Headless Headhunter, Irrelevant Recruiter. What questions to ask and why when dealing with recruiters and head hunters

Headless Headhunter and Irrelevant Recruiter

For the past several years I have meandered through various recruiters and headhunters with a mixed bag of experiences. As an Information Technology professional the middleman has to be just as versatile and adept as I am. Most recruiters don’t know anything about the positions they looking to fill. Yet again it becomes a numbers game and as a jobseeker, without the correct headhunter we become a square peg being forced into a round hole. There are several questions I ask when interviewing with recruiters and headhunters. Here are the first three questions we should ask, and why.

What business sector is your area of expertise?

I ask this question for obvious reasons.  If the recruiters’ biggest clients are in the green industry, clearly filling IT positions is a totally different challenge. Each industry has a different skill set. From a digital standpoint each industry has a different keyword make up that designates a qualified candidate or not. Many say send you resume to a multitude of recruiters, and headhunters. I disagree. Finding and cultivating a relationship with the recruiter who specializes in your career field is much more productive in your job search. 

What percentage of your talent pool gets a permanent hire?

Asking this question seems to stimulate a conversation. Especially when the recruiter is clueless, or the percentage is non-existent. If the latter is true then the recruiting agency is really a temporary service. Temporary Services seem to have no relationship with their hiring managers or the talent pool. In both cases the primary objective is to fill the available positions for the primary client. Once the position is filled the recruiter collects a fee. That said who fills that position makes no difference to the recruiter. They have an agenda.

How long have you been in the recruiting industry?

This is another straightforward question. Since I have been in the IT industry for over ten years, I would like to have a recruiter who has been recruiting in the IT industry for at least 10 years. Their ability to recognize evolution and changes in the field is astute. Every quarter or so there is a transformational change in most areas of IT. The technology moves so quickly. However, the base or the core remains the same. Recruiters and headhunters in the area of IT understand this. Therefore irrelevant questions, conversations and interviews are avoided. How’s that for productivity in your job search. 

Are meeting the hiring managers’ needs or creating careers for the members of your talent pool, or both?

Once the interview is over, and a few days go by, this question will be answered. For the seasoned recruiter the answer is both. My goal is to become more than just a number to the recruiter and better than a temporary to the company that hires me. With that know the companies you would like to work with, and why. Know the recruiters’ areas of expertise. Know how long they have been specializing in these areas. In addition, create ways to add value, and become an asset. In most recruiters eyes we are already commodities.

Gene Williams specializes in Mobile and Web Development. He is the Director of Websology Consulting. A full service forward thinking creative engine located in Cleveland, Ohio serving small to medium sized organizations.

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