How to Benchmark a Competitive Compensation Range

Posted on by February 21, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentOne of the toughest tasks a company has when recruiting and hiring a new employee is putting a price tag on the position.

Don’t allow the Candidate to set the range:

Mistakes I often see my clients make when filling an opening is that they react to what the candidate believes he should be paid. Instead of waiting for a candidate to place a monetary value on the job or even on himself, make sure to thoroughly evaluate the position in order to determine how important it is to the overall goals of the company.

Compare to Similar Positions with Other Companies:

It is also extremely important to research similar positions with other companies in order to see what your competitors are paying employees performing comparable jobs.  Remember to take into account the geographical location of the job, benefits, as well as things like specialty skills and years of experience.

The first thing you want to do when benchmarking the salary of a new position is to see what your budget allows you to offer.  After a budget has been set, you should then evaluate if your budget is reasonable by benchmarking the salary for its competitiveness.  If the salary isn’t competitive, you will not attract top candidates. Alternatively, if you are able to pull a top candidate in with a low salary, you will be at risk of losing that quality employee at a later date to one of your competitors paying more money.

So how do you benchmark the position?  I typically start with job posts for similar positions on the internet and ask what the compensation is.  There are other resources on the internet such as payscale.com, indeed.com, and simplyhired.com which will provide a fantastic wealth of information to use for your benchmarking activity.

Other things to Consider:

After setting your budget, researching competing salaries and writing up a well detailed job description, you will want to set a compensation range.  I suggest setting a “floor to ceiling” range which will cover candidates of all experience levels.

Additionally, do not underestimate the value of job perks and benefits, both monetary and non-monetary.  Many people will bypass more money for perks like more vacation days, telecommuting and flexible hours; especially those with families and young children. Research shows that people are beginning to be more attracted to jobs which offer a work life balance or anything that reduces work related stress.

Finally, make sure to put everything in writing so there are no misunderstandings with the employee later.  Confusion involving pay and benefits will lead to disgruntled employees and a possible decline in production, which was the complete opposite of what you were looking for when creating this job opening.

Written by Eric Lee

Dedicated to Every Client’s Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How to Properly Qualify a Job

Posted on by February 21, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentIf you have been a Hiring Manager for any length of time then you understand the task of hiring a new employee is a complicated process.  You also understand that sometimes the difficult part of hiring a new employee doesn’t have anything to do with the actual applicant and candidate interaction.

Sometimes the difficulty is due to your own team or company not being in alignment with the requirements of the position, and the results can be disastrous.  Here is a checklist I have created which should help eliminate many of these problems.

Details of the position

Does everyone agree to the title of the position?

Is there flexibility to the hours or location?  Said differently, for the right candidate would you be willing to be flexible on home based vs. in-house, working out of another office, working different hours than the rest of the team to accommodate family needs, etc.?

Have you confirmed with your team what type of candidate will fit your needs best such as contract, perm, or a temp-to-perm candidate?  There are pros and cons for all choices, so be sure you consider them!

Is everyone in agreement with the salary or hourly rate?  Have you confirmed this compensation with finance and your senior management as well?

Is there a clear start date?  Clear end date if this is a contract or temporary position?

Is there anything that would put this start date at risk?  This is typically the area where I see most organizations struggle.  There should always be open discussion as to what (not if – but what) will put a start date at risk.  Clients delaying projects is a reality.  Funding being withdrawn is a reality.  Always ask the question and know up front what may cause a start date to slip or be cancelled.

Internal Processes

Have you looked internally to fill this position?  Have you ever filled this position internally in the past?  Would senior leadership, finance, or HR require you to look internally before seeking someone outside of the company?

Is there any chance of a hiring freeze or some other financial freeze or delay which would prohibit you from hiring an external resource?

Job Skills, Qualifications, and Personality

Does a Job Description exist for this position?  If not, do you have the appropriate support to build one?  If you aren’t sure where to start don’t worry; in my clinical recruitment world I write many job descriptions for my clients and go into more details in a future article titled “How to write an Effective Job Description“.

