Machination Monday - Part 2
Brigit Freedman
Brigit's got a knack for diving into mysteries of employee feedback and coming out with the kind of insights that can transform a workplace Her secret weapon? A passion for people!
Talk About Accomplishments
What makes you special or different from everyone else with your same skill set, background and experience? Your skill set is not what differentiates you. If we are good at what we are doing, we have found many candidates whose skills match yours. Set yourself apart by telling us what you accomplished, not just what you were “responsible for.” Make your resume complete and easy to follow.
If a recruiter has to work in order to understand your resume, it won’t make it to the manager's desk! (read that one more time!)
Online Resume Etiquette
E-mail your resume so that it is both pasted and attached. The subject line should have your functional title and/or industry.
At the top of the body of the e-mail, bullet point your compensation history / parameters, whether or not you can relocate, and a quick elevator speech on what differentiates you.
If you are responding to a specific advertisement don’t send a generic cover letter, but rather address your strengths as they fit the salient specifications of the advertisement. Spoon feed the recruiter the read thousands of resumes a week!!!
Time Is Money, Don’t Waste It!
Don’t ask for an in-person meeting or 10 minutes by phone. “The candidate volume is just too much of a fire hose to be able to respond to all of these requests. If at all possible, communicate by e-mail. And if the recruiter sees a fit with your background, they’ll be sure to get in touch and schedule time to learn more about you.
As much as recruiters would like to respond to everyone who sends in a resume, the reality is they don’t have time given that managers retain them to focus on their recruiting needs, not the applicant’s. Most recruiters, however, do read incoming resumes for potential fit and capture the information for future needs if no initial match is found.
“If we need you, we will find you! Once we know who you are, you are either a fit for something we are working on or you are not.” If you are not, it is not appropriate to expect a recruiter to help you find another position.
“Remember, you are probably one of hundreds of candidates contacting the recruiter that week.”