What Is Reverse Recruiting & Which Are the Best Companies for 2024
Are you idly waiting for employers to notice you among myriad other candidates and send you their job offers?
Why wait?
You can become the driver of the hiring process and launch it in reverse.
We’ll show you how to shift to the “R” gear and start your reverse recruitment journey with one of the top agencies from our list. Or not. It’s your call.
We’ll also drop in some thoughts and apprehensions about reverse hiring from employers and give you an alternative at the end of the article to help you decide wisely after reading it.
So, let’s drive!
Reverse Recruiting Explained
Reverse recruitment, aka reverse job hunting, presupposes flipping the employer and the job seeker’s roles.
Employers are more passive in this case compared to traditional hiring. At the same time, candidates pay a third party to find a job. It may be an independent reverse recruiter or an agency.
Unlike a recruitment agency, an intermediary hired by organizations to pave the pathway to the top talent and fill open positions, a reverse recruitment company acts as a candidates’ official representative and assists them in their job search. See how exactly below.
Benefits of Reverse Recruiting for Job Seekers
Saving you tons of time
One of the utmost perks is, of course, time-saving potential.
Did you know? An average candidate spends 11 hours a week searching for a job. Some dedicate as many as 30–40 hours/week to that!
When you hire someone to apply for jobs on your behalf, you just sit back and relax. You save precious time while reverse recruiters handle all the manual legwork in the job search logistics.
Peeking into the hidden job market
Reverse recruiting companies can delve into the deepest career realms and the densest job “forests” where your legs have never stepped. They may dig out exclusive job opportunities that aren’t advertised publicly or are still “brewing” as job ads.
For example:
An AI designer is a comparatively new AI career path on the market. Some organizations are only planning to open such a position.
Researching and answering questions about employers
- What is the company’s history?
- Is it a reputable employer?
- Does it align with your values (diversity and inclusion, social responsibility, sustainability, etc.)?
As an employer in the roofing industry, Kyran Schmidt, Cofounder at Outverse, notices that “Workplace safety is often the maxima among other values for roofing contractors searching for open positions. They may indicate it as a top-priority requirement to employers when collaborating with job search specialists.”
A reverse recruiting agency can indeed help you determine whether the employer adheres to work safety standards and settles a worker’s compensation claim, fully taking liability for injuries or accidents on the job site.
Interview coaching
Some reverse recruitment companies offer interview preparation services. They teach you how to articulate your strengths and respond to potential interview questions.
Moreover, you may conduct mock interviews with a personal career coach to gain confidence and shine in your job interview.
Networking
A job search specialist introduces you to HR managers and key decision-makers within a specific network, saying, “Hey guys, I know this candidate. It’s a person you can trust.”
Let’s take medicine and healthcare as an example.
As Thomas Medlin, Co-founder at JumpMD, puts it, “The medical profession forms a comparatively closed community of specialists. Many build their networks in medical schools and fellowships. Such a network may be tough to break into if you’re a new candidate. And if you fail to do that, a long and tedious road into medicine may await you without networking help from reverse recruiters.”
Reverse recruiting companies use all the means and connections to “sneak” you into any community or online network you wish.
Refining your resume and/or CV
Why not entrust these job application documents into reliable hands?
Reverse recruiters will brush off the dust and polish your resume or CV to perfection:
- Format it according to industry standards
- Craft compelling resume content
- Add more bullet points
- Highlight the most marketable skills
- Optimize it with keywords for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), etc.
They may also help you develop personal brand identifiers for your resume design or a branded email signature with brand-differentiating colors and fonts to insert when emailing your resume or CV to employers.
Applying for jobs and following up
Acting as your agent, a reverse recruiter is fully responsible for your job applications. Their service may include writing a spotless job application letter as requested and applying for your preferred roles instead of you.
Importantly, they also follow up with potential employers to keep your applications at the top of their minds.
Marketing your skills
Can you properly “sell” yourself as a candidate?
Well, if not, a reverse recruitment agency can assist you with that, too, by spotlighting your soft skills like these:
- Communication and presentation
- Interpersonal skills
- Leadership
- Strategic planning
- Creativity and innovation
- Conflict resolution, etc.
Now, over to your hard skills.
For example:
Suppose you know Latin. How would you market this language skill? A reverse recruiter can emphasize your academic achievements, honors, or awards earned during your Latin course or creatively write about it as a cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural competence.
Negotiating salary and benefits
Aside from sharing insights into current salary ranges and trends in your field, job search specialists and career coaches may provide guidance and support during the salary negotiation process. They will secure a fair, competitive wage and a desirable benefits package for you.
Note: It’s also possible to ask them to negotiate on individual workplace perks. For instance, in addition to a standard insurance plan offered by the employer, you may inquire about pet insurance if you have pets.
Making you a shining pearl in the talent ocean
This time, it’s as if a reverse recruiter told your potential employer:
“I assure you this candidate can become the best forward player on your team. Here’s why.” And they’d give the reasons.
For example:
A reverse recruiting agency can easily create a video resume for you to sparkle like a diamond through the power of visual storytelling. They can showcase your diploma or certificate in a spectacular diploma frame to elevate your professional look in the eyes of potential employers. Such a trick may etch your name in their memory and snag you a job.
