#JobSearch : Mistakes to Avoid for Doing your Own Resumes and Cover Letters. Great Two(2) Min Read!

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In today’s challenging economic climate, many people are choosing to create their own resumes and cover letters rather than hiring a professional to help save on the cost. This is understandable when money is tight. But you still want to present professional looking documents, free from mistakes. When you are writing your own resume and cover letters, it is very easy to make mistakes just because there are so many versions and corrections (we writers deal with this, too). Even if you are a competent writer, it still is a good idea to carefully read your work once more before sending it off to be read by the people you want to impress.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Here’s how to avoid some common mistakes in writing:

  • Keep track of grammar when changing a sentence. If you change the noun from singular to plural, for instance, remember to change the sentence structure to match.
  • Don’t rely on automated spellcheckers alone to catch mistakes. Your, you’re, their, they’re, there, two, too, and to are all words which are spelled correctly and won’t show up as an error when used in the wrong way. “Manager” was one I always misspelled as “Manger”. They are both words, so spell check never caught it. Luckily, I’m hyper-diligent about checking and rechecking how I spell Manager– plus there is a little tool in MS Word that lets you auto correct things like that, so whenever I type Manger, it automatically changes it to Manager. Awesome.
  • Avoid the automatic word-finishing features on your word processing program for the same reason. You want your brain to be in control.
  • Look it up if you are unsure. Good spellers and good writers rely on more than their memory. A popular site that helps with more than spelling is https://www.grammarly.com because it checks grammar, spelling, word choice, and style (plus, their Facebook page is informative… and snarky). It’s up to you to take the advice of the computer once the error is pointed out.
  • Take a break before rereading your work. It’s like rebooting your brain and allows you to see the piece with fresh eyes. If you have been working feverishly on something, you read it with your past efforts in mind and can fool yourself.

Of course, all the resume writing tips the pros use apply. Your cover letter and resume, along with the follow-up thank you letter, are huge indicators to the potential employer of your ability and professionalism. Everybody makes mistakes — but you don’t have to leave those mistakes in your writing. It’s easy to fix a mistake once you see it, so learn how to look for it.

FSC Career Blog Author: Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – January 26, 2021

 

#JobSearch : Wall Street Journal is Sponsoring a Free Online Job Summit – ‘Succeed in the Search’. A MUST REad for All!

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Who is hiring now? How can I shift careers without downsizing my salary? Is a one-page resume still the rule? Where do I even start my search? As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to upend the job market, the WSJ Jobs Summit will provide new graduates and workers trying to get back in the game—or reinvent their skillset—with a modern toolkit to navigate this competitive market.

Through interviews and interactive workshops with leaders across business, we’ll look at the workforce landscape from multiple angles, including:

Through interviews and interactive workshops with leaders across business, we’ll look at the workforce landscape from multiple angles, including:

  • An assessment of the job market by the numbers, and what it means for you
  • Practical, tactical advice from companies in hiring mode
  • A playbook preparing you for a productive hunt, online interviews, overcoming setbacks and effective negotiation.

 

Who Should Attend:

1- Students, New Graduates, & College Faculty

Attendees took away the practical tools and trusted insight you need to navigate this new job market as either a first-time job seeker or leader helping students transition from campus to career.

2- Mid-career Changers

For professionals taking this moment to consider a new career path, the summit offered perspective and guidance from business leaders across industries.

3- Currently Unemployed

If you’ve lost your job due to the pandemic, this was an opportunity to acquire the tools you’ll need to not only survive but thrive in this new job market.

 

Agenda: Ten(10) Sessions, attend all or attend only of your interest. See link below:

https://www.wsjjobssummit.com/agenda

 

Must Sign Up & Register:  https://www.wsjjobssummit.com/home

 

 

WSJ.com – January 23, 2021

#JobSearch : 2 Key Attributes Your Resume Should Communicate. How’s Yours? Great Two(2) Min Read!

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Your resume is a compilation of your career for the purpose of evaluation. Your resume is written for the reader. They are looking for indications you will be suitable for a specific opening, and that reader uses your resume to determine if an interview should be scheduled. Every hiring manager or recruiter will be looking for two areas, which are summed up:  learn and lead.

