Working with recruiters may expose you to career opportunities that you might not have known about otherwise. Most employers don’t do a good job advertising the jobs they need filled.
Working with recruiters who specialize in your area of expertise can be very worthwhile. Niche recruiters aren’t always easy to find, but we make it easy… All of our staff have years working in the manufacturing industry.
Here are some ways of identifying recruiters who specialize in your area of expertise.
Start by tapping your own network. Many senior executives work with recruiters at some point in their careers as a candidate or client. Ask the most experienced professionals in your network to refer you to the recruiters they know.
Other sources are people you know in your industry or at organizations that interest you. Find out which recruiting firms their employers use. Don’t be discouraged if the list you compile is short. In certain niche markets, there are recruiters who pretty much work with all big players, so you’ll typically hear the same name several times.
A good way to stay on a recruiter’s radar screen is to suggest names of prospects you know for jobs the recruiter is seeking to fill, but for which you don’t qualify. Be sure to offer quality referrals because inappropriate recommendations can reflect poorly on you.
You can also search for recruiters’ profiles online. Many recruiters have profiles on networking sites such as LinkedIn.com, Ecademy.com and Doostang.com. To find them, do a keyword search or ask fellow members for referrals.
LinkedIn.com, for instance, carries about 90,000 recruiter profiles and most list a specialty. It’s free to join and search the site, though other features require paid membership. To find recruiters’ profiles, click on the “advanced search” tool at the top of the home page for members. In the Industry category, select “corporate services,” then choose “staffing and recruiting.” Enter a keyword, such as the recruiter specialty you’re seeking, and then hit “search.”
Message boards may have postings that relate to specialists in your search area. Check career-networking sites. In addition, job hunters can seek recruiter referrals on boards hosted by their trade association, professional society or alma mater.
News stories announcing company changes can be another source of leads. They often mention the new roles being hired for.
Check trade or industry groups for referrals. Many recruiters belong to an association in their specialty. These groups may include a roster of members on their Web sites. If you join, you’ll likely have opportunities to network with recruiter members.