Why are so many “Career Coaches”, Recruiters, and Resume Writers Scheisters?

A struggling stock market, high rate of unemployment, and worldwide corporate cutbacks in employee headcounts seem to have brought out both the worst in some people.  This is particularly true in the professions related to job seeking. 

Everyone has his/her own reasons for becoming a recruiter.  Some are lured by the prospects of high commissions that are tied directly to the quantity of people they convince to take jobs.  These people typically care more about making the “sale” rather than ensuring that the person is the best person for the job and that the job is the right fit for that person.  We all know these recruiters.  They are smooth talkers who share plenty of great things about the company/opportunity but never disclose the drawbacks – and every opportunity, no matter how great, has drawbacks.  They are too busy to take your calls and emails and do not listen to your individual needs/desires.  Job seekers should RUN from these people.  Most of us in the workforce spend more time at the office than we do awake in our own homes!  Changing jobs is a BIG decision!

Secondly, career coaches are popping up from nowhere! Unfortunately, many of them are self-proclaimed experts.  Their job is to provide advice and unfortunately often do not provide tangible results.  Most professionals don’t want advice and fluff to make them feel good.  They want results – how do I find a job?  Can you introduce me to people in your network?  What are the honest things that I can do to improve my marketability? What is your honest opinion of my interview answers and interview skills?  Are my presentation and communication skills as solid as they need to be?  What am I saying or not saying that may be costing me the offer?  These tangible pieces of advice and assistance can help greatly in your job search and career.

Lastly - resume writers.  I have heard so many stories about people spending thousands of dollars on resume writing services.  My question is WHY?  It is absurd to spend that much money on a resume!  A good resume writer should never charge more than $200 for the resume and no more than $100 for the cover letter, unless there is a very compelling reason to charge more.  A good resume writer’s job is to correct your grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc while also ensuring that the wording on your resume conveys your skills in the most impressive manner possible.  Your skills and credentials are yours and no matter how great the wordsmith is, the facts do not change.  Now, wording is important! Your resume is your first impression and shows your communication skills, so using powerful words and details such as percentages and dollar figures are very important.

Here is my advice to ensure you aren’t “taken” by a scheister.  Ask to see credentials.  Does the person have a professional website?  If they don’t care enough to invest in their own presentation, how are they going to help yours?  What are their credentials?  Do they have experience in recruiting?  If not, how do they know what employers want to see on a resume?  Who is actually doing the work?  If you hire a professional resume writer, who will be writing your resume?  Will it be the former recruiter that you spoke with or will it be someone who is being paid $10 per hour to take your resume and put it into the format that the resume firm has provided.  Some firms are like sweatshops – the people writing the resumes have no experience and no idea what employers want to see.  They care more about “fluff” and being a wordsmith.  If your resume resembles an English paper with the accomplishments complete separate from the positions at which you accomplished them, they might as well be in a separate document.  Employers want to see at which job you accomplished each item.

Lastly, how successful has the person been in their career?  Were they laid off or fired from their recruiting job?  Is that the only reason they are now “career coaches”?  I was in the top 12 nationwide for my former employer.  I made the decision to leave recruiting because I felt that I could genuinely help people more if I spent my time consulting, writing resumes, and providing networking assistance rather than cold calling. I do what I do to HELP people.  That’s why my fees are reasonable – I’m not looking to become rich off of my clients. And there are many others like me – we care about people and provide tangible results.  We are committed to your success!  We have a LONG list of referrals.  But, unfortunately, there are those who are simply looking to take advantage of job seekers.

Not all recruiters, career coaches, and resume writers are scheisters!  The old adage “You don’t know what you don’t know” stands true. I would not do my own taxes or attempt to fix my own car – neither task lies within my expertise.  Hiring the right recruiter, career coach, or resume writer can give you a significant advantage over others.

Do your own research and you won’t be “taken” for your hard earned money.