Working with a recruiter or job search agency can be helpful, particularly if you are new to the job market. However there are downsides to working with a recruiter. Recruiters often use desperate job seekers to justify their own jobs and may waste your time. Do your research on recruiting agencies beforehand and don’t be hesitant to fire your recruiter if you experience anything listed below .
They ignore your career goals.
Recruiters should first assess your career goals before setting up interviews. If your recruiter is not mindful of the type of job you wish to land, it’s time to seek out other job search methods.
They belittle you and your accomplishments.
Some recruiters will make you feel inferior. They may point out your lack of experience or hint that you will have trouble finding a job. This may be a tactic to increase your desperation and stay with them for help. Don’t ever allow a recruiter to make you feel bad about your experience or education. Find a job search agency that has encouraging recruiters.
You aren’t getting interviews.
If you’ve been with your recruiter for several months but have yet to land one interview, it’s time to move on. You may choose to find job opportunities yourself or find another recruiter. Either way, it’s better than wasting your time with a recruiter that isn’t doing his or her job.
They speak badly of other job seekers.
One red flag is when a recruiter speaks badly about other job seekers they are supposed to be helping. This shows a lack of professionalism and also means that they may be doing the same to you. A recruiter should never reveal information about other job seekers.
They give you false hope.
Many recruiters will offer promises of job opportunities or even post bogus job listings just to keep job seekers on their roster. If you’ve heard about jobs that seem like a good fit but never actually gotten interviews for said jobs, it’s time to move on.
Remember, recruiters are working for hiring companies, not you. They often don’t mind wasting your time in order to appear busy or justify their own jobs. Be wary of recruiters that display any of the actions above and don’t be afraid to move on. There are plenty of recruiting companies out there and you always have the option to handle your own job search.