The short answer? Because they don’t know you.

Last week, I spoke to a group of MBA students at a local University about how to effectively use Web 2.0 tools in their job search, and during the meeting, one young gentleman raised his hand seeking permission to ask a question that was “off-topic”. Since I’m always up for a good off-topic question, permission was quickly granted, and he continued. He shared that he wasn’t fond of Recruiters in general (present company excepted of course) because it seemed that Recruiters only want to look at candidates for what they were or are, and not what they could or want to be. He felt that the Recruiters he had dealt with were only interested in talking with him about they type of position he was currently in (a Sales Representative in a hot industry), and not about the career move he is wanting to make into a leadership role – possibly in another industry. So his off-topic question was:

“How do you get a Recruiter to pay attention to you when you contact them because you want to make a career change, or change industries?”

My advice? (And it applies to anyone who contacts a Recruiter directly.) Treat Recruiters like you would any other networking contact! It’s not likely that you’d pick up the phone and start calling other professionals that you don’t know, and expect them to “get” you or to go find you a job without knowing anything about you. So I would suggest choosing a few Recruiters (2 or 3) to try to build a relationship with first – before asking for their help. Here’s a few suggestions on how you can start that process:

• If possible, try to meet Recruiters “out in the wild” (i.e. networking/professional development events/volunteering, etc.) so you can introduce yourself in person.
• Get an introduction or referral to a trusted Recruiter from someone in your network.
• Interact with Recruiters and build effective virtual relationships with them via the various on-line professional or social networks they inhabit.
• If a Recruiter contacts you about an opportunity that is not of interest, offer to assist them with referrals or to be a resource for them in the future.

Once you’ve had some level of interaction with a Recruiter, be sure to ask them about their process, and how they work. Do they work on a Retained or Contingency basis? Do they market candidates? If you provide them with your resume, what happens to it and will it be kept confidential? It’s important to understand how you may or may not fit with their process, as well as what you should or should not expect in terms of follow up or contact. Having this type of conversation will help you to understand how they work, and eliminate possible disappointments.

And finally, ask the Recruiter how YOU can help THEM (and mean it). Basically, you want the Recruiter to remember you, and because “All things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those people they know, like and trust” (Bob Burg – “Endless Referrals”). Just like everybody else, we like it when people want to help us be successful!

So, off-topic question answered, we finished the group meeting. The young man came up afterward and we had a great conversation about the work he’s currently doing, what he’s interested in pursuing, and how he’s working very hard (funding his own education) to get an MBA from a top school. He’s hoping to pair that excellent education with his work experience and advance to the next level in his career. He was personable, articulate, and clearly good at what he does. He was also bright enough to have listened during our earlier discussion, and after thanking me for my time, asked how he could help ME. He’s since followed up with me, sent a copy of his resume to be added to our confidential database (after asking about our process), and has connected with me on LinkedIn. I certainly remember him now, and I see him as what he wants to be – not just what he’s doing today. Although I don’t have an opening or opportunity to place him in currently, when one arises, you can bet he’ll get a call. Why? Because he made me like him.

Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:

• LinkedIn and Web 2.0 Still Need Networking 1.0

Tags: job search, networking, recruiters. I hate recruiters