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When working with headhunters, talent acquisition managers, or whatever name you give to recruiters, it’s important to remember they’re working for companies, not individuals. Does this mean they can’t help you out?  Absolutely not! They have access to a whole network of information and clients that you don’t have, and with their help, you can gain admittance. But there are some rules to follow, and breaking these rules will almost always destroy your job prospects.

Rule 1: Don’t wait to work with recruiters.

It can be tricky, but you should be in contact with recruiters while still employed because there are a number of benefits. One, you’ll have leverage—you know that you’re valuable to a real company, right now. If unemployed, you have no such luck. Two, companies want to hire people who are meaningfully employed. Because of this, recruiters don’t typically work with unemployed people. Three, your job situation could change tomorrow. It’s best to be in touch with recruiters now, in the event you lose your job.

Rule 2: Don’t lie.

It might be tempting to talk up your skills and/or be dishonest about your situation and how it might affect your possibility of getting a job. But if you do lie, and happen to get a job interview based on a recruiter’s recommendation, the truth will eventually come out. You’ll either have to fess up at that employer interview (in which case they will definitely not hire you) or you’ll get the job and fail to do what’s expected of you (in which case you’ll be fired). Recruiters are good judges of character and skills—this is their job—and in order to find the right person, for the right position, with the right employer, they need nothing short of the truth.

Rule 3: Don’t be fuzzy on the details (an offshoot of rule 3).

Be prepared to show specific, measurable accomplishments. Don’t expect the recruiter to do this for you. Remember, they’re working for companies—it’s not their job to coach you and transform your vague mish mash of skills into a concrete and solid looking resume! Come to the table with the straight and detailed facts about what you can do for a company. This includes tailoring your resumé and cover letter for each job you apply for.

If you’re not sure how your skills and jobs translate into a job, seek the advice of a career counselor before you contact a recruiter. You don’t stand a chance if you come to a recruiter with the “I’m ready for anything” type of attitude.

Rule 4: Don’t rely on recruiters to find you a job.

Just because you meet with a recruiter doesn’t mean you’ll be entitled to a job. Remember, recruiters are looking to fill their client’s needs, not yours. If you’re skilled and would fit a job position well, they might call you. But it’s not a given. Make sure you’re diversifying your job hunt, or you’ll be let down.

Rule 5: Don’t waste recruiter’s time. This is a huge turn off.  Only apply for jobs that you’re qualified for, or you’re wasting their time. Be specific about what you want to get paid, or you’re wasting their time. Again, it isn’t the recruiter’s job to coach you. Have this info ready.

Rule 6: Don’t be inflexible about forms of compensation.

A lot of companies like to negotiate contract- to-hire deals. If you can’t compromise, it’s to your detriment.

Rule 6: Don’t let your online presence ruin your reputation.

What shows up on Facebook doesn’t just stay on Facebook. Be aware of what other people can see and read about you. Seems simple, but lots of people have trouble with this one. If a recruiter finds questionable info and photos about you online, don’t expect them to call you.

Tips: Google your name and see what’s out there. You can also create a Google alert for your first and last name.

Rule 7: Don’t harass recruiters.

There’s a difference between following-up with a thank-you call or card and calling back numerous times to ask recruiters about possible job leads. Refrain from being a bully. Don’t ever sound desperate, even if you are. It will ruin your reputation as a viable candidate.

There are other things that matter too, of course. But we hope these seven basic rules will guide you in your relations with recruiters here at True Source, and with any others you happen to work with in the future.

We are continuing our tradition of being table captains to the annual Domestic Abuse Project fundraising lunch.  We’re hoping to fill up 4 tables at the event and raise more money than ever for a great cause!

If you’ve never heard of this amazing organization that is literally changing lives, please take a look at their website for more info.

DAP’s Transforming Families Luncheon

Tuesday, October 16th, 2012

Registration & Socializing – 11:00 AM

Program & Light Lunch – Noon – 1:00 PM

Earle Brown Heritage Center

6155 Earle Brown Drive, Brooklyn Center, MN 56177

We’d love to see you at the event and if you’re interested in attending and bringing friends (there is no requirement to donate, come to learn about the organization!), please reply to this email today and we’ll get you at one of our tables.

