With the number of advertised marketing jobs in the UK now officially on the rise, can parity ever be achieved in the jobseeker-recruiter partnership? Our gladiatorial galvanisation begins with the recruiter’s stance.
“I wish jobseekers would understand that…”
1. The goal of the recruiter and the jobseeker is exactly the same
“We want to give our client an exceptional hire and we want our candidate to have a long-term career opportunity,” enthuses Denise Matthews, director at executive search firm, diemconsultancy. “For this to happen we all need transparency about what else is on the table, rather than shrouding our movements in secrecy.” The relationship should be symbiotic.
2. Honesty is the best policy
“If you can’t make the interview, please let us know,” pleads Alana Carroll, manager of finance recruiter, Edge Recruitment Group. “If you have a counter-offer, fantastic. You’re even better than we first thought! Counter-offers make it is possible to manage your expectations for an even more positive result – if you just tell us.”
3. Pressing re-dial will just increase your phone bill
“Calling me three times a day will not help you find a job any faster,” harrumphs Adam Riyadh, delivery consultant at SOLA Group. Lauren Muse, technical recruiter at Ideal Technical Services agrees: “We are recruiters, not miracle workers. Jobs can’t be pulled out of the air.”
4. Multi-applies = desperation
Every recruiter can empathise with a jobseeker looking to advantage their career options. But there is a limit to how impacting numerous applications can be. “Dedication and tenacity are admirable traits,” opines Chris Colquitt, recruitment assistant at Venture Information Management, “but if you don’t have the skills or experience the role(s) require, then, sorry, but you just aren’t suitable.”
5. Recruiters are not mind-readers (although they do try)
“If you write ‘Associate’ on your CV without explaining what it is you are ‘associating’ about, I am unlikely to know what you actually do,” ponders Derren Brown Catrine Hostrup, client services manager at global business processor, Xchanging. “And writing ‘I’m the best man for the job’ is not enough. Where’s the context?”
6. We are not an extension of the Jobcentre
“We have criteria set-out by our clients,” protests Simon Gomez, manager at non-profit recruitment specialists, TPP Newman. “Of course there are always transferable skills but in the [current] climate relevant experience and specialist knowledge is very important. We are consultants to our clients, not slaves to the Government.”
7. Though we try, we’re not perfect
Okay, so the ‘prefect’ bit is a result of many recruiter’s own protestations but, at the crux, most will attest that no recruiter can cover an entire market – despite sometime claims to the contrary. “If [we] don’t treat you as well as someone else,” sympathises Lee Young, director of global drinks recruitment solutions company, Fluid Fusion, “you should seek solace in our competitors. You deserve that.”
8. There is such a thing as the ‘dumb project’
“Sometimes jobs really do get shelved for no good reason,” says Calum Harris, recruitment manager from multi-sector recruiter, DR Newitt. “That’s the way it goes in the hiring process. Don’t shoot the messenger.”
9. ‘Essential’ means ‘essential’
2009 recorded the most number of applications per vacant marketing job than in any other memorable year. So whilst the hiring horizon for 2010 looks altogether more positive, the leniency for ‘transferable skills’ has been lacking of late. And as the economy plunders towards some semblance of recovery, note caution in your application progress; as Peter Carter, senior commercial consultant at Temp Team defines: “[sic] If you apply for a role that describes a certain skill or trait as being ‘essential’ it really is a waste of everyone's time of you don’t have that ‘essential’ element. You aren’t going to make it past that CV sift stage.”
10. Your CV is part of your brand
With speculation mounting that video CVs are not far from becoming a mainstream addition to the application process it seems strange that some jobseekers are devoid even of the traditional CV. But they are. “Your CV is your calling card,” bellows Christopher Slay, director at employment solutions company, European Recruitment Agency, “get it right”.
11. We’re not overpaid administrators
The increase in job applications has multiplied since the new recession plunged unemployment to almost unprecedented depths. In particular, the generic marketing industry has been badly hit. For many recruiters fortunate enough to retain their jobs this has meant a seismic switch from new business development to an account management function, which not only affects bank balances but a change in ethos. “Whilst it is easy to agree that common curtsey suggests each application be acknowledged by formal reply, this isn’t easy,” says Danny Aldridge, director of marketing and RPO recruiter, Space International. “If we replied to every CV entering our mailbox – relevant or otherwise – we’d never get on the phone to clients. It’s a Catch 22 situation”.
12. You really do need to stand out from the crowd
“Prepare, be prepared, research, then research even more” is the advice afforded by Karl Scrivener, managing director and talent acquisition specialist at technical search & selection firm, Aria Select Limited. “No matter how good [recruiters] are at their job, if you don’t sell yourself through knowledge, enthusiasm and awareness of your prospect, we are in a position of weakness right from the start.”
13. It’s not personal
Amidst the hype, the myths, the frustration and conjecture, one common truth resonates: it really isn’t personal. Recruiters aren’t ‘out to get you’ or ‘on a mission of renegade’; they are simply doing their job. The reality is, though, that amongst the undoubted skulduggery in a small fraction of dubious quarters, recruiters have had a tough time of it lately. Is this Karma? Perhaps. But actually, sometimes, just sometimes, there simply are just better candidates than you.
Jobseekers, do you agree with the points made here or are they way off the mark? Has anything really got your goat? Comments welcome.
Simon Lewis | Editor | Only Marketing Jobs
