"Just send me a Job Description"

There’s no denying the fact that, particularly on LinkedIn, people in my line of work get a bit of a bashing – some deservedly so. Sometimes, the natural reaction is to put off interacting with recruiters as much as possible. This article is designed to highlight the fact that specialist recruitment firms can add real value to your search for a new position, and using us is often much easier than going solo.

I’ve gone through a few objections, and hopefully answered why we’re not all bad!

Objection #1: “I’m too busy”

Back to back meetings, teleconferences, sales forecasts, appraisals.

Whatever your day consists of, there is a consensus amongst us that our working days are becoming busier and our free time more precious. So, if you’re looking for a move and I get in touch with you, you might be busy. Fair enough!

Whether you’re in the middle of driving the kids to school/ doing next month’s sales forecasts/ watching this week’s Homeland, and your immediate reaction is “sounds interesting but I have no time to speak, just send me the Job Spec and I will let you know”, I get it.

I understand why this seems like a time-saving request, but by the time you’ve deciphered the recruitment jargon of the JD and reviewed the organisation in further detail, are you saving that much time? I don’t think so. Having a chat is much more efficient, even if we need to arrange a time after Homeland!

Objection #2: “Surely it has to be easier to apply direct, instead of using a recruiter?”

Well, probably not actually. 99% of the time, you are much more likely to succeed in a job application using a recruiter’s services. Logic would dictate that introducing a recruiter as a middle man would slow down the whole process, but believe me it doesn’t.

Recruiters are the gift that keeps on giving! We can:

·        Provide in depth interview feedback

·        Give you insight/ pointers on the hiring manager’s personality

·        Inform you about requirements for the role outside the job description

·        Negotiate on your behalf when it comes to the tricky salary question

In addition, we’ll make sure that you’re guided through an interview process seamlessly; we can act as a buffer between you and your potential employer and ensure the communication with any issues or questions is done in the correct manner.

Objection #3 “Send me the Job Description and if I like it, we’ll talk”

This isn’t really an objection, it’s just something we get asked to do this a lot, but there’s a few reasons we don’t.

Firstly, in the time it takes you to read the job description, we could have had a much more productive conversation about the role. I could have told you loads more than is written on the PDF I sent over, and ascertained your level of interest quickly, whilst we’re on the phone. If you are interested, great – we can move forward. If not, no-one’s time is wasted waiting to go back and forth with emails. Also, our chatting will create a new connection within your network who can potentially present opportunities to you in future.  

Next, a reminder. We make our money through making introductions to clients. We work hard to pick up roles and build relationships with businesses, and in turn find suitable candidates for them. With the best will in the world, there is no value in us sending a link to the opportunity and the organisation and for you, as the candidate, to apply directly.

“I wouldn’t do that” I hear you say. Well, you might not, but it happens, and it has happened. The risk, for us, is too great.

Objection #4 “I just don’t like recruiters”

Firstly, ouch.

Second, I admit that recruiters haven’t always made the best name for themselves. Some are seen to make a quick sell and if the prospective employer has no interest in your CV, you can be thrown out like yesterday’s trash. However, there are recruitment companies which prioritise ethics, and consultants within these organisations that can play a key role in your job hunt.

Good recruiters can also add a lot of value in terms of our level of understanding. As I already mentioned, we all know how generic job descriptions can be. There are often times when I personally receive one from a client, analyse it, and speak with Hiring Managers regarding the finer details of the specification.

The conversation will then reveal a completely different breakdown of the job requirements and what the key challenges of the role will be. If a recruiter is doing their job correctly, they will know much more about the job in question than is written on the document they’ve sent through.

Sometimes, the responsibilities of the role you are applying for are very different to what the piece of paper says it is; the best way to find this out is to speak with whoever is hiring for the role.

Wrapping Up

To finish up, my point is that some recruiters out there are genuinely good at their job. If they are genuinely a specialist they should have a strong understanding of the market and, fundamentally, should be able to match relevant candidates to relevant job profiles.

So, it is sometimes frustrating when that we are sometimes treated as lepyrs. This really doesn’t benefit anyone. You want a recruiter on your side! You don’t want to have someone who is biased towards other candidates and someone who would dismiss you for future job opportunities.

Next time you receive and email regarding a position, if it looks interesting, take 5 minutes out of your day to speak with the person that sent it – it might just work out!

If you’re looking for a new position in the Life Science, Medical Device or Energy sectors, feel free to reach out to one of our consultants at Charlton Morris today at [email protected]. We don’t bite, and are all specialists in our individual markets.