No doubt that searching for a job has changed over the years. Not so long ago I remember being a recent grad from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and pounding the pavement looking for a seagoing or shore side position. I must have knocked on every office door at 17 Battery Place, One Whitehall, 19 Rector Street, and One Broadway in lower Manhattan. Ultimately my persistence paid off and Hanjin Container Line hired me. Today what took weeks is accomplished with the click of a button. Positions are posted on job boards , social media sites, passed by word of mouth or text, and placed with recruiters to source qualified candidates.
I’ll touch on my views about various topics but first will be working with recruiters. As a job seeker you need to know that you should never pay a recruiter to find you a job. Their clients compensate recruiters when they successfully conclude a search, no need for you to pay. You also need to know that recruiters are almost overwhelmed with the volume of resumes and inquiries from job seekers. With unemployment rates where they are, it’s no surprise that job seekers anxiously respond to job postings. It’s a recruiter’s job to sort the wheat from the chaff. In an ideal world every inquiry should get a response. If there’s a skill set match with a job requirement you’ll definitely get contacted by a recruiter. Otherwise your inquiry should be acknowledged and noted for a possible match with another requirement. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear back from a recruiter right away. Matching candidates to jobs is a process and it could take some time. If you haven’t heard anything after a few days, it’s fine to follow up with a recruiter to check the status of your inquiry. Professional recruiters welcome an occasional call or message updating your interest.
NEXT TOPIC: Evaluating a recruiter’s experience and ability to assist both clients and candidates
