What recruiters want you to know

Dozens of you sent me questions over the past few weeks ahead of my trip to Dallas for LinkedIn’s Talent Connect, which is one of the largest annual gatherings for recruiters and human resource professionals. I spent last week at the conference talking to a bunch of industry insiders from companies all over the world, listening to presentations and hearing from some really wonderful speakers.

Here’s what you wanted to know: 

What’s the deal with applicant tracking systems (resume-sorting robots)?

• Applicant tracking systems help companies and recruiters manage the dozens, hundreds (and possibly) thousands of applications submitted for positions at their companies. The operation of a company’s ATS varies depending on the specific software, how much the company spends to maintain it and the workflow of the recruiter. The system may do an initial screen of the submitted applications for the recruiter, for example. Or, the recruiter might decide to manually look at all the submitted resumes. The system will likely help the recruiter keep track of where each applicant is in the hiring process. Some may also send a message to applicants when they are no longer being considered for a position. Basically, these systems and how they operate vary from company to company.

Does your resume ever make it to a human?

• As I mentioned above, recruiters have different workflows. Some may rely on the ATS to do a first sorting of applicants. Others may decide to look over each resume by hand. The key point is that recruiters face a mountain of applications whether they use an ATS or not, meaning they only have a few moments to look at each document. As a job seeker, it’s crucial that you make a good impression as quickly as possible to catch the recruiter’s attention and earn a longer look. Otherwise, you may have the qualifications but end up on the elimination pile.

Why does the hiring process take so long?

• Recruiters take a lot of flak for long hiring processes, but the truth is that they’re often not to blame. Hiring managers and established processes hold a lot of sway over the pace of the process. The scheduling of interviews may slow or stall if the hiring manager gets caught up in a work project or takes a vacation, for example. Additionally, companies often require several rounds of interviews that can slow down the process. The recruiters I spoke with said they aim to fill positions as quickly as possible since a lengthy hiring process can result in a top candidate getting scooped up by a competitor.

Does ageism play a role in the hiring process? 

• The recruiters I talked to stressed the importance of companies reducing biases in all aspects of the hiring process. Beyond age, recruiters told me where a person lives, where an applicant went to school and where they previously worked are all items that can unconsciously sway a person’s decision. They said two keys to reducing those biases are being self-aware of preferences and also having hiring committees made up of people from diverse backgrounds.

Is the door to a company closed after being eliminated for a position? 

• A few of you asked if a company will consider you for other positions after taking you out of the running for another job. The simple answer is to apply for positions where your skills answer the company’s needs — even if that same employers rejected you for another job. While recruiters often keep great applicants in mind for other positions, it’s also good to show that you’re keeping up with the company and its opportunities. You should not take that as a license to apply to jobs that don’t align with your qualifications or to multiple jobs at a company at the same time. If you want to work for a company and believe your skills match several job openings, it’s best to reach out to a recruiter at the company to have a conversation.

Aside from those questions, I think it’s important for you to know that recruiters are passionate about their jobs and making the hiring experience as painless as possible for applicants. The realities of work and day-to-day life sometimes complicates that process, though. So, when you haven’t heard back from a company or you’re going through a seemingly endless interview process, remember that it’s probably just as frustrating for the recruiter.

What else would you like to know about the recruiting process? Join the conversation. 

? The follow-up:

Before I jetted off to Talent Connect, I suggested ways to get your LinkedIn profile in shape for fall hiring season. We covered the important basics, such as having a photo, listing an industry, crafting a great summary, showing your work and listing your skills. We also went beyond the basics, discussing how to align your profile with your resume, picking a good headline and why you should write as yourself in the first person. Here’s what people are saying about the advice.

? Other news to help you #GetHired:

This summer was a good time to be job seeking. The New York Federal Reserve Bank said more people than ever reported receiving three or more job offers in July since records began in 2014. Nearly 3% reported multiple job offers during that time. Almost 16% said they received one or three. The data support what companies have been saying about the labor market, which remains historically tight. Here’s what people are saying about the findings.

Why didn’t white-collar jobs disappear? Alan Blinder, a well-known Princeton economist, published a paper in 2007 predicting U.S. companies would move a quarter or more of jobs overseas — just like factory work. But that didn’t happen, according to a new paper by Upwork’s Chief Economist Adam Ozimek. The 26 jobs identified years ago by Blinder as being “highly offshorable” have eliminated less than 200,000 jobs over the past decade. Jobs he labeled as “offshorable” actually added 1.5 million jobs. Here’s what people are saying about the findings.

Social media is filled with risks and rewards for job seekers. An article from Australia’s Financial Review discussed the risks job applicants face if recruiters or hiring managers — whether by policy or incidentally — see something unsavory on people’s social media profiles. While partying posts or angry online rants may work against your job application, the article also mentions that social media can be used to a job seeker’s advantage. A social media presence that aligns with a person’s career aspirations could be attractive to a prospective employer, for example. Here’s what people are saying about the advice.

? Up next:

Recruiters focus a lot of their time on writing compelling job posts. After all, they are an elemental part of the recruiting process. A well-crafted job description entices people to apply to the company and also outline what is expected of the chosen applicant. In the next edition of Get Hired, we’ll talk about decoding these job posts. Let me know if you have a question — you may see it answered in the next edition.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me if you have ideas on topics or questions I should address in future editions of #GetHired.