Have you asked your department what the most important job qualifications are?  Many times a huge laundry list of job requirements will be handed to you by your team, however perhaps only a handful of those requirements are critical.  Be sure to have your team prioritize their requirements as well as tell you which ones are nice to have but not mandatory.

What personality type is your team looking for?  This goes well beyond the job description but is critically important.  I see fully qualified candidates rejected daily because they were too bubbly or not bubbly enough, too chatty or not chatty enough, etc.

How should the individual work best?  Do you want someone who needs to be managed as part of a team, or works independently without checking in?  Do you want a natural leader or a follower?  Don’t assume you know what your team is looking for – ask!

What type of company background does your team want the candidate to come from?  Individuals from smaller companies have different mindsets than those from larger companies.  Professionals learn different things depending on their past corporate (or non-corporate) experiences, so find out what your team is looking for.

What type of career goals do you want your new team member to have?

Remember that not only do you want to be clear on the hard requirements for the position such as the individual’s skills, experiences and education, but the soft requirements too, like personality, work style, corporate background, and career ambitions.  Ask your team, make note, and you will be well on your way to adding the right new team member to your working family.

Dedicated to Every Client’s success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Recruitment of Employees: What’s Your Best Strategy?

Posted on by February 21, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentWith the job market being saturated with job seekers, many qualified candidates may be in a position to accept less pay for their skills.  This competition can bring a challenge to any hiring manager and our goal is to make the hiring task easier.

After all, isn’t having a successful hire your number one goal?  A great start is to put together a recruiting strategy with the hiring team, a recruiter, and a key employee.  This allows everyone’s minds to be clear and organized with a true understanding of the common goal, and how to achieve it.  The recruitment strategy starts before you even build a job description and should include things such as:

Actively Searching vs. Passively Searching Candidates:

Your recruiting strategy should include searching for actively looking candidates as well as passively searching candidates.  Passive candidates are those who are already employed and not actively in the job market.  However they are your dream hires because they will make the decision to come work for you because they see the true benefits of the position and/or company…not because they have to make the mortgage payment.

And, of course, this is what you want!  You want the candidate to have handpicked your opportunity because it fits into their career objectives, not just take the position so they can keep their kid in college.

Get Creative on where you will search for Candidates: 

Of course you can wait for candidates to come to you, but I highly recommend you take both a push and pull approach in your recruiting strategy.  Pulling is a recruiting term meaning you are doing things to “pull” the candidates to you such as posting the ad on job boards, in the paper, and on your website…and then waiting for the candidates to respond.  The downside of using this approach only is that you are merely targeting those candidates who are actively searching.

Pushing means you go searching for the candidates yourself.  The pro of taking this approach is you are in charge and are able to approach candidates you feel have the skills and professional background you are looking for.

So where do you start when it comes to actively pursuing candidates?  Think outside of the box!  Have you ever directly recruited candidates before?  If so, what worked and what didn’t?  If you haven’t aggressively recruited candidates before, you may not know where to start and if that is the case, enlist the help of a recruiting company who is highly effective in direct sourcing quality candidates.  We will go through how to select and work with a quality recruiting company in a future article.

Consider where you should post your ad:

Posting ads is a pretty simple task; however you want to put some thought into where you advertise in order to optimize the responses.  In addition, think about what functions you want to participate in.

Advertise in places frequented by your ideal candidate.

Use Social Networking sites to both push and pull quality candidates.

Attend events that are NOT job fairs, but in your ideal candidate’s industry.

Advertise an Open House and mingle with many job seekers who may become quality recruits.

To build a Winning Team, weed through every resume:

For every 150 resumes that come across your desk, around 50 will be worth considering, and about 10 of those will be worth interviewing.  You have to go through every resume to find that perfect candidate!

Recruiting Tip:  I always ask follow-up questions through email to those candidates who make it to my “to be considered” list.  This forces a written response from the candidates and therefore gives me a less formal writing sample; thus a clear indication to the individual’s personality and professionalism.  You would not believe how many otherwise qualified candidates I have rejected at this stage due to their responses.

