October 17, 2008

Learn how Recruiters Find the Best and Weed Out the Rest

Are you a search virgin? A wha..? If a recruiter jots SV down on your resume after talking with you, it's not a reflection of your purity. It's her shorthand for noting a lack of experience in working with recruiters. Avoid giving this impression by understanding what recruiters do and how they approach their jobs. Read on to learn more.

In a recent Wall Street Career Journal article, recruiters sound off on what job seekers need to know about working with them. First, recruiters ask us to understand that their role is to find the very best candidates for open positions at companies contracted to them. By providing those companies with competent, appealing candidates, they are likely to get repeat business.

So, as part of a recruiter's job to find successful candidates, they have to assess a lot of people. During your next interview with a recruiter, which code words might a recruiter jot on your resume?

TMI: Short for "too much information."  This means an applicant gives long-winded answers. Aim for concise answers. Get to point. Long-winded answers put you at risk for giving out too much information, perhaps even enough for an interviewer to find something to not like about you.

FD: "Factual Discrepancy," a big infraction. Degrees not earned, responsibilities not held, and all other types of accomplishments and skills that might be included on a resume but not actually possessed by the job seeker can become apparent during the screening process. From there, your resume is likely to go on a short trip to the trash can.

Noncom: This means the applicant lacks strong communication skills. Just as you don't want to be a TMI, you don't want to be a bump on a log. Learn, practice and practice some more how to look an interviewer in the eye, speak clearly and exude confidence. While this comes naturally to some lucky ones, the rest of us can develop these skills.

PP: "Poor Presentation," as in your appearance and demeanor. Recruiters are quick to observe both, and infractions such as being rude to the receptionist, gum chewing, toe tapping, or hair twirling will earn you demerits. As one recruiter noted in the article, you want to be "on" from the minute you enter the company's parking lot.

Sizzle: Explains one recruiter, she want to see candidates express excitement when describing their accomplishments and interest in the job. Doing so demonstrates that candidates have the drive to accomplish goals and surmount challenges.

Serial networker: This is, in recruiter parlance, like having a bad reputation. It stems from a recruiter's opinion that you've been dealing with too many search firms at the same time. While no one can fault you for exercising all your options, be careful that you aren't contacting people scattershot. It can make your job search look frenzied, and give off the impression that you are stretching your job search to positions beyond your qualifications.

Mortician: No, the term does not have to do with a recruiter's assessment of your next best career option. It's an impression, says one recruiter, of candidates who appear have the lifeblood sucked out of them. Drab, outdated clothing and failure to exude interest and excitement are serious risk factors for giving the impression that you just don't have the energy needed to be successful in the job. If at all possible, get a new suit for your present job search. And while that may involve some money, it costs nothing to smile, to give a nice handshake, and to express gratitude for the opportunity granted by an interviewer.

WD: Now here's a good one! This is short for "walking description,"  a perfect match for a job.

Purple squirrel: As the Journal article notes, "This nutty term references the ideal hire (and was the name of a now-defunct trade magazine for the information-technology-staffing industry). Joel Dibble, senior public-relations manager at Robert Half Technology, a division of staffing firm Robert Half International Inc., explains: 'They're the dream candidate that doesn't really exist, or if they do, they're very elusive.'" 

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