Top 3 Reverse Recruiting Companies in 2024
Find My Profession
Best for: Those who don’t expect fast reverse recruitment (their current waitlist is approximately eight weeks)
Website: https://www.findmyprofession.com/
Services:
- Job search
- Job applications
- Networking (job-oriented, location-specific, and target company networking)
- Interview training
- Salary negotiation guidance
Cost:
The price starts at $3,000 per four weeks. Plus, they offer extra reverse recruiting services that cost additionally (e.g., resume writing for an entry-level position costs $395).
Top Prospect Careers
Best for: Executives and top performers
Website: https://www.topprospectcareers.com/
This reverse recruiting company is a family business belonging to Brad Reed and Dan Reed, two executive coaches.
Services:
- Strategy sessions for defining career goals
- Executive career coaching
- Executive resume and cover letter writing
- LinkedIn profile optimization
- Executive interview preparation
- Salary negotiation
Cost:
The price for their reverse recruiting service will vary depending on your niche, expertise, and career pursuits. However, as the website indicates, it will be a minimum four-figure sum.
My Personal Recruiter
Best for: Average job seekers
Website: https://mypersonalrecruiter.com/
Services:
- Job search and applications
- Resume + cover letter
- Placing a resume on job boards
- Practicing interviewing and negotiation skills
- Network coaching
- Improving LinkedIn profile
- DiSC personality assessment
Cost:
It is a subscription-based reverse recruiting service.
The plans are:
- Basic → $799 monthly
- Standard → $1,299 monthly
- Premium → $1,999 monthly
What Employers Think of Reverse Recruitment
It alleviates the hiring effort on the employer’s end.
For Tom Golubovich, Head of Marketing & Media Relations at Ninja Transfers, reduced hiring effort is the most distinctive advantage of reverse recruiting for employers.
“I find the reverse recruiting concept very progressive and beneficial as it streamlines hiring and eases the workload typically laid on the HR’s shoulders. Reverse recruiters do the pre-screening job, verifying whether candidates closely match the job requirements, and warm them up before interviewing.”
They can also considerably speed up the hiring process, cutting recruitment time.
It augments a candidate’s professional image (on LinkedIn specifically).
While supporting the idea above, John Baek, Founder of JSB Digital Works, also appreciates candidates who present themselves professionally thanks to reverse recruiting, particularly when it comes to getting noticed on LinkedIn. He says, “To me, LinkedIn profiles are validators of candidates’ focus on professionalism. When optimized by reverse recruiters, they not only jump to the top of search results but also capture the eye with attractive visuals and professional presentations.”
For example:
Look at the before-and-after transformation of a LinkedIn profile upgraded by RockMyResume, another reverse recruiting company worth considering.
Before:
After:
The optimized variant has a professionally appealing LinkedIn photo with a background image and an SEO-friendly headline (with keywords like “career consultant,” “coaching,” “headhunting,” etc.).
It signifies a candidate’s proactivity and seriousness about the job.
With reverse recruiting, you turn from a passive job seeker to an active or even proactive one.
It is also a sign of your strong passion for the role and sincere commitment to career building, not to mention the importance of career seriousness perceptions related to gender.
Brooke Webber, Head of Marketing at Ninja Patches, states, “Employers may unconsciously (or consciously) question women’s dedication to their careers due to societal expectations around family and caregiving ‘assigned’ to the woman by default.
And when women seek out mentorship from career coaches, their voices sound louder and more explicitly about their job seriousness, counteracting these stereotypes.”
Major Concerns About Reverse Recruiting
Reliability
How do you know that a reverse recruiting company is a trustworthy service provider, not a scammer?
Watch out for red flags and scam indicators like these:
- Unrealistic promises (e.g., guaranteed job placement)
- High-pressure selling tactics
- Lack of transparency
- Unprofessional communication
- No credentials
- No testimonials at all or fake reviews
Axel Lavergne, Founder at ReviewFlowz, also advises that you should “Double-check the reviews and testimonials on various platforms beyond the reverse recruiter’s site. Check their LinkedIn profile, Facebook Business Page, Trustpilot listing, or other digital places for genuine reviews. You may also contact reviewers (if possible) to confirm their positive experiences.”
Contract
Exploring it from the lawyer’s perspective, Jonathan Feniak, General Counsel at LLC Attorney, insists on signing a legal agreement when you hire a reverse recruiting agency. He explains, “A contract is a must-have breakdown of all terms and obligations you both agree on. It will safeguard you from misunderstandings with the reverse recruiter and prevent any legally unpleasant consequences.”
Here’s what to discuss in it:
- Duration
- Payment terms and upfront fees
- Scope of reverse recruiting services
- Deliverables
- IP rights (who owns the resume or cover letter content produced by the agency)
- Privacy and data security
- Confidentiality clause
Best Alternative to Reverse Recruiting — Job Search Automation
Here’s a heads-up for you if you feel reluctant to hire a reverse recruiter.
You can gear up with a powerful tool and do everything single-handedly! Simply automate your job applications with LoopCV. This superb job search automation tool can help you filter jobs to find your best-suitable match, auto-apply, and upgrade your CV based on statistics and feedback.
3000+ job seekers have already found their dream jobs through LoopCV.
Are you joining them?
