Dear Deb:

I was laid off about a year ago, and have been involved in a full time, active job search since then. I’ve been researching companies and responding to job postings. While I’ve had a number of first, and even a few second interviews, I still have not secured a job offer. Today I was contacted by a recruiter who had a unique proposal: I would pay her a fee and she would represent me in my job search, and act as my agent. She would also rewrite and “rebrand” (her word) my resume. Her fee is rather steep–$6K. While I can’t justify spending that kind of money right now, I really can’t afford to continue in this rut of unemployment. What do you suggest?

Mariska

Dear Mariska:

You absolutely should not get involved with this. This is not a recruiter, but a “personal marketing” firm. These firms charge outrageous up-front fees, and promise to find you a job. They are scams, and a fee of thousands of dollars is robbery. They don’t do anything for you that you cannot do for yourself. You would be far better served by undertaking the task of personal marketing on your own. Go to networking meetings and events. Provide meaningful, timely content to your market. Get referrals to hiring managers at your target companies. You are the best person to represent your product, which is YOU! Paying for the services of a professional interview or career coach can be a worthwhile investment, but please do not pay anyone else to find you a job. It just won’t work!

Regards,

Deb