Join Us, it will be a great event with a free lunch!

You’ve likely heard of BI (Business Intelligence), but have you stopped to think what the ramifications really are? BI does to companies—that is, those who use it correctly—what the Internet did for research: it opens up a whole new world of capabilities. Companies that use BI will definitely have the upper hand over companies that don’t.

BI isn’t a new idea, IBM researcher Hans Peter Luhn was talking about business intelligence in 1958, and in 1989, Howard Dresner, gave a specific definition to business intelligence.  BI has definitely made a splash recently as current database and reporting tools have advanced.  It’s more of a science and much more commonplace. Some predictions for BI use in 2012 have included “record” spending on BI Solutions, a demand for geographic-intelligent functions within BI solutions, a surge in the use of mobile BI, and an explosion in digital content volume (as more and more companies store more data).

Take UPS for example. The company has always strived to cut fuel use and costs, and through their use of BI a few years back—analyzing their stored data—realized that left hand turns actually use more fuel (imagine waiting for a break in oncoming traffic to turn) So they developed a GPS system for their drivers—one that takes trucks through routes using mostly right hand turns. Not only does it save gas (in 2007, for example, it saved 3 million gallons of gas) but it prevents more accidents! Follow a truck someday and see for yourself.

At the end of the day, optimal use of BI means better service, better products and more cost savings.  Data is the “lifeblood” of the information systems within companies. As an organization, you do something proactive with the data that’s being collected and saved, or in the end you’ll struggle against those who do.

BI use is mounting and aside from giving companies a platform from which they can be even more competitive, BI demand has carved out a niche industry for software developers. And as more companies make BI a priority, there will be a continual increased need for those with a working knowledge of analytics. It’s clear that BI is just hitting puberty; expect several more years of growth!

An article has been going around the office for a while now about how recruiters look through a resume and it got me thinking about best practices for resumes.  If you haven’t seen the research yet, you should take a look.

The interesting part for me was the amount of time recruiters spent reviewing a resume to determine if you’re good enough for a closer look.  “Most job seekers think recruiters spend 4 to 5 minutes reviewing a resume. The truth: recruiters spend about 6 seconds before they make the initial “fit/no fit” decision.”

Six seconds, that’s all you have to persuade one of us that you may have the skills to do the job.  Whether it’s a recruiter at a firm like ours or HR in an organization, we simply don’t have the time to waste on people that don’t fit.  Fair or not, if you don’t make it past this first hurdle, you won’t be moving on to the phone interview.  It’s worth the time to get it right.

I can’t tell you how many poorly written and poorly laid out resumes we see on a daily basis (seriously, some of them would make you cry instead of laugh).  In the self-interest of helping recruiters and HR everywhere, let me list a few of the things I consider most important to take to heart when reviewing your resume for another round of job hunting:

• Customize your summary – First off, if you don’t have a summary, create one (short and sweet).  Second, customize it to the position you’re applying for, call out what skills/experience you have that relates to the job you’re going after.

• Make it easy to read – Don’t use crazy fonts or different colors, use bullet points instead of long paragraphs, and please no distracting pictures.

• Accomplishments over responsibilities – What have you done in your positions?  What are you most proud of?  Anyone can be responsible for things, only some can successfully deliver results, show it off!

This is obviously not an extensive or exhaustive list of resume do’s and don’ts, but I hope it helps someone out there.  Remember, resumes get your foot in the door and a little time spent getting it right will open up many more doors down the road.

Here at True Source we love to give back to the community and one of our favorite organizations is the Domestic Abuse Project (DAP) in Minneapolis. They are a great non-profit that works to stop domestic violence in the metro area. mndap.org

We pitched in to give their office outside a little spring cleaning and had a great time.  We highly recommend reaching out to them if you’re interested in volunteering.