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Looking for recruiter recommendations

1,474 Views | 9 Replies | Last: 2 mo ago by idCareerMatch
AgLA06
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AG
Anyone have suggestions for a recruiter that focuses on working on behalf of job seekers and not just companies looking to fill jobs? I'm in Houston.

I've been in my current director of operations role 5 years. I've been managing a family of small businesses grossing $15M ish on the owner's behalf managing the day to day and people responsible for everything but sales (the owners expertise). This includes procurement, accounting, logistics, inventory management, customer service, quality control, coordinating production with suppliers, and managing all staff. It's time to look for the next opportunity as the owner has decided to understandably coast to retirement after the last 4 years of Covid and subsequent industry changes instead of moving forward with expanding the company as I came aboard originally to do.

I went through my LinkedIn connections and must have had several hundred recruiters on there that had connected or reached out on behalf of opportunities that didn't match my experience or skill set during my career. After culling it down to a handful in relevant segments, none seem interested in working on my behalf and advise they only focus on the opportunities they have in hand which generally don't align with my experience or skill set.

I have an MBA and my background is project management, product line / business unit management, and now small business management across 17 years of experience primarily in the commercial design / development and O&G industries. Title isn't as important to me as finding a good opportunity that pays the bills and is a good fit with my experience.

My passion is business strategy and planning, but it appears most corporate roles require consulting experience at a big 4. Managing project managers, program management, product line manager, operations director have been the types of roles I've been targeting, but not being a PE or having IT / technology experience seems to limit those opportunities. So open to suggestions.

And in case anyone is thinking of suggesting buying the company, that's not an option. I don't have the cash on hand to do so and as the companies are primarily brokerage / trading companies based on the owner's contacts and not tangible products with a competitive advantage or reliable future supply. A silent partner is the sourcing / supply lead and financial backing and after having a conversation with him, he's also set to retire and doesn't want to continue the business or bring someone in to manage it for him as he doesn't need the money. For those reasons and the fact the company wouldn't have a valuation justifying an SBA loan, it's time to move on.

While I'm glad I was able to facilitate their retirement, that leaves me looking for the next opportunity.
Petrino1
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AgLA06 said:

Anyone have suggestions for a recruiter that focuses on working on behalf of job seekers and not just companies looking to fill jobs? I'm in Houston.

I've been in my current director of operations role 5 years. I've been managing a family of small businesses grossing $15M ish on the owner's behalf managing the day to day and people responsible for everything but sales (the owners expertise). This includes procurement, accounting, logistics, inventory management, customer service, quality control, coordinating production with suppliers, and managing all staff. It's time to look for the next opportunity as the owner has decided to understandably coast to retirement after the last 4 years of Covid and subsequent industry changes instead of moving forward with expanding the company as I came aboard originally to do.

I went through my LinkedIn connections and must have had several hundred recruiters on there that had connected or reached out on behalf of opportunities that didn't match my experience or skill set during my career. After culling it down to a handful in relevant segments, none seem interested in working on my behalf and advise they only focus on the opportunities they have in hand which generally don't align with my experience or skill set.

I have an MBA and my background is project management, product line / business unit management, and now small business management across 17 years of experience primarily in the commercial design / development and O&G industries. Title isn't as important to me as finding a good opportunity that pays the bills and is a good fit with my experience.

My passion is business strategy and planning, but it appears most corporate roles require consulting experience at a big 4. Managing project managers, program management, product line manager, operations director have been the types of roles I've been targeting, but not being a PE or having IT / technology experience seems to limit those opportunities. So open to suggestions.

And in case anyone is thinking of suggesting buying the company, that's not an option. I don't have the cash on hand to do so and as the companies are primarily brokerage / trading companies based on the owner's contacts and not tangible products with a competitive advantage or reliable future supply. A silent partner is the sourcing / supply lead and financial backing and after having a conversation with him, he's also set to retire and doesn't want to continue the business or bring someone in to manage it for him as he doesn't need the money. For those reasons and the fact the company wouldn't have a valuation justifying an SBA loan, it's time to move on.
While I'm glad I was able to facilitate their retirement, that leaves me looking for the next opportunity.


You're basically looking for a career coach. You can pay a recruiter to try and help you out, but they can't guarantee you a job. it'll be a waste of money. Truthfully, you're better off doing it on your own.
Hoyt Ag
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AG
Quote:

Truthfully, you're better off doing it on your own.
Agreed. No disrespect to the recruiters on here, but I have had way more success on my own that trying to find one or using one. I think in certain fields they are more useful, but in some, they are not. Best of luck.
AgLA06
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AG
Hoyt Ag said:

Quote:

Truthfully, you're better off doing it on your own.
Agreed. No disrespect to the recruiters on here, but I have had way more success on my own that trying to find one or using one. I think in certain fields they are more useful, but in some, they are not. Best of luck.
I have in the past as well.

