The Hardest Part of Being a Recruiter is Fighting the Reputation of Being a Recruiter.

After graduating with a B.S. in Psychology (my dad always loved that it was a BS degree), I started my career as a Case Manager with a local non-profit. I managed two cases at a time for 4 weeks and each was a category 1 or 2 Child Protective Services (CPS) case. This meant that the family was already involved in court and at high risk of losing their children. The requirements were to spend 2 hours a day, 5 days a week working to resolve issues that ranged from drug addiction to homelessness to abuse. After 5 years in world, I went back to school, completed my MBA with a focus in Organizational Development, and moved into Talent Acquisition. Many friends and family would ask how the move was going. After a couple years of recruiting I would respond by saying, “The hardest part of being a recruiter is fighting the reputation of being a recruiter.” This is the beginning of a series where I will explore red flags and share examples of what to look for in a Recruiter.

Now, there are plenty of great recruiters, I’m not here to demean my profession any more than any other profession. Unfortunately, regardless of your career choice, you’ll have to deal with the shared baggage created by disingenuous players. However, over the last decade of working in Talent Acquisition, I have had many individuals ask about how to engage with Recruiters. This question is most often followed up with, “…because I worked with this one recruiter and it was an awful experience.” So, I started sharing insight and knowledge from being on the other side of the table. The biggest factor in starting Mier Talent Consulting was having interviewed with about a dozen firms and walking away from each questioning whether or not I want to be a Recruiter. Sitting at a desk with a headset cold calling 40 people a day and reading a script while having very little knowledge of the client or position was frustrating and mind-numbing. I didn’t want to do it.

Lucky for me, I didn’t have to. I’ve had great mentors, gone through hours and hours of training, achieved certifications, given lectures, and started my own business. What I want to impart through this article is that you should look for a Recruiter who is investing in you. Always take their call, read their messages, as they may have your dream job! However, if all you get is 10 minute phone calls and requests for information while not feeling informed or that you have a partner who is here to help you, then hang up and find a better Recruiter. We are here to help! Follow along each week as we explore different examples of bad Recruiters so you know what to avoid.