*This post is part three of a three part series: 6 types of recruiters you should know.

If you’ve been following our three part series the 6 Types of Recruiters You Should Know, then you’ve already learned about Internal Recruiters, Executive Recruiters, Contingency Recruiters and Contract/Temp Staffing Recruiters. In the last post in the series, we will review the final two types of recruiters. If you’d like to review the first or the second parts to the series, you can click on the links provided.

6 Types of Recruiters You Should Know – part three

Consulting Firm Recruiter

Consulting firm recruiters are similar to staffing firm recruiters in that they provide talent on a contractual basis to their clients. This talent usually comes from a higher-skilled background such as technology, finance, marketing, engineering, etc. There are two very different types of consulting firms; those that keep a “bench” of talent and those that do not. Typically, smaller consulting firms do not keep a bench of talent and operate more like a staffing firm, but there are exceptions.The larger consulting firms such as the Accenture’s, Cap Gemini’s, McKinsey’s of the world, have consultants who are typically of a regular-status employees of the company. These consultants do not working through a third party and are paid a salary whether they are on assignment with a client or not. Larger firm’s consulting employees usually have it written into their employment agreements that they cannot be hired away by the clients with whom they work. Smaller consulting companies who operate more like a staffing firm the consultants can be hired away and work under a contract-for-hire employment agreement.

Advantages of working with a Consulting Firm Recruiter:

• High profile. Working for an industry recognized consulting company has its benefits. Consultants are often highly sought-after as these employees have gone through rigorous screening to make the cut and have many years of experience and expertise in their field
• Direct-Hire roles. Firms that keep a bench of talent have consultants who are employed by the company, take direction from the company, and partner with the clients while on assignment
• Varied work. At the larger firms, contractual assignments can last for a few weeks, or a few years depending on the project. Travel to and from the client’s site may or may not be required. In some cases, the work can be done remotely from a home office

Common Pitfalls:

• Not doing your homework. Working for a consulting company is a unique working arrangement; you’ll be balancing the expectations of your employer and the expectations of the client. Couple that with other job expectations such as travel, ongoing professional development and more, it can lead to job burn out fast. While this work is rewarding, it can be very demanding. Understand what the commitment is before accepting any offer
• Lacking credentials. Here’s the thing, many consulting roles require both experience and a degree (or multiple degrees). Sometimes you can forgo having multiple degrees or a degree in favor of in-depth experience built over time. For new grads, having a degree/degrees from a top school can work in your favor as well. If you have none of the above, getting through the initial screening process may be tough if not impossible; especially if you’re being compared to candidates that do meet the job requirements
• Failure to evolve. Just because you have years of experience and multiple degrees doesn’t mean you should sit on your laurels. The clients of consulting firms pay for expertise that they do not or cannot fulfill themselves. To stay competitive in the market and viewed as a relevant hot commodity in the eyes of consulting recruiters, ongoing learning and networking within your field is key

Outplacement Recruiter

The unsung heroes of displaced workers every where, outplacement recruiters are hired by companies to provide job search assistance to individuals impacted by a job loss. Some of the services they offer can include resume review and preparation, interviewing assistance, LinkedIn review, networking advisory and career coaching.

Advantages of working with an Outplacement Recruiter:

• They’re an invaluable resource at your exact hour of need. You’ve been recently displaced and your now former employer has offered you the services of an outplacement recruiter. There’s no better time than the current to get going on landing a new job
• They want you to succeed. Outplacement recruiters help hundreds of people each year and part of what makes their job so great is being able to truly help someone when they need it most. After they’ve spent time working with you, the best call they can receive is from you telling them you’ve landed another job that’s perfect for you. They define success by the number of people they help transition smoothly
• A cheerleader and a coach. They’re not there to let you dwell on what was, but to focus on what is to be. Part cheerleader and coach, they are going to be there as a resource while you put in the work to reap the reward of a new job

Common Pitfalls:

• Turning down their help. Going through a unplanned job change can be traumatic for anyone and many employers do not offer this invaluable resource to displaced employees. Outplacement recruiters are there to help you get you prepared for your next opportunity and past the loss of a job
• Using them as your sounding board. Outplacement recruiters are hired by their clients who may also be your former employer. Though it may be tempting to use them as your sounding board, don’t. Keep all conversations professional, there’s no need to rehash what happened. Instead, focus on moving forward. This signals to them that you’re ready to start a new chapter and put in the time/effort to get there
• Not putting in the work. Their job is to help you land your next opportunity, not give you a job. Landing a new role takes preparation and work. As many job-seekers know, finding a job is practically a full-time job on its own. Outplacement recruiters are there as a resource, but it’s your responsibility to do the work required to land your next job

We hope that no matter where your career takes you, that you'll build a relationship with some or all of the 6 types of recruiters that we've discussed. These professionals can help take your career from where you are to where you want to go.