Don’t forget to consider your current team:

Part of your recruiting strategy should always be to have your current employees provide referrals.  Offer them a finder’s fee if their referral is hired as this will incent them to provide leads to quality candidates!

Good luck in building your recruitment strategy; I am sure you will see amazing results in your effort.  If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them below and our team will be happy to assist.

Written by Martina Martin:

Dedicated to Every Client’s Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How to Conduct Powerful Phone Interviews

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentSo you have scheduled an interview – congratulations!  Now what do you do?  Believe it or not, the interview is really not just about communicating to the hiring manager about your skills, education, and work history.  To get hired in today’s world, you’ll need to impress with these 3 factors:

1. Your knowledge of the company… did you do the necessary research first?

2. How you present yourself during the interview

3. Last and actually, mostly least:  Your skills and qualifications

Here are some important recruiting tips to follow during that coveted interview to ensure a more successful outcome.

Your Resume

Always have a copy of your resume in front of you.  Recruiting Tip:  If you are working with a high quality recruiter, they likely tailored your resume and cover letter for the position so please be sure you have that version printed out and in front of you.  Why this matters?  The Hiring Manager is going to ask you to walk through your work history.  As you go through your resume you want to be sure you are on the same page (literally) as the Hiring Manager, so always make sure the version of resume you have and the Hiring Manager has are the same.

Be in a Quiet Place

You should be in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed or distracted.  This is your time to shine so don’t put yourself in the position to have to keep the dogs quiet, worry about the baby waking up from her nap, or trying to figure out where to turn at the intersection.  Be fully dedicated and fully focused.

Be Formal

I would recommend you sit at a desk and if you don’t have a desk in your home sit at your dining table.  This is not a time to sit on your comfy couch and have a relaxed conversation.  You need to be 100% tuned in and you can’t do that if you are in a relaxed setting.  Recruiting Tip:  If you tend to get nervous for interviews, dress up in your professional attire; people always feel much more confident when they have their business suit and dress shoes on!

Your Phone

You should be on a LAND line and on a reliable handset.  Never use speaker phones.  Steer clear of mobile phones and bluetooth devices.  It would be silly to lose an employment opportunity because you lose connectivity while you are speaking to the Hiring Manager.

How…and What you Articulate

Speak concisely, slowly, sound confident and sound passionate about the company you are interviewing with.  Two things I would point out:

If you have an accent, be sure you concentrate on speaking slowly, as speaking quickly can lead to misunderstandings which will cost you the job.  Write out index cards with “SLOW DOWN” and post them everywhere you will be looking during the interview.  You will be amazed with the results.

Be able to articulate how working for this particular company in this particular position will enable you to work towards obtaining your career goals.  You have to show how the company’s mission aligns with your personal objectives.  If you haven’t reviewed the article titled “How to Prepare for an Effective Phone Interview“, I highly recommend taking some time to better ensure a successful outcome.

Be familiar with Behavioral Interview Methods

This interview style trips up many intelligent Job Seekers!  We will spend more time on this topic in a later part of the course, however to jump ahead check out our articles titled “Two Simple Rules of Behavioral Interviewing“ and “Preparing for a Behavioral Interview“.

Close the interview!

Believe me when I tell you that Hiring Managers want you to express your interest for the job.  You will find many articles that tell you to ask for feedback and while this is true in theory, you have to be careful about how you ask for that feedback.  Simply asking if they believe you will be a good fit for the team is a very dangerous approach as you are inviting both positive and negative feedback.  You should only ask for positive feedback!  Make sure you ask for the specific skills and qualities you possess which make you a perfect fit for the opportunity.  Trust me, this approach is highly effective!

I hope you have found these recruiting tips on how to conduct powerful phone interview very informative.  Stay tuned for additional juicy tidbits enabling you to represent yourself more effectively.

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How to Prepare for the Face-to-Face Interview

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentThe #1 mistake I see people make is to believe the Face-to-Face interview is about their specific qualifications and how they meet the requirements for the position being discussed.

