Hiring a Recruiting Service

Why Recruiting Services May Not Be Effective

For a fee ranging from a couple hundred dollars to over $3,000, you can pay to have a recruiting service promote you to college coaches. They usually send a one-page profile and a highlight video to every school they feel is a good match. This could be several hundred schools or every school in the country. The problem that coaches find with most recruiting services is that the person doing the evaluating is not credible, nor is it someone they personally know or respect. The evaluators tend to exaggerate your ability and project what level you can compete at by classifying you as a D-I, D-II, or D-III. Categorizing athletes like this is flawed because the level of competition at each school varies so much within each division. In addition, the services bulk mail these profiles, so they are not personalized. This can be annoying for coaches.

Coaches feel some of these services can be a waste of money and that they take advantage of athletes. It’s your job to do comprehensive research. Understand that receiving questionnaires or camp invitations from coaches after using a recruiting service does not necessarily mean you are being recruited. Ask questions like the ones below before you commit financially.

Questions to Ask The Recruiting Service Before You Register

• Who evaluates me and does he have a financial interest in how he rates my skills? In other words, is he a salesman or a scout? (An unbiased evaluation has the most credibility with coaches.)
• Can you guarantee me a scholarship? (This is impossible to do.)
• What kind of expertise do you have in my sport?
• Did you personally go through the college recruiting process?
• Can anyone use this service or do you have to possess the ability to compete in collegiate athletics? (The best services only accept athletes with college potential.)
• Can you provide the names and phone numbers of three athletes from my area who have used your service?
• What percentage of the athletes who use your service receive interest from college coaches?
• Have any coaches offered scholarships to athletes as a result of your service?
• Will you send my profile and video in its own envelope? (If it’s sent with hundreds of others, it will not get the attention it deserves.)
• How many athletes receive no response even after all your promotion? (An honest service will tell you that most athletes do not receive interest from college coaches.)
• Do you offer a money-back guarantee?
• Which college coaches endorse your service?

What To Look For When Selecting A Recruiting Service

Choosing the right recruiting service to represent you to college coaches could mean the difference between
continuing your athletic career or hanging up your uniform for good. Here are five criteria you should consider when choosing a company:

1. Evaluators
   Who is grading your skills? It is extremely important that a knowledgeable and respected coach writes your evaluation.
2. Business History
   How long has the company been in business? Are they an unproven start-up or have they been around for a while?
3. Enrollment Procedure
   Does the company represent any athlete who will pay its fee, regardless of ability? Make sure the service you choose limits enrollment to only athletes with college potential.
4. References
   Are they willing to provide names of athletes’ parents you can call who have used their service in the past? If not, look elsewhere.
5. Track Record
   How many of their past customers competed in college? Did any receive scholarships? Also, don’t be impressed by their All- American alumnus who signs with a top college. Blue chippers are going to receive attention regardless of the recruiting service.