The Top 7 Things Job Seekers Do That Drive Recruiters NUTS!

Lately I've been reading a lot of articles and posts about how Recruiters should be more polite, professional, understanding, engaging, less-rude, etc., toward job candidates in the employment process. Lots of good points. These articles and posts get a lot of attention since there are a lot of people looking to find a job or switch jobs. And there are a lot of Recruiters looking to fill open positions. Recruiters and Service Providers no doubt read these posts in the hopes of being better Recruiters, more engaging, more accommodating. But, keep in mind, Job Seekers, it is a two way street.

Some articles state that every job seeker should get a response back from the Recruiter or Hiring Manager. Really? I'll address this below in the list.

Some articles state that the pay range should always be listed in the job posting. After all, it is an issue of courtesy so that the job-seeker doesn't waste their time responding to positions which pay beneath their desired salary range, right? OK.....

So, there is a lot of advise out there for Recruiters and Hiring Managers, advice as to how to be more human, more humane in the process. This article addresses the other side of the equation. Equation meaning; all things being equal. Job Seekers should know that they too have obligations in the hiring process, if they truly want to be taken seriously in their job hunt. The term "quid pro quo" comes to mind.

To all job seekers, if you want to be taken seriously in your job hunt, your resume submittal, your candidacy, you need to be equally serious about the process. If you want your time and energy to be respected, you need to respect the time of the Recruiter or Hiring Manager evaluating your candidacy. If you want to be professionally treated in the process, then please be equally attentive on your end.

Here are the top 7 things job seekers do that drive recruiters nuts:

1. They don't bother reading the full job posting. If you aren't willing to spend the extra 2 to 3 minutes to actually read the entire job posting, how much time and energy do you think the Recruiter should exhaust in evaluating your candidacy? After all, it is your career we are talking about here, right? Bang head here.
2. Job Seekers click "send resume" to every job posting regardless of the skill requirements - the "shotgun" approach. Do you, Mr. / Mrs. Job Seeker really expect Recruiters to give your candidacy proper due diligence when the position title states "Electrical Program Engineer" and your past 3 job titles were Nail Salon Technician, Pet Groomer, and Sandwich Technician? Do you really expect / demand a response to your submittal? Bang head here.
3. Recruiters list the pay range in the job posting(out of courtesy and hopefully stronger screening strategy), then you send your resume, then we call you - and you state that the range is below your pay expectations. Then why did you waste your time and ours in the first place? Seriously? You want your time to be respected and so does the Recruiter. It is called common courtesy. A two-way street. Bang head here.
4. Job Seekers list the last two or three jobs on their resume with the dates and timelines as "2013 to present" "2014 - present" "2015 to present." Really? You are really working at all of these full time positions all at the same time? Or is it really that you just didn't take the time to edit YOUR OWN Resume to reflect the actual timelines of those positions? And if so, why is this? Is it the Recruiter's job to correct and edit YOUR Resume? Bang head here.
5. Job Seekers list educational credentials and location with no dates, or worse, where they are "thinking about" or "planning" to attend or pursue courses (or some other strategy of the educational requirement). I guess this might be due to the job seeker thinking that they are cleverly circumventing and beating the educational requirement part of the screening process, thinking that if only they can just trick the Recruiter into calling them, perhaps just writing "planned" credentials will be enough to get the call. (There are those who are actually pursuing and education and this item is not targeting those legitimately doing so...this item is addressing those "other" folks.) Bang head here.
6. When the Recruiter calls to discuss the Job Seeker's resume submittal, the Job Seeker responds, " I send out so many resume's, I don't remember that position that I responded to... can you tell me about it and what it pays?" Bang head here.
7. The Job Seeker conducts some research, tracks down the Recruiter, calls and asks, "What is the status of my application?" (with no additional insights, points of interest, or message of value other than wanting to know if the resume was received). "Yes, the resume has been received, Mr. / Ms. Job Seeker." "Well, then, when do I get my interview?" asks the Job Seeker. Uhmmmm....Bang head here.

Job Seekers, if you spend just a few more minutes to read the posting, update your resume (correctly), know the pay you can / can't work for, apply to positions which you feel you are truly qualified, make a tracking tool of your resume responses, and take your job search seriously - then perhaps, you will receive equal respect and professionalism from the Recruiters with whom you are engaging. Just a thought.

Recruiters, please feel free to chime in and comment with your thoughts as to what Job Seekers do that drives you nuts. Maybe, we will help some job seekers reading this....