Eight Reasons Recruiters Never Call You
This is part of the Recruiting.com Blog Swap
Eight reasons why recruiters never call you (and ways to convince them otherwise)
by: Jim Stroud © 2006
1. Too many responses and not enough time. One advertised job can bring as many as three hundred responses in less than three days. It is logistically impossible for any one recruiter to reply personally to every applicant.
Jobseeker Advice: Network your way into the company. This is the best way to circumvent the tidal wave of resumes recruiters face daily.
2. There is a relevancy factor. Many resumes received are not even in the ballpark of what is being advertised. Simply put, some applicants are tossing their resume against the proverbial wall and hoping it sticks. These types of efforts are immediately recognized and consequently ignored.
Jobseeker Advice: Make sure your resume is accented with keywords significant to the job you are applying for. (ONLY add those terms relevant to your experience.) I would also suggest a cover letter that extols your professional virtues pertinent to the employer.
3. There is the issue of spam. Due to the overwhelming proliferation of unwanted solicitations of Viagra, prescription pills, easy lending, gambling and dubious business opportunities from African countries, it has become expedient for companies to initiate spam filtration systems. As such, some emails never reach their intended destination. For example, if you have the credentials of “Magna Cum Laude,” a spam filter may cite the term “cum” and label it as pornographic spam and delete it.
Jobseeker Advice: Look for a return-receipt from the company database, an automated email that thanks you for applying and promises a follow-up if there is an interest.
4. The position advertised is a proactive measure by the company to solicit resumes in advance of budget approval for additional headcount. Should the funds become available for such a hire, then interviews will begin. If the business case to hire additional personnel is denied, then the job is no longer advertised and the public assumption is that the job has been filled.
Jobseeker Advice: Consider the posting date of the position. If the posting is over 90 days consider your resume submittal as proactive.
5. The hiring manager wants to hire a friend, but must follow company protocol which includes publicizing the opening.
Jobseeker Advice: No way to guard against this as many times the recruiter is oblivious to this fact as well.
6. The hiring manager wants to promote someone internally, but wants to “window shop” before committing to the hire. As such, a job will be announced and each applicant will be measured against the standard of an established employee well-acquainted with the inner-workings of the company and the existent personnel.
Jobseeker Advice: No way to guard against this as many times the recruiter is oblivious to this fact as well.
7. The hiring manager is on a never-ending quest for the non-existent “perfect candidate.” Generally the manager has the hope of an unrealistic list of skills that he wants an applicant to possess. Typically this “perfect candidate” will have senior-level knowledge from competitor companies but a junior to mid-level work history that makes him/her easier on the budget.
Jobseeker Advice: As only the manager knows for sure what is in their head, the recruiter has the difficult task of qualifying you against ambiguous requirements. I have no way to advise you on this matter.
8. You were submitted to the company by a searchfirm.
Jobseeker Advice: Search firms may charge a company as much as 30% of a candidate’s salary for their services. Not willing to take on that fee, some companies make it a policy not to deal with search firms. I suggest that before working with a search firm; ask them if they are presently representing a client. Jobseeker Beware: Some agencies make it a practice to secure a resume from an interested candidate first and then using it as leverage to secure a customer.
About The Blogger
Jim Stroud is a "Searchologist" with an expertise in the full life-cycle placement of Executive and Technical personnel, Recruitment Research and Competitive Intelligence. He has consulted for such companies as Google, Siemens, MCI and a host of start-up companies. He presently serves Microsoft as a Technical Sourcing Consultant.
Jim Stroud 2.0 is Jim’s blog where he rants about the recruiting industry and whatever else comes to mind. Jim Stroud was nominated for a "Best Blog Award" by Recruiting.com in 2005. Visit Jim Stroud's blog at: http://blogcharm.com/jimstroud
This is a sensational post.
Posted by: Harry Joiner | July 07, 2006 at 07:58 PM
Yeah, Jim really came through on this one. The quality of all of the BlogSwap posts have been quite good, which just goes to show you that sometimes shaking up your writing is good for you.
Posted by: Jim Durbin | July 10, 2006 at 08:44 AM