Periodically, I’m asked to answer a question submitted to the Arizona Republic newspaper by readers of its Career Builder section. The answers I provide are featured in the “Ask The Experts” column of that section. Following is a recently published Q & A.

Question:

“The company I worked for recently closed their doors, and for the first time in my 20-year management career, I need to look for a job.  Recruiters I’ve talked with want $5,000 to tell you how to dress and talk – that’s not a placement service!  Are there recruiting firms that really do recruit and don’t play games?”

Answer: 

Yes, there are recruiters out there who really do recruit and don’t play games. In fact, they won’t charge you a thing.

Many reputable recruiters are paid by the employer for whom they are recruiting qualified candidates. Often times the employer will contract with the recruiter to fill a specific job. That’s the case with Phoenix Staff (www.phoenixstaff.com), a local professional placement firm. According to Gina Nelson, a Phoenix Staff Senior Recruiter, in addition to active recruitment, candidates are coached to successfully present themselves to prospective employers - at no charge to the candidate. Gina says, “If a recruiter asks for a dime, walk away.”

In some cases where a candidate doesn’t have an appropriate resume, the recruiter will refer the candidate to a resume writer to assist with that. In that case, the candidate would pay several hundred dollars at the most, which is much better than $5000.00.