The Gatekeeper (and 3 other roles that recruiters play) by Kay

Some job seekers don’t fully understand a recruiter’s role. They view recruiters as getting in the middle of their job search, preventing direct contact with the hiring manage(s) for available positions. Well this is actually true and these job seekers are going to have a long and frustrating search for their next job, because the vast majority of companies now use recruiters almost exclusively to facilitate the hiring process. These are 4 roles that recruiters play:

·         Corporate Representative

·         Gatekeeper

·         Educator

·         Negotiator

Corporate Representative

Whether you like it or not, the recruiter is the company’s representative to the talents available. We are the “faces” of the company at events, job fairs, social networking, etc. The title “Recruiter” has changed and been given multi-layers in order to promote the benefits and advantages of working for company they represent. This evolution of change is an effort to attract the best and brightest job candidates. Recruiters’ responsibilities have grown tremendously role as the job market has become more and more competitive. Some industries, where diverse talented candidates are difficult to find, the recruiter’s job has taken on many characteristics of a marketing professional, trying to “sell” the talent on the company and get them excited about working there, regardless the reputation of the company.

Gatekeeper – Recruiter

The Gatekeeper source screens and submits you—the talent. This is particularly important to remember when you receive a phone call as the recruiter usually has the opportunity to speak with talent and learn a bit more about you and your interest. One of the biggest mistakes the talent can make is to be dismissive or impatient when speaking with recruiters. This is a very poor choice, as the recruiter will consider personal interactions with candidates as one factor in whether or not to grant an interview.

Educator – Recruiter

The Educator holds important information and knowledge of job opportunities. They can provide important details and insights about specific jobs and responsibilities, as well as provide a good overview of the company culture and what to expect when employed. The recruiter is also a source of information about salary, benefits and other aspects of overall compensation, which can be very important indeed when considering more than one job offer.

Negotiator – Recruiter

The Negotiator often is in the position to negotiate the specifics of job offers. They partner with hiring managers to ensure salary ranges are appropriate based on internal and external facts, and may also act as the primary negotiating contact for salary issues. Many companies, the hiring manager has to gain the approval of the recruiter in order to extend an offer or alter the terms of the offer extended. Bet you didn’t know that one!

Common Thread

The recruiter who plays each of these roles will vary from company to company. They may divide some of these responsibilities with fellow colleagues or HR partners. Either way, no candidate can afford to dismiss or ignore the role of the Gatekeeper. So if you hope to have a successful job search you may want to think twice about how you interact with a corporate recruiter.