How to Work With a Recruiter

Because many of you will work with a recruiter at some point in your job search, I interviewed a recruiting professional to give you a better idea of what to expect. How can a recruiter help you? How much (if anything) does it typically cost? These are some of the questions I asked Mike Duthoy, president of Diversified Employment, Inc., a Twin Cities employment firm.

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Kevin Donlin (KD): Mike, what does a recruiter do?

Mike Duthoy: Typically we call scores of people and do phone interviews to see where they live, what they've done and what they want to do. We want to see what they can bring to the table for a prospective employer and what cities they would want to work in. And we want to determine the candidate's goals to make the best long-term fit.

At the same time, we serve as a liaison and talk to good, growing, ethical companies that care about their staff and want to limit turnover. We want to line the best people up with the best companies to make a good fit.

KD: How much do you charge the job seeker?

Duthoy: We don't charge candidates, but we are looking for commitments from people. We want to ensure they will stay with the company where we place them for a long time.

There are recruiters who charge job seekers, but not many. This reflects the market right now, which is stacked in favor of people looking for jobs. We charge the companies we work with, but we're cost-effective in that we save them a great deal of time by sending them only those candidates who can do the job. So they get good people faster, with little time spent interviewing unqualified people on their own.

KD: Why should I work with a recruiter? What are the benefits?

Duthoy: First, it'll save you time. Second, if you're currently employed, you don't have the time to conduct a thorough job search, so we can act as your eyes and ears. To this end, we'll even interview you at night so you can go about your business during the day. Third, we're really a store front of job openings. Candidates can call us and learn about jobs in privacy; we're totally confidential. Fourth, we offer our Personnel Profile Assessment, which can help candidates find and market their strongest skills, to ensure that they're doing the work they enjoy most.

KD: What areas of employment do you specialize in?

Duthoy: We focus on small- to medium-sized growing businesses. This really benefits the job seeker because right now, small business is where most of the new jobs are being created. And keep in mind these are permanent, full-time jobs with benefits and growth potential. We're not a temp agency!

Diversified Employment, Inc. (DEI), based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, offers services in recruiting, job p1acement, profile assessments and other areas. For more information, please call 612.546.8255.

-- Kevin Donlin is the author of "The Last Guide to Cover Letter & Resume Writing You'll Ever Need," a do-it-yourself manual that will help you find a job in 30 days ... or your money back. For more information, please visit http://www.CollegeRecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php