Random question about recruiters...

4 Comments

1. Becca CarnahanOctober 7,2022 at 12:46PM UTC

   Hi Holly - good question and the answer is both! Some companies have in-house recruiters and talent acquisition teams and others work with agencies.

   If you have a specific company in mind, I recommend going straight to that company. Check LinkedIn to find potential people to reach out to, starting with any warm leads (folks you are already connected to or could be introduced to.)

   This first outreach doesn't have to be a recruiter but it can be. That first informational conversation is a perfect way to learn more about the company, ask good questions to see if the company is a fit for what you're looking for, and identify where your skill sets are a match.

   Then you can move into referral stage and introductions to others within the business!

2. Kelsey GardipeeNovember 1,2022 at 3:36PM UTC

   My understanding is that ultimately, the recruiter works for the company - whether they are in-house or agency. Many may want to help jobseekers as best they can but at the end of the day, they are being paid to fill specific roles and need to fill them with the right talent.

   Depending on the size of the company, they may have several recruiters and they may not have access to all of the open req #s. They may be able to put you in contact with the appropriate recruiter though. But also note that the recruiters aren't the hiring managers. They can advocate for you but in the end, it's up to the hiring manager.

3. Laura BrowneNovember 1,2022 at 4:01PM UTC

   There are 2 types of recruiters. One kind of recruiter works inside the company. These recruiters work for the company. The other type of recruiter works for an external recruiting firm. They typically only get paid by the company for placing an employee. They also work for the company, however, some of them will act like they are working for you. Yes, they want you to get the position but that's because that's how they get paid. If they don't think you're a good fit for a position and don't have another position for you at another company, they'll stop working with you.

   The key to working well with both kinds of recruiters is to understand the company's pain points and clearly show how you can help them and the team address them.

   If you want to work for a specific company, it's best to reach out to anyone in your network that works at the company. They can direct you to the right person. If you don't know anyone there, you can try reaching out to a recruiter but if there is no specific job available they probably won't want to work with you. Good luck.

4. Krystin MorganNovember 1,2022 at 7:11PM UTC

   Recruiters work for companies. It's a common misconception that recruiters "work for" jobseekers or that they "find jobs for people." In reality, we find PEOPLE for JOBS. In other words, we work either in-house at a company or for an agency supporting client companies, and have specific jobs that are open. We take that information and go find people who would be a fit. I recommend networking with recruiters at companies of interest and also at staffing agencies, as they often have relationships with multiple clients.