Handle recruiter calls with care

I recently received a call at work from a recruiting firm. They asked for me by name and told me of an opening in the same line of work in another company. They wanted to know if I was interested in speaking with them further about the job. I told them I was not interested and hung up. Now I am wondering if I should tell my management about the call and whether or not it was a setup to see if I am looking for another job. I was unemployed for almost ten months when I got this job and I do not want to do anything to jeopardize my position here. Until this call I didn't know that there were search firms that specialized in placing personnel in the food and restaurant industry. I am a chef and the restaurant that I am now with is the type of company that I want to be part of. How should I have handled this call, and others, if I ever get them in the future?

When you receive a phone call from a recruiter, handle it with care. You never know when you may need their help in the future.

Expanding your sources for new opportunities for yourself or for someone that you may need to hire in the future will be invaluable. Getting to know about search firms, employment agencies, and individual recruiters that specialize in your field can result in very effective networking.

If a recruiter interrupts you at work while you are busy just ask to call them back when you have the time.

They will certainly respect your responsible work behavior and you can call when you have some privacy. Whether you talk when you initially receive the call or call back later, always get the recruiter's name, the name of the recruiting firm, and their phone number.

It is clear from your question that you have not gotten such calls in the past and this is not surprising in an industry that has traditionally hired mostly by word of mouth or through on-the-job training and promotion from within.

As a chef, you have now reached a level in your field where recruiters are becoming interested in you both as a potential candidate and as a new resource.

The restaurant industry is growing very fast in the United States and now employs approximately 8 percent of the American workforce, or about ten million people. The increased need for additional sources of talented and trained people are creating employment agencies and recruiting firms that specialize in the restaurant industry.

It is very helpful to differentiate a retained search firm from a contingency firm. The search firms are hired by the company to fill a specific job and they are paid whether or not the job is filled.

They usually only deal with high level positions that require a minimum salary of $200,000 a year or above. Contingency firms, or employment agencies, are paid only if the job is filled by them and they therefore tend to operate at the lower end of the compensation scale.

Your concern that it may be a setup by your employer to see if you are looking is a fear that I have heard others express but it is likely unfounded. It is very rare that a company will do that and even more unlikely that a search firm would agree to fulfill such a deceptive request. Therefore, it is probably unnecessary to mention it to your management.

The actual conversation that you will have with the recruiter will usually inform you of a specific job opportunity and it is perfectly acceptable to say that you are not interested in making a change at this time. I have found that it is very helpful to ask for details to assess the recruiter's level of understanding of the profession that you are in and the industry in general.

As a follow on to your initial conversation, the recruiter will usually ask you if you know any one else who might be interested in the position.

He is marketing the job opening and you might become one of his sources. I recommend that you either give them a name, if you know someone looking for that type of job, or say that you will call them back if you think of anyone.

I will sometimes call a friend or colleague in advance of giving out their name to see if they have any interest. As a general rule it is advisable to be thoughtful in your responses and helpful where you can be, but do not spend too much time if you're not interested. Establish the necessary business connection with the recruiter and retain their name and contact information for future reference.