TEN REASONS YOU AREN’T BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE JOB:

A List of What Your Recruiter Isn’t Telling You

Last year I had the pleasure of compiling a list of AML and Compliance professionals seeking employment in the Cryptocurrency Compliance industry. After sifting through almost 35 resumes, I started to notice some trends in the resumes and communications I was receiving. Although, I’m providing a huge DISCLAIMER, that I am not a Recruiter, I have hired and assisted many organizations in finding top talent in the AML industry. Coming out of COVID-19 when the job market heats up again, candidates have to find ways to stand out and market their skills, while also maintaining a consistent standard of excellence in their submissions.

The following is an extended version of an email I sent to those professionals seeking employment, in the hopes of shedding some light on potential areas that Recruiters are too busy to discuss. The reality is that many applicants aren’t getting little to no feedback after applying for a position or even after a series of interviews. Although this list highlights what many would consider minor, these little tweaks could be the difference between landing your dream job or having to continue applying aimlessly to the sparse job postings that are out there.

• LinkedIn Profile: Make sure your LinkedIn profile is updated. Think about adjusting your settings so everyone can see your profile picture). Also include any certifications and courses that you are enrolled in, not just the ones you have completed. All your contact information including proper email and phone numbers (optional) should be listed. This includes any websites that you have created content on (i.e. podcast or even Medium articles). Want a guide to optomize your LinkedIn profile and activity? check out Brynne Tillman’s profile and her Profile checklist.

• LinkedIn Profile Picture: I'm not an expert in this sense, but I saw alot of questionable pictures in professional’s profile. You would never go to an interview in sweatpants, so it doesn’t make sense why you aren’t taking pride in your profile pics and not having a professional headshot. If you are serious about your job search, please take the time to have a nice professional head-shot. If expense is an issue, I wrote an article on how to get a head-shot for less than $25. Additionally, there are many #LinkedIn Local events run in Toronto by Bobby Umar and "Swish" Goswami and events that I assist in the organization (Foreign Professional Mentorship Events) that have free head-shot stations.

• Resume Writing: Once again I'm not a resume-writing expert, but if your resume is going past 2 pages, you should really look into condensing it or speaking to a resume writing expert. For compliance resumes, one of the best in the business is Issac Ru - he offers an affordable service and with his direct banking experience, he knows what Financial Institutions are looking for: [email protected]. Another option is to look into free services at your local college or university student center or alumni programs. Although I’m sure there is a place for ATS Resume templates (that place is usually the trash.lol), it is not smart to use a template, that will make your resume look similar to others. Your resume is an opportunity for you to separate yourself from other candidates, don’t waste it.
• Resume Tips: Make sure your full name is included, when naming the document. When recruiters or hiring managers are getting hundreds of resumes, they don’t have time to figure out whose resume they are looking at (Here is a decent example of what a good naming convention looks like - “Stephen Sargeant – Resume”. I know this is a pain in the ass for recruiters because, Michelle Hannikainen, gave this same advice in her post on LinkedIn. Check out her profile for great job searching tips as she is a top recruiter in Toronto for contract, AML and Compliance positions. Also if your resume is format intensive, I would probably save it in .pdf format, so you don't lose that formatting in a .word document. Many resumes looked very unorganized and it was probably a formatting issue but the hiring manager has no way of knowing this.

If your resume is format intensive, save it as a .pdf document, so you don't lose that formatting

• X Factor: Many of you are from the same compliance project, organization or financial institution, with similar titles and roles. You should look into separating yourself or taking courses that show that you have niche skills (It doesn't have to be specifically Compliance courses) There is a list of courses you could take for everything from cryptocurrency to data analytics. Also soft skills - leadership, communications and report writing are courses that may not be directly connected to AML and Compliance, but will definitely be beneficial for your career.
• Produce Something: If you don't want to spend money on courses, by all means produce something. When I first started in this industry I wrote articles and published podcasts, which lead to so many great opportunities. ACAMSToday magazine is frequently looking for contributors and authors to be featured in their industry leading magazine (reach out to Leonardo Real for potential opportunities). Some other ideas are to start a newsletter, create a group or event and ensure to include these contributions and projects on your LinkedIn Profile and Posts. This is the same strategy that was used by Souzan Esmali, who started the TCAE group which has over 600 members world wide. She has become an industry leader by providing value and helping others in the industry and continues to innovate and find new ways to engage like-minded AML professionals. (p.s. if you haven’t already connected with her and become a member of TCAE, that should be step). It isn't easy to maintain these projects, so be prepared to put in the work, as the results will show how effective and valuable you can be as a potential employee.

• Emails: If you are sending out alot of emails, you should create a professional and attractive email signature like (see below) . "Stands out right" ?? I used the following video to help but I'm sure there are apps that can do an even better job. As small as this might seem, it gives you an opportunity to include links to your projects, most engaging posts and other social media handles. It also will highlight you as a professional who takes pride in their appearance and has thought about ways to showcase their personal brand.

• Email Address: Although petty, I think your email address should clearly identify who you are,to recruiters and hiring managers. Using an email address from your high school days (i.e. [email protected]) or one that doesn't have a clear link to your name, is probably not the best idea and is just going to confuse the hiring manager. Email addresses are free to obtain, this is a quick and effective way to make sure your resume and your contact information are both aligned.

Using an email address from your high school days (i.e. [email protected]) is not a good idea

• Interviews: I have attached a link to an Interview Guide, that I still use to this day. Great way to prep for some of the B.S. questions that most recruiters or agencies will ask. Lol (excuse my language, but the majority of interview questions I have been asked in my career, have been irrelevant or appear to be copy and pasted from the Recruiter 101 handbook). As much as I make light of the situation, there is no sense struggling through those questions either, when most interviews are going to encompass some really easy questions, where you can prepare some outstanding answers. Take advantage of the those easy questions, in order for you to focus on your “dragon slaying” stories from your past work experience. This will ensure that you cover your bases and leave room to question the company on their culture, growth plans and support systems, they have in place.
• Connect with Other Job Seekers: You are probably thinking that the job market is extremely competitive and sharing resources with candidates possibly going after the same job as you, may be counterproductive. That mindset might be one of the reasons you are struggling to find work in the first place. Having an abundance and creative mindset will allow you to collaborate with other job seekers to find positions, seek resources and share information. Trust me there is an abundance of jobs and you helping others find jobs will only increase your value and likeliness of attracting better positions. TCAE and FPMA groups are filled with engaging members looking for Compliance and AML positions and these would be great places to start.

Conclusion: I know what many readers of this article are thinking. I didn’t implement any of these amazing ideas and I still got a job. That may be well and true, but the future of work is changing, we are seeing remediation projects not being renewed and new projects that are hiring at a fraction of the pay that many AML investigators are used to. It is time to start working towards being a high achieving professional and a thought leader in this industry, to open yourself up to opportunities and jobs that could transform your career and future.

I appreciate you taking the time to read this article and if you have any feedback, don't be shy and send me a direct message. Also if you have any pressing questions, I will do my best to answer them in a timely fashion. If you gained value from this article and think others in your network will as well, I encourage you to "comment" and "share" and add in any tips or thoughts you may have.