Do You Need a Recruiter or an Agent

Do You Need a Recruiter or an AgentDo You Need a Recruiter or an AgentThere are too many names to keep track of recruiter, agent, headhunter, executive recruiter, search consultant. Which is which? And most importantly, which is right for your job-search campaign?Do you expect your recruiter to be your agent? If so, you have confused an executive recruiter and an executive agent.There is an unmistakable distinction The two professions are paid by, loyal to and representative of separate parties - employers or job seekers.That means they may have different priorities and opposite interests in the same recruiting transaction.Recruiters find people for jobs.Executive recruiters, often called headhunters, stay in business by satisfying the mandate of their corporate client, the employer. They find appropriate prospects to fill an open position. They are leid outplacement specialists. They dont create new jobs or find spots for individuals.Executive recruiters are paid by employers to id entify and attract new talent that exactly matches the employers specific requirements. Their role is to source the perfect candidate and manage the applicant pool. Thus, executive recruiters guide the recruiting process by limiting a candidates access to company insiders with hiring authority.Executive agents find jobs for peopleExecutive agents are consultants who work for the candidate. Similar to the agents used by models, actors and athletes, executive agents are paid by job seekers to find them a job. They can provide services, including personal coaching, mentoring, representation, confiding and scouting to help land you a job. Executive agents can be long-term partners or retained on a short-term basis to advise on a job-search campaign. They can charge clients by the hour or project, but most often take a percentage of your annual compensation as their fee. Like executive recruiters, they typically focus their practice on a particular industry or functional discipline.The d ifference?It all comes down to who is paying the bill. Executive recruiters put their client first the hiring company. Executive agents put the candidate first they evaluate situations from the personal perspective of the executive.If you are running a straight-and-narrow job search where you have close ties to prospective companies or industries and are making a linear career move (such as director of marketing to VP of marketing), an executive recruiter will probably work fine. Those most likely to appreciate and value an executive agent are executives who are running more difficult searches where the candidateDoes not have a network, or known contacts are not generating leadsRunning a high-stakes campaign search must be confidential, discreet and sophisticatedRe-entering the workplace from a sabbatical or early retirementChanging career or industry needs new, targeted inside contactsHave limited time and restricted availability for networking and researchingHas a job-search prog ress stalled and needs diagnostic to remove barriersNeeds sharper focus and consistent execution of the right strategySeeking a hands-on partner Can I hire anyone to job search for me?If any of the above applies to you, then an executive agent may help your career. Remember to inquire which font of recruiting party someone is. The answer will tell you a lot about what information they are privy to and where their incentives lie.