Let’s start at the beginning. When it comes to recruiters, there are generally two types. There are internal recruiters, and there are external recruiters.
Internal recruiters work for a company’s human resources department. If you applied for a job online via the company’s website, you will most likely interact with an internal recruiter. They screen candidates to see who might be a good fit for the job. They will ask basic questions, such as, “Why do you think you’re a good fit for this role?” They are also tasked with asking you the tough questions, such as, “How much money are you looking to make?” An internal recruiter also helps to coordinate the interview schedule. And, at the end of the process, they are often the person who will present the winning candidate with a job offer.
External recruiters work outside of the company that is hiring. They typically work for a large recruiting company, such as Robert Half, or they may work for a small boutique firm. External recruiters help companies to source candidates for hard to fill roles, and executive roles.
Internal recruiters are paid directly by the employer as a full time employee. In other words, they receive a normal salary. External recruiters are typically paid a commission when they make a placement. This percentage can vary, but it is somewhere in the ballpark of 25 percent of the candidate’s base salary.
An internal recruiter will typically help their employer with all sorts of roles. An external recruiter will often specialize in certain types of roles. For example, as a hiring manager myself, I once used an external recruiter that specialized in web analytics roles to find a web analyst.
Recruiters are not really working “for you.” This is something external recruiters may tell you as a candidate to build the relationship. But, don’t be mistaken. Their loyalty is to the employer. Also, recruiters aren’t fighting to get you the very highest pay. They are fighting to make a sale. The extra few thousand dollars you are asking for will only make a recruiter a few hundred dollars. It’s more important than they make the sale, than getting the highest price.
Note that no recruiter will ever ask you, the job candidate, for money. If a recruiter asks you to pay for anything, this should be a red flag that they are not legitimate. Walk away from any recruiter asking for money to revise your resume or to represent you to employers. There are plenty of legitimate recruiters who will help you for free.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
