong professional relationship that will endure throughout your career.
Donato Diorio is the founder and CEO of www.broadlook.com. Broadlook Technologies develops research tools for executive and corporate recruiters. Donato is a former top billing recruiter and is now a speaker and thought leader in the field of Internet research. Donato’s blog is www.iDonato.com.
➤ Rules of Engagement
Here’s what to do if a recruiter calls you at work:
• Be flattered. If a recruiter calls you, in most cases the recruiter’s team has prequalified you. Don’t ask him where he got your name right away. There’s time enough for that later.
• Take the call only if you can speak without whispering. If you can’t talk freely, ask for a phone number and a convenient time to call back. Better you say nothing than blow the call. This