This document discusses different types of recruiters and provides tips for interacting with them. There are three main types of recruiters: corporate recruiters who work directly for companies; retained executive recruiters who have contractual partnerships with hiring employers; and contingency recruiters who are only paid if a candidate they submit is hired. The tips advise understanding the job criteria recruiters are looking for, communicating as you would with a hiring manager, and understanding recruiter specifications before pitching your candidacy.

1. Candidate tips for Interacting
with Recruiters
Spano Pratt
Different types of recruiters
by: Rose Spano Iannelli, SPHR
Partner, Spano Pratt Executive Search
rspano@spanopratt.com

2. Different Types of Recruiters
● Corporate Recruiters are “in house re-
cruiters” which means they are working di-
rectly for the hiring employer company.
Working on many jobs which are probably dissimilar
in nature
May conduct a cursory overview in order to deter-
mine if candidate will be passed to hiring manager
May be a temporary or contract employee

3. Different Types of Recruiters
rd
●
External Recruiters, also known as 3 par-
ty recruiters, are separated into two cate-
gories:
– Retained Executive Recruiters
– Contingency Recruiters

4. Different Types of Recruiters
● Retained Executive Recruiters are representing
an employer in a partnership arrangement under
specific contractual arrangements.
– Retained Recruiters represent the opportunity and in-
terest of the hiring employer organization
– Retained Recruiters will work with very specific and
tight job specifications and typically are retained for
senior level positions
– Retained Recruiters are committed under contract to
research the marketplace according to the assign-
ment

5. Different Types of Recruiters
● Contingency Recruiters are paid only when the
hiring company agrees to hire one of their candi-
dates. The fee is therefore “contingent” upon a
hire.
– Contingency recruiters will likely work only on
those jobs most likely to be filled
– Typically contingency recruiters are working with
a large volume of positions to choose from

6. Strategies and Tips for
working with Recruiters
● Understand that the recruiter is shopping
for a specific set of criteria
● Understand as best you can what the
specs are prior to pitching your candidacy
● Communicate with the recruiter as you
would a hiring manager as you are being
assessed in all of your interactions