The ability to learn is essential no matter which position you are filling in an organization. From the top executive to the lowest rung of the career ladder, if you aren’t continually seeking to learn how to increase your effectiveness, you are dead weight. This can be shown in a resume through several means:

  • seminars and classes attended
  • organizations and volunteer activity
  • certifications

 The ability to lead is really the ability to think and act independently for the good of the group. Some of this ability isn’t going to show in a resume — having the strength of character to avoid gossip, for instance. Still, a resume can show that you have accomplished goals. The positions you have held in any organization, the time spent as a member, and the activities you participate in all show leadership by example even when they are not “head” positions. Your references will reveal what kind of person you are, which will give an indication of what kind of worker you probably will be.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

During an interview, you are assessed in the light of your resume. The impression the resume gave is adjusted to include the face-to-face interaction and the whole package is considered. Will you be able to learn the job? Will you be able to do the job well even when distractions occur? Will you be a positive force in their particular workplace? If your resume hasn’t shown that you might fit, you will probably not be called in for that interview.

If your resume hasn’t resulted in being called in for any interviews, maybe it’s time to look at it again. Does it show that you know how to both learn and lead? Is it well written? Professional Resume Services has carefully built a site with many ways to help you develop an excellent resume for distribution. Explore the tips and services and see how your resume can be one that gets you that interview and the opportunity to learn and lead in a new job.
FSC Career Blog Author:  Ms. Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

FSC Career Blog – January 21, 2021 

 

#JobSearch : 6 Things You Need To Update On Your Resume. Your Resume must Showcase How you’re Different from Other Candidates.

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When you’re job searching, a resume serves as the first impression you make on a company. Your resume needs to highlight your skills and talents and also showcase how you’re different from other candidates.

Question: How do you stand out?

Ensure it does all of that by following these six tips.

Update your job information and descriptions

If it’s been a while since you last updated your resume, make sure that any changes to your job responsibilities and achievements are reflected. Pay attention to anywhere you have written things in terms of length of time. As the calendar changes from 2019 to 2020, your two years of experience become three, so make sure to update those figures accordingly.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Get rid of anything no longer relevant

Look through your job descriptions, skills, and education fields to see if there are any points you can remove. As you build more work experience, you can start to remove things from early on in your career, such as extracurricular activities or part time jobs that are no longer relevant to your current career.  .

You should also remove graduation years or any other dates that could indicate your age. The only years that need to be listed on your resume are your employment dates. If you’ve gotten a specialized certification within the last three years, you can list the year if having a current certification will boost your chances of getting hired.

Update your skills and certifications

Add any new certifications and relevant skills to your updated resume. Be sure that everything you list in the skills section is directly related to the job or job field you’re applying to. Listing overly general skills that most people also have only takes up space and does nothing to add value.

Update the formatting

Format your resume to ensure it can easily be read by both humans and AI. The first look at your resume will likely be done by AI via an applicant tracking system (ATS), but after it passes through that phase, it will be reviewed by a person. Keep things clean and simple, and ensure that your formatting is consistent throughout the entire resume.

Change paragraphs or long blocks of text to bullet points and use an easy to read font like Arial at size 10 or 11. Put headings, jobs titles, and section descriptions in bold so they stand out during skimming. Change written numbers to numerals, as a number stands out more than a word does.

Save the file with an easy to find file name

Keep the file name simple, following this format – First Name Last Name Resume Year. This ensures that you’ll always upload the correct resume to your applications, and you can easily find it at a later date.

The file should either be a Word doc (.docx) or a PDF. Word docs are easier for an ATS to read, so when in doubt stick with that format. The advantage of a PDF is that the formatting stays consistent regardless of how it’s opened, so if you’re sending it directly to a hiring manager, a PDF is the better option. Always double check the instructions, as some systems list the file type that needs to be submitted.

Remove ‘references available upon request’

This phrase is dated, and if it’s still on your resume, it can make you look dated as well. If the hiring manager wants references, they’ll ask for them, so save this space on your resume for something that’s important.

Author:  Ashira Prossack Ashira Prossack is a coach, speaker, and former competitive athlete helping business leaders unlock their full potential through a sports-based approach to professional
…
Forbes.com | January 19, 2021

#JobSearch : 5 Ways Your Online Profiles Can Ruin Your Career Chances. Here are the Type of Topics Employers Look at when Scanning Potential Candidate’s Social Profiles.

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Social media accounts have made it impossible for people to separate their work life from their personal. Employers make a habit of googling potential candidates and reviewing their online life, often to determine whether an interview invitation will be extended. What you post could be the difference between being given a job opportunity or not. You may not think this is fair…but employers will use every technique at their disposal to decide who would be a good candidate.

