Headhunters / Recruiters, Job Searches, Small Law Firms, Solo Practitioners

5 Things Legal Recruiters Can Do To Make Their Work Great Again

Recruiters need to attract the right people -- and the way the things are now, recruiters don't have it easy.

By  
on

Last week, I advised job seekers that recruiters work for employers, not them. Understanding this will help them manage their expectations and minimize any hard feelings.

But at the same time, recruiters need to attract the right people. And unfortunately, the way the things are now, recruiters don’t have it easy. Random people solicit them. And the good candidates generally don’t want to be bothered. So here are five suggestions that I hope will make recruiters’ lives easier without them having to play games with anxious job seekers.

1. Don’t list fake jobs. Time and time again, job applicants approach recruiters for a job listing they advertised only to get rejected. We later learn that the job did not really exist.

Sometimes this is the hiring firm’s fault, as they may have ulterior motives for announcing a fake position. If recruiters work on commission, they should discourage this, since it is a total waste of time with no money in it for them.

But some recruiting firms admit to posting fake jobs in order to build a database they can present to employers. If that’s the case, then just say so! Why the false pretenses? Most job seekers would not mind being a part of a database if it will help them find a job. It also reduces their expectations so they can continue their own job search.

2. Be very specific about the type of person you want. This is simple enough. If you want someone with top credentials, be very specific about it or you will get so many résumés that your fax machine will run out of ink or your email inbox will be flooded. Lawyers (especially recent graduates) will jump at every vague-sounding job requirement and argue why they fit that criterion.

You don’t want to waste their time. But you also don’t want them wasting yours.

Sponsored

3. If the candidate is no longer under consideration, tell them immediately. I get that recruiters and job seekers have to play a game that resembles dating. When they first connect, both exchange pleasantries and small talk while presenting themselves in the best possible light. But at some point, the recruiter decides that the candidate is not going to get past first base with them.

But many recruiters don’t want to give the bad news up front because they don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Instead, they “ghost” applicants by not responding to their emails or phone calls, thinking that they will eventually get the hint.

If a job seeker is no longer a viable candidate, let them know immediately. We can handle rejection, and some of us have gotten used to it. We don’t take it personally and just move on. A few of us might get overly emotional from the initial shock, but we understand that you are just the messenger.

Recruiters are not being nice by stopping communications. It actually has the opposite effect — recruiters that do this come off as cold, uncaring, and even deceptive.

4. Try using your online automated application systems. To the recruiters that require job seekers to use their automated applicant tracking systems to apply for jobs, please, please, try using it yourself. While I am hoping that these automated systems have become more user-friendly over the last few years, there is a good chance you will run into at least one of these problems:

Sponsored

  • Being unable to access the website or upload documents because you are not using the right internet browser.
  • Automatically being logged out for spending too much time on one page, usually because you only have a few minutes to basically rewrite your entire résumé.
  • Trying to remember your username, password, or security questions if you haven’t logged on in some time. (This can be an issue for those who use alternate email addresses for their job search because their primary email address contains inappropriate language or might be linked to some profane comments on a communal message board.)
  • The program requires you to submit a new application for every position.

If you spent an unnecessarily long time applying for a position and experience a sense of frustration, imagine how the job applicant must feel. The point is that these programs should be easy to use for everyone. Otherwise, the candidates you want will either quit out of frustration or will input the wrong information making their application look bad. And don’t try to blame the applicants suggesting that they might not be computer savvy, lack patience, or do not pay attention to detail.

5. Educate your clients to broaden their search criteria to consider active job seekers. Many recruiters have told me that they are picky because of their clients’ very strict requirements. But why are their clients so picky? It’s probably because they have been fed all sorts of fake news that has scared them.

The worst of this fearmongering nonsense is that the unemployed are unemployable. We all know that this is mostly crap. People lose their jobs for all kinds of reasons that have nothing to do with performance: the economy, a merger, relocation, bad management decisions, outsourcing, and automation, to name a few. A Google search and reference checks should quickly verify a candidate’s reliability.

To the recruiters who agree with the above, I realize that it may take some time to convince their clients to discard these ridiculous stereotypes and give the unemployed a chance. So I suggest that they educate their clients about the benefits of hiring people who are actively looking: they are immediately available, tend to exhibit gratefulness, and will work harder to fit in with the firm culture. Sooner or later, the message will sink in.

I hope that recruiters will find my suggestions useful not just for themselves but also for the people they serve. But I get that some won’t care at all. That’s fine, but know this: some of us are late bloomers and may become viable candidates later. And most of us know people who want to leave their “prestigious” jobs but are too afraid to approach recruiters on their own. Or they have had bad experiences with recruiters and refuse to talk to them. We can provide the connection that you can’t get on your own.

Personally, I don’t expect recruiters to get me a job anymore. But I will fondly remember those who at least gave a good faith effort to help with my job search instead of spouting banal platitudes that are plastered all over the internet. They are the good guys in a profession that gets a bad rap, and I’ll be happy to help them find the people they are looking for.

Earlier: Recruiters Exist To Help Employers, Not Job Seekers

Shannon Achimalbe was a former solo practitioner for five years before deciding to sell out and get back on the corporate ladder. Shannon can be reached by email at sachimalbe@excite.com and via Twitter: @ShanonAchimalbe.

Topics

, , , , , , , , ,