The Most Perplexing Job Seeker FAQs
Looking for a job & confused on what to expect from the headhunter? Need help in negotiating your salary? Confused about offer terms? Job search isn’t translating to an offer? Look no further then our Job Seeker FAQs below!
If you have any other question just fill our Contact Form and we will definitely try to add the answer here to our Job Seeker FAQs.
One of the things that may get in the way of people being lifelong learners is that they’re not in touch with their passion. If you’re passionate about what it is you do, then you’re going to be looking for everything you can to get better at it.
– Jack Canfield
What Can I Expect from The Headhunter?
A headhunter is a facilitator, ensuring that you & the company understand each other. During the recruitment process the headhunter is also trying to make a judge if the two sides are a fit for each other. They will consider various parameters like capabilities, expectations, culture, attitude, etc. To do this the headhunter will-
- Take time to understand you.
- Help in making your resume more relevant & presentable.
- Make sure each party respects the other & honours basic commitments.
- Ensure two way communications and ensure both sides get answers to their questions.
- Ensure that mutual strengths are highlighted.
- More importantly ensure that weaknesses are talked over and addressed.
- Advise both sides before each interaction and help do an evaluation afterwards.
- Schedule meetings, following-up on actionable points, etc.
- Provide guidance on offer terms and help negotiate a fair compensation.
- Inform the candidate of the outcome (positive or negative) & provide some degree of feedback for the future.
- Keep in touch with you till you’re joining date. For a good headhunter you are now a lifetime source of referrals.
- A good headhunter will also keep in touch with a candidate who is not selected as a potential candidate for the future.
When to Avoid a Particular Headhunter?
Unfortunately the industry is full of untrained, inexperienced, unscrupulous & pompous people who want to “process you and/or your resume”. Danger signals to watch out for –
- A general purpose email asking for data to “process your resume”.
- No information on the company provided, only generic references.
- Asking for salary/compensation information without talking to you first on the role.
- Headhunters who make commitments (I will call you/update you, etc) but fail to keep them repeatedly.
- A recruiter/headhunter who talks down to you or disrespects you.
- You get stuck with a person who is just a mail box!
- Your resume is sent to a company without your consent.
- When the headhunter starts thinking they are offering you the job (see all the signals above).
When should I bring up “compensation” during my interaction?
Discuss this with the headhunter once both of you feel that there is an overall fit for a role. A good headhunter should be able to guide you on whether your expectations can be met by the company & should also be able to give you a broad idea of what similar jobs would pay in your industry. However please treat these only as guides, companies may be willing to pay substantially more to get an exceptional candidate on board or may not pay as much to someone else.
How hard should I negotiate on my salary & benefits?
Only you know what you expect to be paid. It is a good idea to define a range which I call “acceptable compensation”; “great compensation” & “ecstatic compensation”. Be practical & work with the headhunter who will help you & the company manage this sensitive issue while shielding both of you from a “clash of egos”.
The company has spent a great deal of time to zero in on you & they won’t let things break easily—but remember everything does indeed have its breaking point !!
Should I get all commitments in writing before I accept the offer?
Yes, as far as possible. However the company may not be willing or unable to document certain terms before the offer. In such case, you may want to summarise the open commitments in your acceptance letter/email. The ‘art’ is to present this in a way that sentiments are not hurt & it doesn’t become an issue of trust!
Seriously reconsider accepting an offer from a company which does not provide even the basic terms in writing.
Why does the company give me an “appointment letter” only after I join them?
Two broad reasons, first, candidates have been known to take “appointment letters” & then use them to renegotiate terms with their current employers. Second, you are only bound by confidentiality clause only after you join the company. The details of appointment letters have a way of getting back to current employees of the company who can get pretty upset when they find that “Johnny come lately” is going to get better paid than them!
Usually a company will give a “letter of offer” & document the salary verbally or on a plain sheet of paper to protect themselves. This is now becoming a norm rather than an exception, if you feel any doubt discuss it openly with the company to make sure there is no backtracking on the offer later.
If you have any other question just fill our Contact Form and we will definitely try to add the answer to our Job Seeker FAQs.
