Dear CareerBabe...

Dear CareerBabe:

I'm in sales and marketing. How do I find the right recruiter? Do I want a retained or contingency person? What’s the difference and do they every charge me rather than the employer?

Signed:
Recruiting a Recruiter

Dear Recruiting:

First of all, all reputable recruiters are paid by employers, not candidates. Retained recruiters work on higher level searches; contingency recruiters work, generally speaking, in the $35K to $150K salary range and are only paid upon completion of a search., and it’s generally useless to just mail your resume into a recruiting firm without knowing somebody specific within the firm who could be interested in you because they’re working on something where they could place you for money.

To find out more, go to Computer Currents and read two recent articles: "Recruiting the Right Recruiter" and "Searching for the Right Executive: How to hire a professional search firm."

Whether you need a recruiter or a career counselor, the BEST referrals are via word of mouth from someone who has been in the same situation. Presuming you don't know anyone personally who can become either "your" recruiter or "your" career counselor, then the next best way is going to the career center or alumni organization of your college or university.

Wishing you the best!

CareerBabe accepts no responsibility for specific decisions of individuals and advises each individual to seek specific advice on their specific situation from qualified professionals.