With that being said, here are the type of topics employers look at when scanning potential candidate’s social profiles:

  • Vulgarity and Obscenity: People generally speak on the internet the way they speak in real life or at least that’s the way employers think. If you use vulgar language in your profiles, then employers will assume you lead a lifestyle where you speak publicly the same way. They will not want to hire someone whom they cannot trust to communicate in a professional manner.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

  • Negativity: Employers want to hire people who will keep a positive atmosphere in their company. If you are a negative person, don’t show it. Don’t post negative comments or quotes on your online profiles. When you are at work, try your hardest to be positive and upbeat. People have actually been terminated because of posting negative comments and/or making negative or derogatory remarks in the workplace.
  • Gossip: If you gossip at work or gossip about coworkers or supervisors outside of the office, you can jeopardize your current job, your chances at a promotion, and your potential for new jobs. It may be hard, but try to avoid gossiping on the internet and everywhere else. Things you say on the internet travel fast, and they stay there forever. Even if you think you have removed them, once your post has been seen by someone else, the damage is already done.
  • Overly Outspoken: If you have an extremely outspoken personality, it may cause problems. Now you don’t have to ignore your beliefs or not express them, but try to avoid “screaming” your beliefs over the internet or getting into arguments about them at work. While employers shouldn’t decide who to hire based on a candidate’s beliefs, they may have a negative feeling toward you if you are loud and obnoxious about those beliefs.
  • Hygiene and Appearance: Once again, employers cannot keep a job from you simply for how you look, but it can affect how they think about you. If you look unprofessional or you don’t appear to be clean in pictures that you have posted online, potential employers will not want to hire you because you may show up to work looking unprofessional and unclean.

Be smart with your social networking and think twice before posting controversial or negative information on your personal sites. Don’t hurt your chances of getting a great new job before the employer even has a chance to speak to you in person.

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – January 18, 2021

#BestofFSCBlog : #JobSearch -How to Take Advantage of Pandemic Conditions. Here are Three Ways to use the Pandemic to your Benefit. Great Three Min Read!

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Pandemic conditions have created difficult financial times for many people, including millions that have been unemployed or furloughed. However, that does not mean that you can’t make the best of a bad situation. If you’re currently in the job market, whether you’re unemployed or just looking for a new line of work, there may be opportunities to take advantage of pandemic conditions.

Here are three ways to use the pandemic to your benefit when searching for a new job:

Negotiate Working Remotely Full-Time 

The need for employees to work from home throughout the pandemic has shown that many people are capable of being even more productive than when they were working in an office. Some new job listings may start as remote work with an expectation that you will work from an office once the pandemic is over. However, you may be able to negotiate for a full-time remote work position.

This could save you a considerable amount of money, especially if you have a long commute or would be required to relocate for this new job. There’s also plenty of other benefits to working remotely long-term, such as a better work-life balance, less stress, and a lower environmental impact. As part of any interview process, try to test the waters and inquire about this possibility.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued … 

Move to a New City 

Some people have taken advantage of pandemic conditions in order to move to a new city. If you’re lucky enough to be working from home permanently, you may take this opportunity to finally move to the city of your dreams. You can also use a job search as a chance to start looking for work in a city where there is more opportunity in your field or where cost of living prices are lower. However, if you are considering moving to a new city for work, remember that the house hunting process is equally as important as the job hunting process. I

t’s important to browse homes for sale and find suitable living arrangements before making any kind of permanent move. Be sure to properly discuss your working and living situation during and after the interview process to ensure that the job will be a good fit. 

Take Advantage of Online Networking 

Now is a great time to shift your networking strategy online as more and more people are stuck at home. With fewer opportunities to socialize in-person, there’s a much greater opportunity to make connections with others online. One of the great things about networking online is that you can reach people all over the world, whether it’s through social media apps or virtual career fairs.

To make the most out of this experience, you’ll want to update your LinkedIn and other social profiles, as well as maintain a polished online presence. You’ll also want to keep a polished physical appearance as well. Although we all enjoy working from home in sweatpants, it’s important to look professional during any virtual career fairs and interviews.

Searching for a new job in the middle of a global pandemic is not easy. Many people are still unemployed as they continue to struggle finding work. However, you may still be able to take advantage of these conditions and use them to your benefit to gain an edge over others. Patience and proactivity can go a long way in your job search.

 

FSC Career Blog – January 17, 20212 – FSC Career Blog Author

#BestofFSCBlog : #JobSearch – How to Deal with a Termination on a Resume. Great Two(2) Min Read!

