A recruiter can be a useful part of your job search and career. Yet there are some myths about recruiters that prevent people from using them: they can charge you, a percentage of your first year salary goes to them for finding you a job, or you should only use one recruiter for your job search. These statements are all untrue. If a recruiter is charging you, the job candidate, for their services, go elsewhere. The employer pays a recruiter a fee to find viable candidates. This fee is based on a percentage of your first year income, but it is NOT deducted from your income. And, no you do not have to only use one recruiter for a job search, or stick with one recruiter throughout your career. Recruiters like to make you think so, because you as a trained and experienced candidate, represent a continuous source of fees for them. You may find it useful at first, to sign up with several recruiting agencies or even use an in-house recruiter, until you know who will do the best job for you. But how do you know which type of recruiter to use?

There are on-campus recruiters for students. There are recruiters at staffing agencies and executive search firms. There are also in-house recruiters who are employed by companies. At first glance, it seems like you would choose the type of recruiter based on where you are at in your career. While this is true, there are other factors to consider. Students, for example, would be smart to participate in on-campus recruiting. Agency recruiters will rarely work with graduating students because companies will not pay for finding newbies in their field. But not all companies participate in on-campus recruiting, so students need to seek out in-house recruiters, as well.

If you are a contractor, with specialized and in-demand skills, a staffing agency recruiter or executive recruiter may work the best for you. You do not want to get locked into one agency, though. This can limit your contract opportunities and earning potential. Many contractors who do not hold American citizenship will contract their services through a recruiting agency who will sponsor them on an H1B visa. These types of recruiters can do a great job representing you, contacting you about jobs that are not advertised, and negotiating compensation packages for you. What they cannot do is ensure that you are the first candidate presented when in-house recruiters for the position have found candidates as well.

In-house recruiters tend to present their candidates first, over candidates found by external recruiters. That is the advantage to using an in-house recruiter. Sometimes they also have an enhanced understanding and insider knowledge on the job for which you are applying. But while it may be to an outside recruiter’s advantage to get you the highest compensation package – remember, their fees are based on a percentage of your salary – inside recruiters are rewarded for keeping the compensation package in-line with company guidelines. So while you may be the first candidate presented, you may end up with a lower compensation package. This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you have been laid off, or are trying to get your foot in the door at one of the larger companies. It then becomes an issue of compensation vs. career development. You have to decide which one you will choose.

Whichever type of recruiter you use, they should work for you, helping you to get a job and furthering your career. They should NOT send your resume out to companies without your permission. You should insist on knowing where your resume is headed every time. But the bottom line for them is virtually how much money they can make from placing you and orchestrating your career, so you may find some recruiters sending out your resume and not telling you. This is not ethical, and shows that they do not have your best interest in mind.  Yet recruiters are not career counselors and should not pretend to be. They can advise you on which jobs and career paths to take, but they do not help you with career exploration, and rarely have time to help with job issues such as on-the-job racism or sexual harassment. However, if you keep a recruiter’s role in perspective and use their services correctly, they can be a powerful career tool for you.