Working with a recruiter can be a powerful tool in your job search strategy. Let's look at some of the ways recruiters benefit job seekers:
Benefit #1: You get a "cheerleader" and "promoter"
If a job candidate fits the needs of a recruiter's client, the job seeker will gain someone to promote his/her skills, experience and value to the employer. If you're a "good match" the recruiter will help the employer understand why you may be a good fit for their company and the job opening.
Benefit # 2: You will have less competition
The hard part is getting through the door of the recruiter and getting on their list of "qualified candidates" for jobs that are available. But once the recruiter has determined that a job seeker is a good match for the employer's job opening, the job seeker will be competing with a smaller pool of candidates than if they were simply applying directly to job posted on a general job board. Oftentimes jobs posted online or even in newspapers receive hundreds or thousands of candidate resumes, while generally recruiters only give employers the candidate resumes that best fit their requirements, resulting in less competition for those who make the cut.
Benefit # 3: Recruiters share valuable information
Many recruiters share valuable information with candidates who have made their "qualified candidates" list. Because of their ongoing contact with companies in the legal industry, recruiters have up-to-date information about industry trends, compensation, company culture and the new must-have skills that employers are looking for.
While recruiters are an important part of every job search strategy, a successful strategy includes networking, applications sent directly to employers and an ongoing search through offline and online sources for job opportunities.