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Your employer just let you go. You need to find another job, but how should you handle your termination on your resume? The days when you signed on with a company and stayed with it until retirement are gone. In today’s climate, employers are much more understanding when they see a less-than-perfect work chronology, but you still have to be careful how and when you present a termination.

Remember, your resume is a marketing piece:  positive, upbeat, and selling yourself to a potential employer. There are many reasons someone gets fired, some outside of your control. It could be corporate politics, downsizing, or poor management. But presenting the information correctly is important.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Do not put the termination or the circumstances surrounding it on your resume. You will have a much better chance of impressing hiring managers if you deal with this question in face-to-face interviews.
If you were recently let go, resist the urge to keep your position listed as “to present” on your resume, giving the appearance that you’re still employed. You will have to explain yourself later on, and potential employers might think you tried to mislead them.

It’s a different matter if you were laid off instead of fired. In this case, you can mention the lay off in your cover letter. Employers are more forgiving of layoffs, so mentioning this might work in your favor.

Focus on your accomplishments in your resume. Your goal is to wow your potential employers by highlighting those accomplishments and skills. Even if hiring managers are wondering why you left a certain employer, your resume should be strong enough for you to receive invitations to interviews in which you can explain your situation in person.

Be sure to list all of your contributions to a previous employer, even any that laid you off. This too can be a red flag to hiring managers. Talk about your responsibilities, overall contributions to the company, and if you received any awards or special recognition. All of this will go a long way in your favor and that’s what you want.

No matter how the termination came about, you still learned skills and accomplished things at the job. Focus on these aspects when creating your resume, presenting the best pieces. But be ready to answer what you learned about losing the job as well. Being able to pick yourself up after a fall speaks to your resilience and ability to learn from mistakes.

 

FSC Career Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – January 16, 2021

 

 

#JobSearch : 5 Mistakes Job Seekers Make When Looking For A Job In Another City. Job Search Strategies Specific to Landing a Job in Another Location.

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If you are having difficulty landing a job in a different area from where you live, troubleshoot your job search. Don’t assume that it’s harder to get hired if you live elsewhere. Most of the job search process is done virtually, such as researching companies, applying to specific job listings, and some, if not all, job interviews. Even networking is mostly done virtually these days, via video or phone calls, social media and emails. You can learn about a geography and establish a presence there without necessarily living there.

Therefore, if you’re serious about landing a job in a different city from where you are now, don’t let the distance stop you. Start your job search, taking advantage of the many virtual tools at your disposal. That said, there are job search strategies specific to landing a job search in another location (you can see 10 tips here).

In addition, you want to avoid these five common mistakes job seekers make when looking for a job in another city:

1 – Overlooking your current employer as a possible option

If you’re employed, your current employer should always be considered an option, and that includes when you’re relocating away from the employer. Explore a remote option. Transition your status to consultant, if they’re adamant that all employees must reside within the home state. Ask if there are subsidiaries of the company where you can transfer. Even if you have already tried this before and your employer declined before, ask again — you might be able to renegotiate.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

2 – Not casting a wide-enough net for employers

If your new target location has less diversity of employers – say, only one Fortune 500 company – you’ll have to expand your perspective on possible employment. Look at the Fortune 1000. Consider a regional office of a larger company. Look at smaller companies – Inc magazine profiles the fastest-growing private companies, and some of these are not yet household names but show impressive numbers. Consider non-profits and municipal agencies to broaden your search outside of the private sector.

3 – Not having – or sharing – your relocation plan

As a job seeker coming from the outside, employers worry that you’re going to ask for relocation reimbursement. Or that you won’t be available right away. Or that you don’t really know the area, aren’t really committed and could leave if you get here and things don’t match your plans. These are reasonable worries for employers because hiring costs time, energy and money (recruiter fees or simply opportunity cost of their internal recruiters hiring you instead of someone else). Employers don’t want to risk or waste their resources on an outside candidate who may not work out. Therefore, you have to anticipate these objections and counter them before they become an issue. Let employers know you already have relocation covered (if you are indeed not planning to negotiate for this). Share your start date. Share your excitement for the new area. If you sound like an insider, you make it easier for prospective employers to say Yes.

4 – Relying on general, instead of local resources

While I mentioned that your research can be done virtually, it doesn’t mean relying on national or general resources. Tap local colleges, the area chamber of commerce and local chapters of alumni and professional associations for the most relevant and updated news, trends and leads. You want to know what industries are thriving, which specific companies or organizations are growing and hiring and what local initiatives might be happening that impact investments made into the area.

