How can I find a recruiter who will find me a job?

Week in, week out, people ask me this same question. The simple answer is not one people want to hear. But you know me: straight talk. I don’t play games with people in their search for a new job. So here is the simple answer:  You can’t find a recruiter to find you a job. That is not how the business works. However, recruiters can be an invaluable part of your job search … as you run across the recruiters who have jobs you might be right for. And there are some simple things you can do to make the most of that interaction … and yes, get some help with your job search.

They already have are some simple things you can do to make sure you are in front of the right recruiters … the ones who might come across a job that would be great for you, and then reach out to you as a potential candidate. What I mean is this: you can get some help from the right recruiters. There are some recruiters that you should be in front of, because they might come across the right job for you and then help you get it. Let me see if I can shed some simple light on this whole recruiter thing.

First, let me start by dispelling one of the biggest myths in job hunting: the myth that a recruiter will find you a job. It simply does not work that way. Recruiters do not go out to find jobs for people. If they could, they certainly would ... but that is not how it works. Recruiters get paid by employers to fill positions. Outside (agency) recruiters only get paid when they fill the positions employers are them to fill. Sure, we all know someone who knows someone who got a job because a recruiter called out and said "I have the perfect candidate for your company. Just meet him, and I'm sure you'll find a home for him." But I must tell you: that is extremely rare. The business does not work that way. Recruiters need to focus on the jobs they have open on their desk at that moment to keep their jobs, and feed their families. Most recruiters would love to help you find a job, but they will lose theirs if they spend all their time doing that.