OK,
I'm gonna sit down and write this up because I think kniefl is a bit misinformed and I'd like to clarify the fallacy that is constantly perpetuated.
For reference,
I have spent time in multiple recruiting tracks, to include 3rd party agency, staffing, direct hires, corporate, and other stuff.
I am not presently a "3rd party recruiter"
I do not work on commission
I do not get paid directly based on how many people get hired that I find.
I will address using a 3rd party agency.
3rd party agencies are companies that work for other companies (called clients) to go out and find people for that client to hire.
The way it works - 3rd party agency will sniff around and sell their services to a client.
The client will give them the information/requirements about the type of person they want to hire.
3rd Party will go out and recruit/network to find those candidates.
3rd Party will send candidate to interview with the client.
If the client hires that individual, the 3rd party agency will receive a fee for their services. It is typically 15-25% of the candidates yearly salary. The company pays this money, it does not come from the candidate's pocket.
Now, here's the "rub". You, the job seeker, the candidate, are VERY important to that 3rd party recruiter. YOU are the product they are selling.
However, you are not going to be some pet to the recruiter. That recruiter wants to find you a job, because if they do - they get paid.
So you had better believe that a 3rd party recruiter is going to be busting his chops to find a spot for you somewhere. Unfortunately, many people seem to think that these recruiters are privvy to some huge bank of jobs and if that recruiter doesn't like you, they just will give it to someone else. That is not true. The most difficult part of a 3rd party recruiter is gaining the contract from a client to be able to send them candidates. That is where the bulk of their time is spent. If joe recruiter needs to constantly stroke your ego on the phone or in person and tell you what a great candidate you are.. that's time away from finding the actual jobs.
While I was doing 3rd party recruiting.. if a candidate came across as clingy or needy, or just plain wacky... eh eh.. cut the cord and move on. I needed to be spending my time elsewhere finding work for them.
From the company/client standpoint. They give business to 3rd party recruiters because they are understaffed to handle the needs, or the need is very niche, and they dont have a network in place to quickly find a candidate. It is cheaper to farm it out and pay 10k to have someone else find a person for me.
When companies give work to 3rd parties, it is because it is a HIGH need. The spot needs to be filled immediately. As in, every day that spot is not filled.. they are losing money as a company.
So when little johnny the candidate finally makes it in to interview.. many times the hiring manager doing the interviewing doesn't know, and likely doesn't care, where that candidate came from.
Very very very rarely will they not hire a qualified candidate just because they came from a 3rd party. As a hiring manager, would you lose an hour of your day to interview someone you had no intention of hiring?
Now, that being said... as a hiring manager.. if i tell a 3rd party recruiter to find me someone with x, y, and z and i will pay them xxx dollars... i damn well expect them to give me a candidate that can do x, y, and z.
If they send me a candidate with just x and z.. you think i am going to hire them and pay them for that? nope.
Imagine you walk into the BMW dealership to buy a new car.. you tell the salesman what you want and how much you will pay. He then delivers a car to your doorstep the next day.. except its a toyota yaris. you gonna take it and pay that BMW price?
Now as a 3rd party recruiter.. if i know my client wants x, y, and z... i sure as heck aint gonna put some donkey in front of them that doesn't have x, y, and z. that would be ridiculous. I'd ruin my reputation with that company by sending subpar candidates to them and wasting their time.
But Kniefl, you are right in a sense.. recruiters don't care about you if you are not the product they need. Most recruiters have their own niche or industry that they deal with. If you are not in that industry.. don't bark up that recruiters tree. He doesn't have opportunities for you, and won't waste the effort to go out and find some one-off job just for you. He's busy doing his job and making money like everyone else in business.
If you are hungry for a corn dog, do you go stand at Burger King and stomp your foot until they redo their menu to make you a corn dog?
No, you go to the corn dog guy down the street. Because he does that, that is what he is good at.
You need to know where you are applying to, and what you want to do. Many companies complete outsource the recruiting of certain skill sets. Many companies absolutely will not outsource anything.
But if you are a job seeker looking for work.. you need to be uncovering all the stones in the field. Bypassing 3rd parties limits your opportunities to get your name out there.. because everyone knows someone who knows someone. you'd be surprised at the contact chains that exist and how easy it is to pick up some new contacts talking to 3rd parties.
3rd party recruiters provide value to the candidate... namely because it costs you, the candidate, absolutely no dollars and about an hour of your time to sit down and talk with them and let you know what you are looking for.
As a job seeker I'd be a lot more worried about dealing with a company's own internal dirtbag recruiter than I would with a 3rd party guy.
That's a whole nother topic though.
