Interviewing a Recruiter

Recruiters, agencies, job shops, brokers — they all claim to make your life easier by finding you work.

We advise that you not accept this promise at face value.

All middlepeople are paid by the companies whose vacant positions they are trying to fill. The vast majority, therefore, aren't your ally. For your own sanity's sake, beware the recruiter who does not understand what you can do or specifically what their client companies need. The sad truth is, the world is full of recruiters who are basically telemarketers with little respect for your career or interest in treating you fairly. We have heard (and lived) many tales of exploitation. Until technical communicators understand how best to work with these 'staffing professionals,' they'll continue to be compromised (and even abused) by most recruiters' ignorance and lack of integrity.

In the interests of improving your prospects and reducing your liability, here are some questions we strongly recommend that you ask of any recruiter with which you consider working — including Synergistech! (For our answers, see this site's Candidate FAQ.)

Questions to Ask Your Recruiter

1. How can you help me find work?
2. Will you call me with suitable opportunities?
3. How long will my resume stay active?
4. What do you expect from me?
5. What kinds of jobs do you find for your candidates?
6. How do you get paid, and by whom?
7. What's your commission?
8. Will you pay me on a 1099 basis? ¬ seriously dangerous arrangement, unless you're incorporated. Be very afraid!

Contractor-specific Questions

9. How do you work with Independent Contractors?
10. Can you work with both 1099 and W-2 contractors?
11. If you act as a payroll service and I am your W-2 employee, how long must I wait before I get paid?
12. Do you provide your W-2 employees with benefits such as direct deposit, a 401(k) plan, flexible spending account, health care, paid vacation, etc?
13. What kinds of insurance do you carry for your W-2 contractors — errors and omissions (aka "employment practices"), owned & hired automobile, general liability, workers' compensation?
14. What percentage commission do you take?
15. Do you take your commission for the entire length of the contract, or do you stop taking it after a certain point?
16. Do you make your contractors sign exclusivity clauses (so they can't work for that client except through you)?
17. Do you make your contractors sign non-compete clauses (so they can't work for your clients' competition for a certain length of time)?
18. Will you pay me even though the client may not yet have paid you?
19. If I introduce my friends and colleagues to my/our client, must they work through you?

Why Synergistech Communications?

Synergistech is a San Francisco Bay Area technical communications recruiting company created to meet workers' need for an informed, respectful, reliable ally in your job search. We do business differently — with integrity, dignity, and fairness. We keep our commission modest, pay you promptly (typically within five days of receiving your timecard), make W2-based contractors eligible immediately for full-featured 401(k) and flexible spending account (FSA) plans as well as discounted dental and vision plans, and don't make you sell your soul (through exclusivity and non-compete clauses) for the privilege of doing business with us. Furthermore, we pay referral fees for all candidates placed and all job/contract opportunities filled. We even guarantee our integrity. We handle staff employee placements and, for temporary workers, 1099- (true independent contractor) and W-2-based relationships.

Please email us for answers to any of the above questions or explore this site for details of our process, the opportunities we offer, and what we need from you in order to optimize your success.

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