In this career‑advice video, Natalie Fisher answers a viewer’s question about why contacting recruiters often yields no results. She outlines three key considerations for anyone using recruiters in a job search. First, she describes the “recruiter fallacy”: recruiters make candidates feel valued and promise opportunities, but many disappear after the initial conversation, leaving job seekers waiting in a black‑hole of unanswered resumes. Second, she stresses personal ownership, arguing that outsourcing the job hunt to a recruiter is like delegating laundry to a teenager – the seeker must roll up their sleeves and drive the process themselves. Third, she recommends cutting out the middleman by reaching out directly to hiring managers and industry contacts via LinkedIn, email, or personal introductions, noting that recruiters work for the hiring company, not the candidate, and therefore are never a candidate’s top priority. Throughout, she mixes practical tips (how to contact managers, a link to a related video) with a personable, informal tone, and ends with calls to engage via comments, email, and her website.
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Okay, today we have a question from one of our readers, and she writes, I've been sending my resume into job postings and talking to recruiters, but I don't seem to see anything happening from it. I feel like I can't wait forever for the recruiters, but when I speak to them, they seem really committed to helping me at the time, but nothing comes from it. What's your experience with recruiters? Wilhelmina. Great question, Wilhelmina. There is a lot of controversy about recruiters. And I have a lot to say on this topic. I actually have a good friend who's a recruiter, and she even says she hates recruiters. So if that doesn't tell you something, I don't know what does. In this video, we're going to talk about 3 things to keep in mind if you're working with a recruiter, whether or not you should work with a recruiter in your job search, and what to watch out for when you are working with them. So stay tuned. So the number one thing I want to bring up is the recruiter fallacy. So I think that the reason why people spend so much time speaking to recruiters instead of getting into their own job search and taking matters into their own hands is because recruiters make you feel really, really good. They'll tell you everything that you want to hear, and they'll make you feel like they are 100% committed to you, and that's all that they're working on. And they tell you that it's no problem and that they help people like you every day, and they make you feel really, really good. They tell you all the things they can do for you and they promise you the sky. Then, after your initial conversation with them, you might not hear anything back. Not all recruiters are alike. This is just the repeated situation that I've seen happen over and over again with my friends and my clients and my family members. So, a word of caution to you, be prepared for that to happen. If you are working with recruiters, don't be surprised if nothing happens after your initial chat. You have to pretend that it's like sending a resume into the black hole, or you're just sending it into another website. If you don't hear back from them, don't count on anything happening. Number 2, if you want something done, do it yourself. Don't confuse outsourcing with making actual progress. So when it comes down to it, you're in charge of your career and your life. Outsourcing your job search to a recruiter is like outsourcing a task But you're really the only one who truly cares about the task. And the person you've entrusted with the task really hasn't come through for you before, so you're a bit wary of whether or not they're going to get it done. It's kind of like outsourcing laundry to a teenager. Chances are, and you know this is true, you are going to have to roll up your sleeves and get it done yourself. Now, there are exceptions to every rule. If the stars line up, something could work out with a recruiter and they could get you a great opportunity. But you can't rely on it. You have to take your job search into your own hands. When it comes to your career, you're the one who's always going to care the most about it. So with that, I leave you with: if you want something done, do it yourself. You can't go wrong. Number 3: What can you do instead of working with recruiters? So you will notice that one thing that you'll hear a lot that all career coaches, good career coaches, have in common— I know because I've studied almost all of their work— is that contacting hiring managers and experts directly is the most successful way to go. This puts you in full control of your direction, either via LinkedIn or via email or by personal introduction at an event. The recruiter is essentially the middleman, so the middleman that makes the big bucks if you end up getting hired. So if you can make that contact directly, You're way better off than going through a recruiter. Another super important thing to keep in mind is that the recruiter is working for the company, not for you, because that's who's going to pay them. They're working for whoever's going to write them that big fat check, and since that's not going to be you, that means that you will never be their number one priority. So with that said, I say cut out the middleman and go straight to the source. If done right, companies and hiring managers want to hear from you. Check out my video on what to do if you contact the hiring manager and they send you right back to the HR pit. I got the link right below this video. So if you're worried about that, I've got you covered there too. And that brings us to the end of this lesson. I hope it gives you some insights into the recruiter scene. Feel free to click the thumbs up If you like this video, or click the thumbs down if you didn't like it. Now I'd love to hear from you. What has been your experience working with recruiters? Do you agree or disagree with me on this? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below. Don't be shy. If you have a question for me, email it on over to natalie@asknataliefisher.com, and I read all my emails. You can also visit me at my digital house and ask a question there, NatalieFisher.ca. If you'd like to keep in touch, subscribe to this lovely channel or head on over to the website where you can sign up for the exclusive insider's list to get information about salary conversations and strategic networking, any career questions you might have from real people. I've been answering one every week for a while, and anything that involves you getting ahead in your career. So click the link below and go for it now. Do you know one person who could benefit from this information? If so, help someone out by sharing it with them. And remember, the current way in which most of us look for our ideal jobs these days is super weird, and it doesn't really work that well. But I know you can outsmart it. I know you have what it takes, and I've got you covered. I will see you next week, and I can't wait. Okay, I think I'm gonna try to film that entire video again, and then you can just take the best take. Either by LinkedIn or by email or by a personal introduction, the recruiter is always going to be the middleman. So the middleman can get you to the hiring manager sometimes, but if you can get there yourself, that's way better. My dog is having a bad dream, and she won't leave my side. So, oh right! So these are my new glasses. What do you think, Allison? If you're watching there, bench. Allison's my sister. Might be a bit dirty, actually. We gotta wash those. I've always been wondering what I should call this YouTube channel. Natalie TV? I was thinking of Natalie TV because it kind of rhymes. Natalie TV. Career Lifeguard TV because I'll jump on and save you if you're drowning in a horrible job. Leave a comment below and let me know. Peace out. Peace out.
