Types!
Yeah, we're not a monolith.
You ever have something that’s, a thorn in your side, a bee in your bonnet, or as Peter Griffin would put it, ‘a gear to grind’? Consistently over the course of my career I’ve tried to articulate certain employment philosophies that I hold dear. Except that, usually, I get blank stares and coworkers slowly walking away thinkin’, “okaaaaay crazy person, have a nice day”.
Then, also consistently (or so it would seem), I find a post that articulates said ‘thing’ that I’ve been harping on with little to zero of an agreeable audience, suddenly breaking through the collective psyche.
Alright, alright - I’m exaggerating. But only kinda. Adam Grant consistently does this. As do countless other Substackers, LinkedIners [LinkedIn-ers, LinkedInners, LinkedIn-what the heck do we call these people?!]
Tangent refocused: few years back, I read a longform post by a guy (Dominic Joyce) speaking to the various types of Talent Acquisition professionals that exist and how each operate given their different mandates and accountabilities….
𝗜𝗻-𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲
Embedded into companies internal HR functions. These Recruiters are employed and paid by their respective employer and only work for them. Their goal is to hire roles for their company and them alone. Often they’ll hold a number of job vacancies ranging in seniority and/or function. They’ll often support in other areas around employer branding, recruitment marketing strategy and driving DE&I initiatives and many more. Paid a higher salary than agency Recruiters, generally no commission structure but can earn performance based bonuses.
𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆
Employed and paid by a Recruitment Agency, but enlisted to find candidates and hire roles for external companies. They’re paid a base salary and earn commission on every role they fill at companies with one of their candidates. Commission is often uncapped and increases in % with the fees they bill based on a number of metrics/targets. Their main focus is finding candidates for roles they’ve been given by external companies. They MAY engage with you if you message them looking for work depending on your approach and the quality of CV, experience and communication.
𝗠𝗦𝗣/𝗥𝗣𝗢
These are employed and paid for by a company, embedded within a specific external company to support with their hiring strategy, targets and objectives. Kind of like agency, but posted in one external company for a set period of time to support hiring projects.
…. the last one’s referring to ‘Managed Service Providers’ and ‘Recruitment Process Outsourcing’ companies.
Now I’d deviate from part of the messaging, that some Recruiters have a different sense of hustle than others etc. and will respond to your unsolicited DMs and emails. We’re not a unified front, this is true. But we can and should all hold the line on the nature of the Recruiter/Job-Seeker relationship. Mainly how communication should flow, from application submission → being selected to move forward → Recruiters getting in touch, once formalized interest is in hand.
“Matt, are you saying you…. you ghost people?”
100%. If you’re not in my network and you reach out, it’s not rude. It’s business. It’s very simple. It’s actually, intentional integrity. It’s, dedicated inclusion in action.
It’s all about equitable treatment. If I meet with John and not Joan for a role inquiry, what’s my excuse? True inclusion would be meeting with all, not some.
How many hours in the workday do I have? 6½. If you see a Recruiter’s LinkedIn messages this mode of operation will make sense REAL quick.
-Matt