from Maureen – Part 5 Hidden Job Market Series

Published: Sun, 01/27/19

Dear

This month’s blog post focuses on recruiters and why relying on them is like putting your eggs in one basket.

Why Relying on Recruiters Solely is like Putting Your Eggs in One Basket

Tapping into The Hidden Job Market Part 5

“Don’t Do It!” is a phrase I seldom say – to adults, at any rate. People who know me professionally have described me as a positive person, encouraging in my approach, and optimistic in my outlook.

But (and it’s a big but…)
There is one subject that makes me want to stamp my feet, find a cupboard door to slam and shout, Don’t Do It!

It’s this: Among people who are considering making their next career move, there is this constant, ever-popular, misleading, misapprehension that a recruitment firm is somehow going to target you in one of their stealth searches, airlift you from your current circumstance and then safely parachute you into your next executive position.

Stop thinking that! Please. The chance that it will happen is so slim as to practically be of mythical proportions. Listen – there are a number of reasons that many, many top-level executives have never been in the position to search for a job before and it’s a detrimental myth to perpetuate. There is no one-stop shop for those seriously engaging in a job search.

In fact, the efficacy of getting hired through a recruiter stealth search is about 1=3%. Pretty low, right? And so you ask, why do I continue to include Stealth Search by Recruiters as a point of entry into an executive position on my Hidden Job Market infographic?

Good question. The reason is because for a very, very small percentage of executives a recruitment firm can deliver. (It is an avenue to explore but it should never be the only avenue.)

As I wrote in a blog article on when to work with recruiters a few years ago, recruiters can be an important partner for your job search under the following circumstances: