We recently sat down with Meag Ventura, Senior Managing Director of Executive Search in our Boston office, to debunk some common myths about using recruiters and working with staffing firms.

Using a recruiter costs money

From a candidate standpoint, using a reputable recruiting firm in your job search should NEVER cost you money. Recruiters offer a free service to their candidates and represent their candidates to the best of their ability at no cost to the job seeker.

From an employer perspective, yes there is a fee for recruiting services. Employers hire and pay recruiting firms to find qualified candidates to work for their organization.

Recruiters only care about money & their commission

Here at CFS, we not only care about providing our clients with great candidates but we also strive to find our candidates’ positions where they can thrive and grow. Recruiters are consultants to both our candidates and our clients. We work hard to find opportunities for people and aim to create long-term relationships with both our clients and candidates.

It’s easier to find a job on your own

Recruiters spend a lot of their time communicating and networking with people. Their network is expansive and using a recruiter allows you to tap into that network. Employers utilize recruiters to fill their open positions because they know they have a network of qualified professionals who are always looking for great job opportunities.

In addition, recruiters have opportunities to jobs that have not been posted online yet. More often than not, they work directly with the hiring manager. Once on a recruiter’s radar, your job application has a much higher chance of getting into the right hands and escaping the “black hole” of applications that hiring managers don’t see.

Interviews with recruiters are not real interviews

Interviews with recruiters ARE real interviews. They may be a more relaxed type of interview, but they are still important. During these interviews, recruiters have the opportunity to see candidates for who they really are. They can dig into your background, understand what you want in a job, and get to know you beyond your resume. By taking these interviews seriously, you gain interview experience as well as preparation and advice for future interviews.

Salaries tend to be lower when you work with recruiters

Your salary is not reduced when you work with recruiters. In fact, your salary could actually be higher since the recruiter is negotiating on your behalf. Recruiters are very knowledgeable of market and salary trends, which makes them extremely qualified for every salary negotiation. As a reminder, recruiters negotiate more than just your salary, they will also advocate for your health benefits, time off, etc. Recruiters work hard to get you the salary you deserve.

Remember: Recruiters are people too. Our job is to help our candidates and our clients to the best of our ability.

Searching for a new job? Contact one of our expert recruiters today and let our network work for you!