Dos and Don’ts for Contacting Nonprofit Recruiters

JOB MARKET

Headhunters are always looking for qualified applicants. Here are some tips for attracting the

attention of recruiters:

Make professional contacts. “Headhunters find most of their candidates through networking, and that’s also the way you’re most likely to find your next position,” says Lois Lindauer, a recruiter in Boston who specializes in filling fund-raising slots. Job seekers should join trade and professional associations, and add their résumés to the growing body of online databases that specialize in nonprofit employment — headhunters routinely search them looking for candidates.

Don’t cold-call recruiters and fish for information about openings. Headhunters generally know only about the searches they’re actively involved in. An active job seeker is likely to be far more knowledgeable about job openings than is a recruiter.

Do send a résumé and cover letter that emphasizes “recruitable” skills. Search firms are always on the lookout for good candidates and will happily add new qualified prospects to their databases. One hint: Start with small “boutique” recruitment companies that specialize in placing such occupations as fund raiser, media specialist, or financial staff. “Do a solid cover letter and highlight what you can do for them,” says Rozanne Weissman, director of communications and marketing at the Alliance to Save Energy, in Washington, who says she is routinely contacted by headhunters. “Only a small percentage of firms will bite, but if you happen to hit at the time they’re doing an applicable search, that’s great.”

Don’t get discouraged. Getting called by a headhunter can seem flattering. But those who’ve never been recruited shouldn’t take it personally. “It doesn’t mean that you’re not the best in your field,” says Ms. Lindauer. “It just means that either your qualifications are not needed for a position right now or they haven’t heard of you — yet.”