In my experience, the “in-person” interview is only marginally focused in this area, and thus largely focused on your soft skills such as having a pleasing personality, ability to build relationships, strong time management and organizational skills, and of course, your initiative and leadership capabilities.

Here are some tips I have put together to help you be successful in your Face-to-Face interview:

1. Make sure you have a nice notebook with you to take notes in. Don’t forget a pen!

2. Take several copies of your resume with you. Please make sure you are using the same version and format submitted to the Hiring Manager!

3. Make sure you have directions to the interview location. If possible, make a “dry run” the night before so you know where you are going. This is critically important! Not only will you ensure that you are on time for the interview, but you will be refreshed and relaxed (and not in a panic from being lost!).

4. Plan on being at the meeting place 15-30 minutes early. If possible, make sure you check ahead of time regarding any traffic issues to expect. This would include checking with the internet and DMV for planned construction on your route.

5. Keep a phone number handy just in case you do get stuck in traffic. If this scenario does happen, call before you are late…not after you are late.

6. Dress for success. Don’t underestimate the power of a business suit paired with nice, professional shoes. Recruiting Tip: Make sure those shoes are not scuffed! If you are traveling for your face-to-face interview make sure you pull your clothes out as soon as you get to your hotel room. You want to ensure your suit wasn’t damaged or wrinkled while traveling and if you wait until the last minute you could be in trouble!

7. Make sure you are groomed appropriately. Your hair, jewelry, makeup and other accessories should be classic and understated. If there is any doubt, go conservative.

8. Speak concisely, slowly, sound confident, and sound passionate about the company and the position. You must be able to articulate how working for this particular company in this particular role will enable you to work towards obtaining your overall career goals.  For more on how to prepare to answer these types of questions, review the article written titled “How to Prepare for an Effective Phone Interview“.

9. Be prepared for Behavioral style questions. For more on this interviewing method, please take a look at two articles I have written to assist you: “Two Simple Rules of Behavioral Interviewing” and “Preparing for a Behavioral Interview”.

10. Have your references ready for the Face-to-Face.  Not sure how to select great references?  Check out our article on “How to Prepare for a Successful Background Check“.

11. Be prepared to have a compensation discussion. If you are not sure how to handle this delicate topic, take a look at the article named “What should your Compensation Requirements be?”.

12. Close the interview! The same rule applies to the face-to-face interview as did the phone interview: You must express your interest for this job! Additionally, you should always ask for positive feedback. The best question to ask: “what skills or qualities do I possess which makes me a perfect fit for this position?”

Good luck in your Face-to-Face interview!

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How to Prepare for an Effective Phone Interview

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentHiring Managers have high expectations from you once you get to the interview stage.  Unfortunately, all too often, Job Seekers fail to do the research necessary to be fully prepared for an effective interview performance.  The following recruiting tips will assist you in better preparing for that coveted interview.

Knowledge of the Company

The most important recruiting tip I can ever give you as it relates to preparing for your interview is that you should never participate in any type of interview with an HR Rep or Hiring Manager without having researched the company.

Hiring Managers want to make sure you have specifically chosen to apply and interview for this position.  They do not want to believe you are applying to hundreds of jobs and will take the first offer you are given!  Keep in mind that the Hiring Manager is ultimately responsible for your success if you are hired, so if you have not spent any time learning anything about the company and how working for that company will enable you to grow in your career goals, you can pretty much expect to be rejected from the position immediately.

You may be asking where you can go to conduct such research.

Start at the company’s website.  Review the various pages of the website to understand the product or service they offer, their company mission, the company’s history, their management team, and anything else you can get your hands on.

Explore LinkedIn to review both the company profile as well as the profiles of some of the employees who work there. This will give you a great idea as to the company culture, education and background preference of their employees, as well as locations of their workforce.

Do a straight Google search for the company name.  I find a ton of information on companies by just searching “Company ABC News” in the Google Search Bar.  You can do a similar search to better understand the company’s financial situation.  Just simply search “Company ABC Finances” or similar term in the Google Search Bar to see if there are any issues you should be concerned about.

