HELP US HELP YOU!

"Help me help you ... HELP ME HELP YOU!" Who can forget Tom Cruise's impassioned plea to Cuba Gooding, Jr. in the hit film "Jerry Maguire?"

While the desperation and exasperation exhibited by sports agent Jerry Maguire in this scene stirred a mix of both sympathy and laughter, the plea itself is fundamental to success in working with any agent or recruiter.

In the games industry, there are a number of ways in which an employer and a job seeker can help a recruiter help them.

#1. Be Prepared

When initiating a job search, being prepared is the first critical step to success. 

For an employer, this means knowing what roles need to be filled immediately as well as what positions are upcoming, and working with a recruiter to engage prospective candidates for both current and future openings. Providing comprehensive job descriptions is an important first step in preparing an agency to recruit effectively ... and a job seeker on what will be expected of them. 

In addition to thoroughly describing the position, duties, and qualifications, job descriptions need to offer a prospective candidate insight into the culture, growth, and contributions they can anticipate in joining a company. Since most job seekers today are looking for stable and financially rewarding environments where they can learn and grow both creatively and professionally, it is important for …

… companies to articulate through recruiters -- or directly -- what they can offer candidates instead of just qualifying candidates for their positions.

For a job seeker, being prepared means having an updated resume, references, and demo materials ready to go, and being mentally and physically prepared to go through the interview process. The resume is the company's first impression of a prospective employee and is the document used to initially qualify a candidate for a position. So it is crucial to make sure that one's skills, experience, and accomplishments are clearly defined and presented in the resume. A good recruiter will assist a job seeker to insure that any ambiguities or inconsistencies are cleared up before a resume is submitted to a prospective employer.

It is equally important to have current references and demo materials available since most companies will need to see work samples and/or speak with prior supervisors or co-workers before conducting phone or in-house interviews.

Many employers are also administering tests to verify and validate prospective candidates' skills, regardless of years of experience. While these tests can sometimes be tedious and time-consuming, they aren't meant as an insult; there is simply too much at risk for companies not to make sure they're hiring the right person.

Finally, it is important for a job seeker to be committed to the job search process which includes making time for phone interviews, tests, and traveling for in-house interviews. A good recruiter can help coordinate and facilitate these often mentally and physically draining endeavors but, ultimately, the job seeker must be prepared to follow through.<P>

#2. Be Flexible

In today's highly competitive job market, it is becoming increasingly risky to have preconceived notions of the ideal candidate or perfect job. An employer needs to be more flexible and open to considering candidates who meet the major qualifications they are looking for or who have translatable skills and a strong interest in working on the types of products they develop.

Candidates are often judged solely by their previous employers or products without regard to the fact that very few companies produce AAA products all the time. Realizing that there are really good developers in every studio … and being flexible enough to invest some time to find out who they are … can often expedite the recruiting process.

Employers are often too quick to request that candidates take lengthy tests prior to having any sort of communication with them. Being flexible enough to take 10-15 minutes to talk to a promising candidate and quickly assess their qualifications prior to administering a test can save a tremendous amount of time in the long run. It not only helps establish a personal connection with the candidate -- which can make a difference when trying to close that candidate later on -- but it also gives the candidate an opportunity to verify that the position is a good fit for them as well. If the conversation goes well, candidates are typically more willing to take tests. If it doesn't, then no time was lost testing a candidate who wasn't going to be a good fit anyway.

A job seeker must also be flexible when looking for a new opportunity because it is impossible to find the perfect career without thoroughly exploring one's options. Passing on potential career opportunities based solely on rumor or conjecture without finding out firsthand what a company may have to offer could actually prevent one from finding the perfect career.

It's important to understand that most good recruiters present job opportunities based on their knowledge of a candidate's skills and experience in the context of what their clients are looking for. By being flexible and open to allowing a recruiter to submit your resume and information to a company for which they feel you are a good fit could mean the difference between a frustrating job search and finding a great career.

Besides, there is no implied obligation in agreeing to explore an opportunity further, and it never hurts to find out firsthand what other companies may have to offer.

#3. Be Communicative

Good communication is probably the most important way in which employers and job seekers can maximize recruiting success -- or maximize success in working with recruiters. An employer who provides comprehensive feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of candidates who have been submitted for review or interviewed help recruiters better understand the company's needs and that aids in conducting more refined candidate searches. Consequently, the results achieved for an engaged, communicative client are substantially greater than those for a client who provides little or no feedback.

Similarly, a candidate who provides comprehensive feedback throughout all phases of their job search often experiences better results than one who is less communicative.

From the initial job pitches to the offer stage, a recruiter can be a highly effective facilitator and negotiator, but only if they know what the job seeker likes or dislikes about particular opportunities, what questions or concerns they may have preceding or following interviews, and what their interest level and compensation requirements would be regarding a particular position.

As is the case with any relationship, success depends on both parties working together effectively. Whether you're a job seeker being represented by a recruiter or an employer utilizing one, “Help us help you” by getting prepared, being flexible, and being communicative!