My current role is making that pretty difficult as I can't really use my network like I normally would. I'm in the position because of a common network with the owner. We're on the same Rodeo Committee and volunteer at the same charity. So I've basically made it so I can't blast out and utilize much of the profesional / personal network I have as our networks are way too interwoven. He would know the second I flipped LinkedIn to open to work or put anything out there to a lot of my connections because someone would say something.

I've started reaching out privately to those I know we don't have in common, but outside of that I'm basically reduced to browsing for jobs online. I basically compiled a list of my connections, their companies, and their career pages and made a weekly schedule to look at all as well as search LinkedIn jobs. Any other suggestions?

I get taking this job put me in this position, I just never expected our lives to be this meshed if I had to look elsewhere when I took this job a half decade ago. That's why I thought a recruiter might be the way to go here. I just haven't found one that seems to make sense yet. TexAgs is the one community I know doesn't cross paths and thought I'd reach out for suggestions.

My network has led to jobs most of the time up to now. Job searching / applying seems to have really shifted in the last couple of years. I'm not convinced my applications / resume are ever even considered as I've applied to a dozen jobs that seemed like great matches and heard nothing.
Hoyt Ag
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AG
You seem to be doing everything right, now it is a matter of prayer, patience and diligence. I have been passively looking for a while and doing similar things as you, but nothing yet. I have had one offer in the 4 months of looking, and I turned it down because of the joke of PTO they offered and would not negotiate on. I have a good job now, make great money and have a lot of time off. Time off is important to me, more than the compensation, so when you offer me a Director level role and offer 2 weeks PTO which includes sick time, you can offer someone else. I am not going to settle on any new role. I manage power plants and previosly cryo/lean oil plants. I just got promoted and will probably stay in this role till 2028 when coal is phased out of CO unless something great comes along. I havent found many recruiters that deal in people like me in operations. I am sure there are some, but it is few and not like the plethora like tech or sales. (sorry for rant)

I wish I had more advice, but I would pray on it and just keep doing what you are doing. I would turn on Open to Work to recruiters on LinkedIn. Make sure your profile is clean , up to date and has key words on it so they come up in searches. If you see who is looking at your profile, reach out to get your name out there.

Quote:

because someone would say something.
That shows thier character and I wouldnt associate with them further. Pretty low class, in my opinion. If someone wants to better themself, support them. Dont be a jerk and a narc.

Best of luck.
Petrino1
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AgLA06 said:

Hoyt Ag said:

Quote:

Truthfully, you're better off doing it on your own.
Agreed. No disrespect to the recruiters on here, but I have had way more success on my own that trying to find one or using one. I think in certain fields they are more useful, but in some, they are not. Best of luck.
I have in the past as well.

My network has led to jobs most of the time up to now. Job searching / applying seems to have really shifted in the last couple of years. I'm not convinced my applications / resume are ever even considered as I've applied to a dozen jobs that seemed like great matches and heard nothing.


It's a tough job market at the moment. A dozen applications is really not much at all. When I was unemployed I used to apply to 12 jobs per day! You're likely competing with tons of other candidates who have more experience than you. Just keep applying and be one of the first to apply.
AgLA06
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AG
Hoyt Ag said:


Quote:

because someone would say something.
That shows thier character and I wouldnt associate with them further. Pretty low class, in my opinion. If someone wants to better themself, support them. Dont be a jerk and a narc.

Best of luck.
Thanks.

Let's just say there's a relative of the owner who collects a nice allowance for an fancy empty title that would fit that mold. And I'd be lying if that person wasn't part of the reason it's time for the next step of the journey.
AJ02
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AG
I might need a recruiter soon myself. Just started layoffs at my plant today. I work in O&G.
Jmaham
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AG
I recommend you read the book 2 Hour Job Search by Steve Dalton. His method shows you how to reach out to people at the companies you're interested in, so you wouldn't be hitting people in your existing, overlapping network. (There's a lot more to the process but it is very well structured, IMO. And you can join his group on LinkedIn where he answers questions from people using his method)
idCareerMatch
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AgLA06 - I have a job board that is specific to some of the industries it sounds like you have experience in. While I'm not a head hunter/recruiter, I am helping people every week make connections and land new positions. My site is www.idCareerMatch.com, check it out, and feel free to reach me directly as well, kbinkley@idcareermatch.com
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