Additionally, always take a look at industry specific websites such as ClinicalTrial.gov for the Clinical Research arena or the Information Technology Industry Council (itic.org) for  IT, etc.

Knowledge of the Interviewer

When someone calls or emails you to set up a phone interview, always ask the name of the individual to whom you will be speaking and their role in the company.  If you have a good rapport with the individual who is coordinating the interview, ask him or her about your interviewer’s personality and hot buttons so you know what to expect.

Knowing the name and role of the interviewer will enable you to research that person.  Is he/she on LinkedIn, Facebook, or other Social Media sites?  Are you able to see the individual’s education or work history?  Are you able to find the individual on the Internet anywhere (local news articles, volunteer programs, etc.)?  Knowledge is power and the more you know about your interviewer the more likely you will be able to build a relationship with him or her.

Also, a critical recruiting tip is that you must come to the interview with questions for your interviewer so knowing the individual’s role as well as some of their education, work history, and personal background will give you a better idea on what types of questions to ask.

I hope you have found these recruiting tips on how to prepare for an effective phone interview very informative.  Stay tuned for the next lesson in our email course where I will take you through how to conduct a powerful interview!

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How to Prepare for a Successful Background Check

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentI recommend my clients do both a background check and reference check of their new team member candidates. Why?

As it relates to reference checks, you would be amazed at the number of candidates who select inappropriate references such as their Aunt, girlfriend, or college roommate. Additionally, about 25% of the time my candidates give me references who provide a poor endorsement, or who never respond to the reference inquiry (a delay in response indicates the reference has nothing good to say!).

By providing references fitting into one of the above categories you are showing you are unable to evaluate yourself appropriately and are therefore unable to select references who will shed you in a positive light.

So how do you select references you are sure will give you glowing recommendations?

1. Select supervisors, managers, or mentors who have given you work direction or provided you career coaching and guidance.

2. Ensure your references are recent. If you fail to provide references for your last couple of positions this will raise a huge flag.

3. Speak to your references before providing their contact information to a potential employer. Ask them if they will give a good recommendation, tell them about the job, and let them know what specific skills or qualities they should relay to the hiring manager.

4. Provide both an email and phone number for each reference to your potential employer so she can both call and email the references. This will double the chances of connecting to the references and ensure a quicker response.

5. Go above and beyond! If your potential employer asks for three references, provide six. This is powerful. Not only will over-providing quicken the process but will show what a strong professional you are.

Background checks are a different beast and many people believe they cannot have a positive impact to the results of a background check…especially if they have a criminal record. I would disagree! Here are some tips on how to ensure a positive outcome to any background check:

1. Employment History: This is the number one area I see people making mistakes. If you ignore every other tip in this article, please pay attention to this one:

Never stretch your employment dates to make it look like you don’t have gaps in employment. A background check will verify your dates of employment and if you stated you were working “until Present” but you were really let go 6 months ago, this will cost you the job opportunity. If you have employment gaps, explain them, but don’t hide them (for more information on how to handle employment gaps, go here)!

Never fib about your job title. If you were a Research Assistant, don’t state you were a Project Manager. If you performed some Project Management tasks, list those responsibilities, but don’t stretch your actual title.

Never pad your last compensation. This will not ensure a higher salary for your next position! The background check will uncover your last several salaries and you do not want to put yourself in the position of having misled anyone; this will cost you the job offer!

2. Education: Never fib about your education on your resume. If you didn’t get that degree, don’t make it look like you did! I would also recommend you not be vague on your resume about your education, certifications, or training. Be open and honest about your qualifications.

3. Credit history, driving records and your criminal and court records: A negative response to any of these areas during a background check can be devastating. My recommendation is to be upfront about any issues before the background check is performed…actually the earlier in the hiring process you tell the recruiter and hiring manager, the better!

I hope you found this article useful.

