Searching for a job in 2017 can be exhausting. Between new job websites popping up left and right to your email inbox being bombarded with daily career advice articles, how is a job seeker supposed to separate the good from the bad when it comes to their job search?
Indeed, Monster, Beyond, Zip Recruiter, CareerBuilder and many more job boards provide job seekers the opportunity to search for thousands of jobs around the globe. With the click of a button and the upload of a resume and cover letter, job seekers can quickly apply for job after job with ease.
Furthermore, many of these boards offer robust career advice sections with tips and best practices for the top questions many job seekers ask themselves when preparing for their job search. Put simply, these boards are often a “one stop shop” for millions of job seekers to find their next career.
Despite the raving reviews and benefits you can read about these boards all over the web and on social media, why is it that recruiting companies like ours not only exist, but have the ability to thrive in this market?
It all comes down to what you as a job seeker are looking for in your job seeking journey.
If you are looking for a more dedicated, personalized experience—applying on a job board and waiting to have someone sift through hundreds of online applications may not be for you. Working with a recruiter offers quite a few benefits many job seekers may need when it comes to their job search. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Transparency
One of the most common complaints from job seekers is transparency—or lack thereof—when it comes to applying for jobs on a job board.
This is not a knock on job boards, because they ultimately do not control the process of the company who is advertising and accepting applications for jobs on their board. Working with job boards quite frequently, their role in the job seeking process is to provide a place for companies to advertise their jobs to job seekers—leaving the evaluating of resumes and contacting of job candidates part of the process up to the company.
When it comes to working with a recruiter, the process is much different.
In most cases, the recruiter has found your resume on LinkedIn or on one of these job boards through their resume search features. This means from step one in the process, the recruiter is actively gauging your interest in a job with the company they are representing.
If you have interest in the position, the recruiter will likely outline the steps and be in constant contact with you throughout the process. They will provide you feedback on your resume, let you know what steps to take in the application, will schedule your interview with the company and also give you feedback based on what they hear from the person who interviews you. If you move on to the next round of interviews, the recruiter will let you know—if not, they will also let you know. If you receive an offer of employment from the company, they will have done the research to let you know if it is fair and to provide you with advice on the next steps.
Any way you slice the process, as a job seeker you will know exactly where you stand when it comes to the job you are in the running for with a recruiter.
Higher Level Job Options
Head over to your favorite job board right now and tell me what one of the first companies that comes up in your job search is. More than likely it is an Uber or Avon job advertisement.
Again, this is not to knock job boards or these companies—they are just doing their jobs. However, a flooded job search results page of opportunities like this does not always benefit you as a job seeker.
Recruiting companies very rarely work on job opportunities like these. Instead, they focus on positions with growth potential, mid-level positions for entry level workers to take their next step to or senior level positions. The reason is simple—companies want the best of the best when it comes to hiring these positions.
This is why companies—like the ones you see here on our website—come to recruiting companies. They do not want just anyone to fill their open job, they want the perfect candidate who fits all of their needs and checks off all the boxes if they are making a long-term investment in their company’s future.
Future Job Opportunities
What happens after you apply for a job on a job board and they give it to someone else? Nine times out of 10 the answer is absolutely nothing. If you are lucky to receive an email saying it was filled at all, that is usually the end of your communication with that company.
When it comes to a recruiter, they do not forget about good candidates. Whether you were hired by the company or not, the best recruiters out there will keep you in their pipeline for the future. And you better believe if they have a client looking for a great candidate with your experience, you will get that call or email asking if you are interested.
Final Word
These are just a few of the differences when it comes to searching for your next career on a Job Board or with a Recruiter. When it comes down to it, neither option is a bad one. Job seekers should utilize both avenues when it comes to finding that great next fit for your professional life.
Also, do not get caught up in the whole “headhunting” reference when it comes to recruiters. Sure, this is coming from a guy who works for a recruiting company—but as someone who has been involved in both sides of the job seeking process and interacted with both job boards and recruiters, at the end of the day most good recruiters are trying to find the right fit for your future, not just trying to pad their wallet.
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