August 22, 2001

Right for the job?
Chicago Tribune; Chicago, Ill.; T Shawn Taylor;

Ever try to fit a square peg into a round hole? Smooch Reynolds, president and CEO of Repovich-Reynolds, a Pasadena, Calif., executive recruiting firm, says that describes some headhunters work. They're in a hurry to collect their fee, so they shove a candidate into a job that doesn't fit.

Reynolds, author of "Be Hunted! 12 Secrets to Getting on the Headhunter's Radar Screen" (John Wiley & Sons, September 2001, $16.95), said a conscientious headhunter will be as considerate of the job candidate as the client, will return calls promptly and answer all your questions.

To avoid getting linked up with a "body broker," Reynolds said the job seeker should learn as much as they can about the search firm.

"Put on your private investigators hat and inquire about things like `How long have you been in business?' Ask about their philosophical approach to a search," Reynolds said.