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How to Write an Effective Resume

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentA resume is your opportunity to be on the center stage, under the spotlight, in front of a captivated audience. Turn that spotlight into a highlight by shining yourself in the BEST light!  Writing a resume can be a daunting task, but it is one of the best investments you can make in finding your next job opportunity. It’s your calling card – make sure you are heard!  Here are some recruiting tips that are easy and simple enough to get you on your way to writing an effective resume.

Address – If you are wary about having your physical address on your resume, at least include your city, state and zip code.  Recruiting Tip:  Recruiting companies search for candidates in their databases by their zip codes.  Give yourself the opportunity to pop up in searches so you are contacted for open positions.  Get yourself seen!

Accomplishments – One of the best ways to make your resume shine is to change the commonly used term “responsibilities included” to “accomplishments included”.  It is important to highlight what you accomplished, not just list your responsibilities.  Position your resume to be a predictor to hiring managers of your work ethic and capabilities, thus showing value. Recruiting Tip:  Recruiters and Hiring Manager have far more resumes to look at than open positions so make it easy for them to find the accomplishments they are looking for.

Summary – Make your summary short and sweet by clearly stating your goals with a sense of direction. A summary is an additive, not the meat of the resume, so keep it short.  Recruiting Tip:  Make sure your resume summary is in alignment to your career objectives and the position for which you are applying.

Look – The last thing you want is a negative distraction to this beautifully crafted and polished masterpiece you’ve taken so much time putting together.  Formatting is one of the quickest killers of simplicity and ease.   All the fancy tables, grids, and graphics are a quick way to get your resume passed up!  Additionally, always put your document in Word and not in PDF form.  Recruiting Tip:  Good recruiting firms will reformat your resume before submitting it to a client.  Tables, grids and PDF’s are a nightmare to work with.  Be a Teacher’s Pet, and make it a joy to represent you!

Paper – Save yourself the money of using fancy paper.  Hiring managers agree that parchment paper and the like come across as pretentious and novice.  Brightly colored paper will make you stand out…in a bad way, as colored paper is as equally frowned upon as fancy paper stock, and if a copy needs be made, colored paper can come out poorly.  Present yourself as a serious, solid candidate, sans the bells and whistles.  Your resume content should be the only bells and whistles needed!

Tailor -Always tailor your resume to the position for which you are applying…point for point.  Additionally, never underestimate the value of a well written cover letter describing how you have hand selected this job opportunity and why you believe you are a perfect match for the position and for the company.

Written by Martina Martin

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How to Find the Right Job for You

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentBeing able to find a job that will make you feel satisfied and content starts with knowing exactly what you are looking for.  The first step you must take when you find yourself in the Job Seeker realm should be to make a detailed list of the job attributes you are seeking and break that list into “have to have” and “like to have” characteristics.  You should have this list in mind as you search, apply, interview, and consider your offer packages for job opportunities.

Here are some quick and easy recruiting tips that will not only help guide you throughout the stressful Job Search process but will also help you find the perfect job for you.

Choose a job that will ultimately make you the happiest – Look at the entire job package and choose the job that fits best into the “have to have” and “like to have” list you have made.  This is one of the most important recruiting tips I can give you on this topic:  Choosing the position that will make you happy, satisfied and content not only has psychological benefits but also has health benefits due to lower levels of stress.

Find a Job with Good Benefits – Benefits are something that most entry-level or less experienced job seekers often don’t seriously consider.  Don’t underestimate how choosing a job with benefits you find important will go a long way in enabling you to be…and to stay… satisfied.

Choose a Job with Opportunities for Advancement – You will likely want to find a job that provides an opportunity for promotion.  Look for companies able to equip you for the future via mentoring programs and training workshops targeted to hone your skills.  You also want to make sure you choose a company that will complement your strengths.

Do Your Research – It is critical you as the job seeker research your potential future employers.  If you fail to follow any other recruiting tips in this article, please pay attention to this one!  What is the company culture?  Is the company well respected within the industry and financially stable?  Are the corporate values and code of ethics in line with yours?  Have there been any lawsuits, complaints, or accusations against the company, especially from former employees? Does the company offer a career path in alignment with your goals?

