3 Simple Changes Recruiters Can Make to Stand Out from the Pack
Recruiters, Have You Lost Your Humanity?
I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve received absolutely nothing in response to me submitting my resume to a company. Often I get a canned, pro-forma “Your application was received. We will contact you if we feel there is a good fit. Human Resources Department” or something of that nature.
I get it. You’re busy and don’t have time to respond to all the little people who fill out YOUR form for YOUR job on YOUR website. What’s 15-30 minutes to them? They’re probably not employed so they can afford to invest that amount of time for a potential job. Sound familiar? I mean, after all, why should you be bothered with responding personally to someone you don’t know?
As a serial job applicant, I’d like to help your industry out a bit. Free. No extra charge. Even if you incorporate one of these, you will be ahead of the pack. Here are my three excruciatingly simple tips to stand out from the recruiting pack.
- This “Human Resources Department” signature block has got to go. What does that even mean? It’s corporate policy that needs to be changed. It’s a nameless, faceless body totally devoid of humanity. I know, you don’t have to deal with the hundreds – nay, thousands or even millions – of job applicants that way. Even if you have to send out a pro-forma welcome, rejection or autorespond, enter a name – any name. If you do, people like me will notice. Otherwise, you’re the same as the other 98% of companies who sign with HR. Is that what you want?
- If you are sending out a job announcement, at least make sure it’s all in the same font and color. That tells me as an applicant that you care just a smidgen about the position. Otherwise I’ll think you’ve done a rotten job of copying and pasting.
- Lastly, if an applicant asks you a reasonable question before sending you her resume, please respond in kind. Here’s the scenario I’m thinking about. You have a “hot” job for me that you think loosely fits my skill set. You’ve done point #2 above and it includes what you believe to be a standard Pay Rate: DOE. You send it off. Before I respond with my resume so you can submit it to the client, I ask about the hourly rate range. Reasonable question, wouldn’t you say? I mean, if it’s way under what I’m expecting and I go to your client, we all look foolish. I’m not asking for an exact amount, just a ball park figure because I, too, am testing the waters. If you respond with DOE or if you don’t respond at all, you’ve lost out, and I may move you into my SPAM folder. If it was in my range, then you might get my resume and a formal cover letter, something those other six guys who sent me that same hot job won’t get.
A number of years ago I was minding my own business in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area when I began getting deluged with emails from recruiters for a position in the Raleigh-Durham area. Once upon a time I lived in that area so it wasn’t completely out of the norm (and was considering moving back). I’m not even sure how all of these recruiters got my information, but before noon I had no less than 10 emails. Only one recruiter stood out. Meg Peterson of Integrity Consulting signed her name, took the time to format her email blast, and when I asked her a simple question, she responded. She actually seemed…human. I may be on the market in that region in the near future, and I can guarantee I’ll reach out to her before I get there.
With that simple reply, Ms. Peterson earned my trust and potential business.
So, there they are, three steps even a Sr. Recruiter can implement to stand out from the pack.