I got a call from a recruiter claiming their firm is the biggest and the best, etc. he then claimed the job boards only show 20% of the job market. He also asked me if my job search was taking longer than I expected, etc. He didn’t give me a high-pressured sales pitch. Still, it doesn’t sit right with me that I should pay…and not the employer he’s so sure he can get me in with. Sounds upside down to me!
He’s pumping a dry well here, don’t you think? What would you do? Granted, my benefits will run out in a few months, but…
Personally, I’ve never paid for job placement, and probably never would. The recruiter is right that boards show very little of the market, but if I were you, I would use free recruiters, then network instead of trying to find a job through a paid recruiter. Sign up with all the free headhunters you can, and try to find networking events that fit your field. Put together some business cards with your contact information (you can even print them at home if you need to, though business cards are pretty cheap to have done professionally), and hand them out to people you meet at networking events, letting them know you’re looking for a job. Of course, don’t be pushy with the cards - talk to the people first, show interest, find out what they do. They’ll ask what you do, and then you can let them know you’re looking for a job in your field. Then go from there. But I would strongly advise against using a paid recruiter, especially if you have experience in what you do.
You’re looking for a job in mechanical engineering? Here’s a mechanical engineering association - American Society of Mechanical Engineers. If you google “Mechanical engineer association,” you should be able to find more. Look for one with a chapter in your area.
Also, find out what firms are in your area that might need a mechanical engineer and check out their web sites. Most larger businesses are required to place jobs on their web sites even if they have someone internal in mind.
If you’re not looking to be a mechanical engineer, you can find associations related to virtually any field.
Here is how I see it. When the company pays a recruiter to find a person, they know the recruiter will try to match what the company needs. Thus, making it easier for the company to find the right person.
When you pay the recruiter, they aren’t receiving any money from the company. Therefore, they will, at best, simply blast your resume to every possible opening.
I say, don’t pay. You might google the name of the recruiter to see if they’re the focus of complaints.