Lastly, but very importantly, another thing you should consider is the commute to and from work.  I consistently have people tell me that a 40 mile commute in traffic is not an issue…and maybe it won’t be at first if you are gaining some of the other job attributes you think are important.  However, the reality is that even if the commute a non-issue at first, a combination of high gas prices and rush-hour traffic will not only cut into your financial budget, but will impact your work-life balance.  Commuting can potentially cause stress and irritate you before your day at the office even starts.

Written by Eric Lee

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Are you considering a career change? We specialize in clinical recruiting! You can sign up for our Job Seeker email course which provides valuable insight into how to become more competitive in the marketplace.

9 Fatal Mistakes Job Searchers Make

Posted on by June 12, 2015

I have over 19 years’ experience as a hiring manager and recruiter and am continually amazed at how many times a fully qualified candidate has missed out on a job opportunity for other reasons besides their skills and qualifications. While our email course has further recruiting tips in many of these areas, I wanted to quickly take you through nine fatal mistakes job searchers make in the application process…and why they matter.

1.  Follow the directions on how to apply.

I posted a position last fall which clearly stated that the application process was to send a resume and cover letter to my email address. For the 10% who called me instead of following the application instructions of sending your information through email…I apologize for not getting back to you on your candidacy. Application processes exist to make it easy for the hiring managers to filter through the submittals and effectively route the candidates through the hiring system. When you follow the directions on how to apply for a job, you show your potential employer you are someone who is not only cooperative but can and will follow directions. Most importantly, however, following the application directions shows that you don’t need to play games or by-pass the application system because you can stand on your own merit and qualifications. There are those who would tell you to skip the application process and apply directly to the hiring manager or CEO of the company. Do not do this! Not only will this direct approach show a lack of respect for the process but will also leave the hiring manager wondering if you will follow policies and instructions in your day to day activities. Please note there are effective ways to use your network in order to obtain a position and we will discuss those recruiting tips later in the email course.

2. Be sure to run grammar and spell checks on your resume.

Typos show carelessness, lack of attention to details, and that you are “okay” with submitting poor quality products to your employer. Poor grammar indicates your education is in question, makes you appear sloppy, and will leave the hiring manager wondering if you are able to effectively interact with the client. To further elaborate on this recruiting tip, grammar and spell checks shouldn’t stop with your resume, but should carry through on all your email correspondence, cover letters, and any other writing samples your potential employer requests. This includes slang! Submitting a resume or application is not the time to be informal. In many cases I will ask questions through email in order to obtain a writing sample and I can’t tell you how many times I rejected an otherwise qualified candidate because he or she used some type of slang, smiley face, or other informality in their email response (y’all is a big one I see in the South).

3. If it is requested to include your salary requirements, please do.

Don’t be one of those candidates who believe that your credentials are so great that the hiring manager will offer you whatever you are asking after they have gotten to know you throughout the interview process. Perhaps you do have amazing qualifications, but the reality is that the company has a budget and you don’t want to waste their time (or yours) if your salary requirements are too expensive for their financial plan. If you truly are flexible on your salary requirements because other things are more important to you (experience, career growth opportunity, better work environment, better location, travel, etc.), then be sure to state that in your submission. However, even if you are flexible in your salary, if providing your salary requirements is part of the application process, you should still follow the application directions and provide what your expectations are. We will cover more in-depth recruiting tips on how to benchmark and negotiate your expected compensation range later in this email series.

4. Customize your resume and cover letter for the position you are applying for.

A written objective in a resume can be the death of a candidate. One of my applicant’s resume objective stated “To obtain an entry level position as a financial analyst in a company where I will be able to grow and meet new challenges”. Not a bad objective, right? The problem is he was applying for a position with me as a recruiter. Hmmmm….. I cannot even begin to tell you how often I receive a resume and application for one job type when the resume’s objective indicates the candidate is clearly looking for a different job type! This is an immediate turn off and will get your application rejected every time. The true recruiting tip I am trying to relay: You never want the hiring manager to think you are submitting to hundreds of positions…even if you are. Always tailor your resume to draw the hiring manager’s attention to how you meet their job requirements – point by point. Additionally, don’t underestimate the value of a well written and tailored cover letter. Your cover letter is your calling card and should give the hiring manager the impression you have hand-picked this position. In addition, it is incredibly important to articulate how you believe working for this particular company in this particular position will enable you to obtain certain skills and experiences which will assist you in meeting your overall career objectives.