5 – Limiting your networking to people you KNOW are connected to the area

People hire people, so all job searches should focus on reaching out to people for information, leads and openings. For a location-specific job search, don’t limit the people you network with to the ones you are sure are connected to that location. We can never know who or what people know – your next-door neighbor may have grown up in your new target location, may have studied or worked there, or may have a best friend who is still there. Check your entire network, not just the obvious suspects or people you can remember. Do a search on LinkedIn for your connections and your target city or state as a keyword, not just location – this way, you catch people who might have moved away.

Even though much of the job search can be done virtually, it helps to make yourself available in the new location.

With an increasing amount of work being done virtually, living in the same city as your job is becoming more optional. However, that doesn’t mean that employers won’t prioritize candidates who are local (see number 3 for all the reasons). If you can get to your new location, it helps to let employers know you’ll be there. They may want to meet live and may put you on their schedule since they know you aren’t there all the time. At the very least, it shows that you are serious about the location. Even if you don’t meet live, telling employers you’re coming over is another point of contact and keeps you top of mind.

 

Forbes.com – January 13, 2021 – Caroline Ceniza-Levine

 

#JobSearch : Networking is a Critical Part in Finding Your Next Job. If you Didn’t Understand the Importance of, or Need for, Networking Before 2020, you Probably Do Now!

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I can say that 2020 was an unprecedented year that hit many of us where we work! The number of people unemployed for at least part of the year is staggering. For some, that unemployment became permanent. Job searching through online vehicles became more important than ever, with social distancing and lockdowns in place.

If you didn’t understand the importance of, or need for, networking before 2020, you probably do now!

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Depending on where you are in your career, here are some aspects to networking for you to consider:

  • Start early. If you’re fresh out of college or if you’re trying to get a foothold in a new career move, the sooner you start making those connections, the better off you’ll be. Reach out to classmates or find student chapters of professional societies. It is easier to maintain relationships that you already have than to start out cold. If you’re freelancing, cultivate more connections whenever you possibly can, from fellow freelancers or from your clients themselves.
  • Choose wisely. Unfortunately, a down job market also brings the scammers and fly-by-nighters out of the woodwork. They know that there are job seekers (and sometimes clients) who are bordering on desperation. They might be out to take advantage of you, or they might be looking for a pawn to help advance a cause of some sort. You don’t want that hung on you, so tread carefully and make good decisions.
  • Cast a net wide. Don’t limit yourself to just your field or to people with tastes, interests, or skills to your own. It’s easy to make this mistake and to just have associates that are in your “comfort zone.” What happens if your industry takes a nose dive? You will need to consider pivoting to something new, and those connections in other fields can be an asset. Remember that the wider your network of people, the more resources you can have to fall back on if things go sour.
  • Quid pro quo. Networking is a two-way street. If there’s anything you can do for your associates in return, whether it’s job referrals, professional references, or anything else, don’t hesitate to do it. It will pay off for you in the long run.
  • Go online. Make a plan to utilize your social media to network with potential connections every day. LinkedIn is the #1 professional networking site, so ensure your profile is up-to-date and set for recruiters to find you.

With record numbers of job seekers vying for every open position and hiring managers overwhelmed with resumes, this is a challenging time to be in a job search. That’s why networking is even more important today than ever before.

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog |  January 12, 2021

 

How to Work With Headhunters…. Important Note -Headhunters Work for the Company that Hired Them, Not for You. (i.e. Not there to ‘find’ you a job)

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What is a headhunter?

There is a distinction between headhunters and recruiters. Headhunters tend to be more singularly focused on filling a particular role and actively seek out the perfect person for the job, whereas recruiters tend to work on multiple jobs at once and rely more on candidates finding them. “You’re going out to find people. You’re not waiting for them to come to you,” says Matt Clarke, managing director at recruitment firm Blackwood Associates LLC. “There are some people who are more proactive and there are others that are reactive. It’s more about the proactive approach.”

A headhunter usually tries to convince a high-performing worker to leave a job for a competitor, according to Mr. Clarke. “You’re recruiting someone out of their current seat based on a referral or knowing that they’re good in their current space.” This can be more challenging than trying to find a role for someone who is looking for a new job. “They’re happy and you’re motivating them to make a move.”

