I’ve spent most of my career in the staffing/recruiting business. And, telling someone that they “got the job” is the best feeling. But, some job seekers are reluctant to work with a recruiter to find a job.

According to ClearlyRated.com data, the average Net Promoter Score (NPS) for staffing clients is 11% and 24% for placed candidates in 2018. For reference, global NPS standards classify 50% or higher as an industry leader. As you can tell, the staffing industry as a whole has a little bit of work to do.

On the other hand, Synergis is a proud recipient of the Best of Staffing Award for both client and candidate satisfaction for the last five years – earning us the Diamond Award status. And, our NPS has been consistently high with our most recent NPS being 64.

Part of improving the candidate and client satisfaction is dispelling the myths about working with a recruiter. So, let’s review some of the most common ones we hear.

1. Recruiters only care about the bottom line.

To us, this business is all about people, building relationships and placing candidates. Like many staffing companies, our recruiters work to build great relationships with candidates, which shapes powerful networks to connect talented individuals with great opportunities. We firmly believe that, even if we don’t have an opportunity for you right away, it is beneficial to continue developing relationships until the right fit comes along.

2. As a job seeker, I don’t want to have to pay a recruiter.

This is a huge misconception that many people have. As a result, they tend to avoid recruiters altogether. In the majority of cases, the staffing company gets paid when we put people to work – from the client.

3. My recruiter is the only source to get me a job.

A common misconception is that recruiters are sending your resume to every single role they have. That’s simply not true. We not only recruit for roles based on our client’s needs but also skill market our candidates to proactively place them. So, it’s good for candidates to stay in touch with their recruiter. Our skill-set-aligned recruiters work to carefully match candidates’ abilities to the roles we have available.

4. I’ll have better luck on my own.

Some candidates think they would have better luck trying to apply directly to jobs. But, recruiters have established relationships with hiring managers and can get a candidate’s resume into the right hands. More often than not, recruiters have a more direct avenue to help break through the clutter of job applications. I like to think of our recruiters as similar to sports agents who represent and “sell” our candidates to our clients. I highly recommend taking advantage of all the resources at your disposal – recruiters being one of them.

5. Recruiters don’t understand the jobs they are working to fill.

The belief is that the recruiter just reads off the job description but doesn’t really know the skills. That’s where niche staffing firms, like Synergis, can play a positive role and be more effective with recruiting. We speak the language of our jobs because we focus mostly on IT and creative roles. We work to understand what the different skill sets mean and how they are used at the different companies to better advocate for the candidate as well as act as a positive resource for our clients looking for top talent. Our recruiters regularly participate in classroom and online training as well as skill-based networking events to gain knowledge about the specifics of the roles they are trying to fill.

When you’re searching for a new job, working with a skilled recruiter can make a big difference. If you’re a candidate looking for a new position, check out our open positions. And if you’re a business looking to partner with a staffing firm, reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you!

About the author
Chad Steward earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in HR Management from Georgia Southern University. He began his career in technology staffing more than 20 years ago. Beginning as a Recruiter in the late ’90s, Chad worked his way into business-to-business sales as an Account Manager supporting large enterprise customers. He moved into management as the Director of Recruiting for all domestic and international Recruiting teams and then served as the Vice President of Operations and HR. Chad joined Synergis in 2017 as the Recruiting Director where he oversaw all IT and Creative Recruiting. He was promoted to Vice President of Operations in 2019, overseeing the Consultant Advocate program, technology, contracts and legal and facility management of all Synergis offices. In his spare time, Chad enjoys spending time with his wife, nieces and nephews and volunteering at church.