5. Never leave unexplained gaps in your employment in your resume.

Every hiring manager will want to know why gaps in employment history exist. Every time. No exception. Don’t leave the reasons for the employment gaps up for the hiring manager’s imagination! We will be covering more recruiting tips on how to write an effective resume later in this email course so be sure to stay tuned!

6. Don’t apply for positions where you are seriously under-qualified.

I rejected a candidate once who clearly met none (zero…zilch) of the minimum requirements and her response to me was “well, it didn’t hurt to try!” Yes it does. Applying for positions where there is a huge gap between your qualifications and the job requirements shows poor judgment and will not only get you rejected from that position but will keep you from being considered for other, future opportunities within the same company…even those future opportunities you may be qualified for. And let’s face it – do you really want to be given a job you are unable to do? I would like to note, however, it is okay to dream some and many hiring managers are willing to consider candidates who are only slightly under-qualified. If you are missing one key requirement or somewhat come short on the years of experience then by all means, apply for the position. However (and this part of the recruiting tip is very important), you need to own the limitation by clearly calling that weakness out in your cover letter. In addition, make sure you describe how other skills will compensate for that weakness and how you will still be effective and successful in the position.

7. Don’t apply for positions where you are way over-qualified.

The question I always have for candidates who fall in this category is why you are applying for a position you are clearly well over-qualified to do. Please note that I am not talking about slightly over-qualified…but well over-qualified. The message typically reeks of desperation and the hiring manager will be concerned about many things including:

  • You will become bored in the position and become frustrated or start feeling “stuck”
  • You will abandon the position as soon as something at your level becomes available
  • You are going to be dissatisfied with the compensation
  • You will be embarrassed to “take a step back”

And the hiring manager will wonder if you will be able to take work direction from younger, lesser qualified people. If you have decided to apply for a position you are over-qualified to do, you should openly state why you want the job (needing to cut back on hours for family reasons, have decided on a career path change, or even because you have been out of work for a while and need some income, etc.), then be sure to address those reasons in your well-tailored cover letter. Additionally, it is critically important for you to call out that you know you are over-qualified and be sure to address the potential objections a hiring manager will have up front in your cover letter. By dealing with potential objections and concerns up front you are more likely to obtain that coveted interview.

8. Don’t use gimmicks to draw attention to your resume.

No one wants to see your picture on your resume unless you are applying to be a super model. Don’t add zippy graphics or get creative with the font or format unless, of course, you are applying to be a graphic designer. In addition, no one cares that your hobby is rock climbing, water skiing, or taking long walks on the beach. Make sure your resume looks clean and professional and all the content is relevant to the position you are seeking. One last note: don’t include “extras” when they aren’t requested such as copies of your training certificates and bios of your life story if those “extras” do not have any relevance to the position you are applying for.

9. In all cases, think about how you come across!

Please realize that you are selling yourself in every interaction. For example, think about the email address you are using. I once immediately rejected a candidate because her email address was “divaprincess”. Did I really want to take a chance on assimilating someone who believes she is a diva (or a princess) into my well-oiled machine? Absolutely not! Additionally, make sure your voicemail message is professional and if music is played while the caller is waiting please select an appropriate song. If you need to leave a voicemail for a hiring manager, think it out, write it down, and rehearse it. If the hiring manager has scheduled a call with you, (more interviewing recruiting tips later), please be sure you are in a quiet location where you can focus 100% of your attention to the phone call.

Finally, do not include silly things like confetti in your submission packet or put your resume on brightly colored paper. You should appear professional in every interaction.

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Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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