A headhunter usually tries to convince a high-performing worker to leave a job for a competitor, according to Mr. Clarke. “You’re recruiting someone out of their current seat based on a referral or knowing that they’re good in their current space.” This can be more challenging than trying to find a role for someone who is looking for a new job. “They’re happy and you’re motivating them to make a move.”

In brief:
  • Headhunters work for the company that hired them, not for you.
  • Talk to the people in your network to track down who is recruiting for particular roles.
  • Build a rapport and offer help to headhunters for benefits down the line.
  • Know which headhunters to avoid.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Do headhunters focus on people who are mid-level or higher?

Not necessarily. While some headhunting firms specialize in filling C-suite jobs, others fill jobs that require less experience. “It spans where you are in your career. It’s really more about your company’s focus,” says Mr. Clarke.

Headhunters don’t work for you, they work for an employer.

Headhunters primarily work with companies looking to fill a position. If you aren’t getting a call back from a headhunter, you are not alone. A headhunter’s focus in most cases is to devote his or her time to the client, not a job seeker who isn’t an active target. “Most recruiters work for companies that are paying them to find candidates,” says Stacey Staaterman, a leadership and career coach based in New York. “So, what’s most important for people on the job-search side is that they need to be sensitive to the fact that they’re not the first priority.”

Why would a company hire a headhunter?

Companies hire headhunters for a variety of reasons. “It could be that it’s a messy situation, so they need a recruiter to sell it,” says Roy Cohen, a career coach and author of “The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide: Success Secrets of a Career Coach.” Another reason could be the seniority of the role. Mr. Cohen says that recruiting for a very senior-level position, such as a division president or chief executive, can be a heavy lift and companies may prefer to use a headhunter with the expertise to find the ideal person from a “large universe of potential candidates.”If you are contacted by a headhunter, it helps to ask tough questions about why the role is open, because some of those reasons might not be positive for a candidate. “Be careful what you wish for when you do work with a recruiter. It could be they’ve been hired because the situation is one that has been problematic,” says Mr. Cohen. “Maybe there’s turnover, maybe the boss is a screamer. There could be all sorts of reasons they’ve hired this recruiter.”

How to find a headhunter to work with.

Since most headhunters are looking at a fairly small pool of people, you may have to get creative to get yourself on their radar. One way is to triangulate the jobs they are trying to fill by speaking to people in your own network in similar roles. “It’s about networking with people who work in the field that you’re looking for a job, because it’s likely that if you’re talking to people who are in visible positions in your field, they will have received calls from recruiters,” says Mr. Cohen. Find out who the headhunters are that are targeting them. There is often a virtuous cycle of people referring headhunters to their contacts when they themselves are not interested in positions.

You may need to tell people you trust in your network that you are open to talking to headhunters. Mr. Cohen says that this strategy is preferable to emailing several recruiters en masse.  It is useful to develop a relationship with a headhunter that might pay off later. If you happen to be contacted by one for a position you have no interest in, think about how you might be able to help him or her with a solid reference to someone else in your own network. “I always tell people if they’re looking, identify a few headhunters that you can establish a bit of a rapport with so that they kind of know you and stay in touch,” says Ms. Staaterman. “Don’t be annoying—be helpful. If you’re not right for a position, give the headhunter a few names. That always creates goodwill.”

What are headhunters looking for and what are their motivations?

Headhunters look for high-quality candidates—who in most cases are already employed—and try to convince them to leave for a better job. Usually, they are trying to meet specific requirements from the company that hired them to fill the job, but sometimes they may look for less obvious candidates who might be an interesting wildcard. “There is a growing interest in having nontraditional candidates on the candidate list,” says Ms. Staaterman. “The term is a ‘cultural add.’ It’s essentially trying to bring something different into the organization,” she says. “Thanks to companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, we have more awareness [that] having a diversity of thought, for many companies, is a good thing.”

How disreputable headhunters can harm you and how to avoid them.

You need to be smart about which headhunters you are willing to work with, says Mr. Clarke. You should make sure they are not trying to hire you for a job that someone else left due to an unresolved problem, such as the work culture or bad management. You also need to avoid working with headhunters who aren’t thoughtful about the jobs they submit you for. “If they’re just sending your résumé around to different firms—let’s use banks, for example—some headhunter gets your résumé, or some recruiter gets your résumé and they’re not professional, [or] good at what they do, and they start sending you around to different companies without telling you where your résumé has been sent in, that can absolutely crush your chances of getting jobs at certain places,” says Mr. Clarke.

WSJ.com | January 8, 2021 |  and