Articles - Career / Personal Development

5. Evasiveness- Seriously? – Why? Recruiters in most cases ask straightforward questions, however, we sometimes met with less-than-forthcoming answers? Why is this? Well, some say because candidates become shy about circumstances in their past that didn’t go so well. Here some straightforward advice-

better that the recruiter know what may have happened now, than finding out later from the hiring manager when we will have to do damage control- no fun for recruiters. If there’s a issues in your career, don’t hide it.

Step up and discuss it with your recruiter; let us work with you. We can help you frame the situation for the hiring manager, if asked questions about it during your interview. Maybe you were affected by the economy and was terminated, Fine, but let’s look at why and what you took with you from the experience.

Have you improved as a result of it? What did you learn? Or maybe you walked out for a reason, why? Or maybe it’s something else entirely. In any case, it’s better that we know upfront on a sensitive situation before your get too far along in the recruiting process, so that we’re not blindsided later if the hiring manager finds out of your history somehow before we do. It happens from ime to time, and it’s feels like a pie in the face for us recruiters. Be Up Front

6. Don’t Be Insulting – When reaching out to us and you’re asking for our help, then please don’t treat us like “the help.” If you must at least insult us behind our backs — not cool, but fine. We’re less likely to help get you that ideal position. Hiring managers come to us for a variety of reasons, and they know how best to work with us. They may come to us because do know how to find the perfect candidate  We are part of the hiring process and as recruiters we work closely with the hiring manager to understand their needs.

It is unacceptable for you the job seeker to display your annoyance that you have to “go through” a recruiter to be submitted for a position.  Ask yourself this question – “ Would you rather have a recruiter do their best to offer you insight into the position that may not be found in the job description and have them give you feedback on your resume or interviewing prepping  OR would you rather just take your chances by blindly sending a resume to into the database in hopes that someone will see you as a piece of paper.

We are here to help you, so play nice in the sandbox.

7. Patience - It’s not personal, it’s the truth. Most recruiters are working on multiple reqs from 15 to 30 open positions or more at any given time, some may be new and others may be drawing to a close.  There are days we are instantly accessible to take your call and have a long chat about your desired career path and so on and other days we’re in back-to-back interviews or meetings from when we arrive until when we go home.

Please be patient with us about getting back to you. Recruiters are not ignoring you, just working on many multiple projects. However, if you don’t hear back from us in a day or two days, then please follow up with another voice message or email. You are important.

8. Humor – Yes, we’re asking a lot. Being friendly and having a smile in your voice goes a long way. Its important not only in working through the understandably stressful career transition you’re undertaking but also in making a positive impression with the hiring team. Everyone wants to work with happy co-workers.

No one looks forward to working with ole grump the next office. So approach us and our client hiring team with a smile and the ability to laugh at things.

Review Part One

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About the Author

Kay Kelison is a seasoned researcher and social media strategist; creative, strategic and passionate with 12+ years of exceptional experience with such companies as T-Mobile, Amazon, Wachovia, Saltmine, Start-Ups, and is a Principal Sourcer/Research for Bing/Online Division Services for Microsoft. Knowledge of web 2.0 technologies and social media platforms. Proven aptitude identifying opportunities, implementing solutions, and increasing visibility through video, blogs and social networks. Experience with international teams and diversity initiatives.

Responsible for strategy and development of marketing Internet-based social media / social networks communities, including the development of Mobile Recruiting, Blogs, MySpace, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and online video spaces such as Vimeo, YouTube. Accomplished Published/Speaker engagements which include executive round tables, business marketing and leadership teams, MBA, and SourcCon, etc She is a part of the Pacific Northwest Sourcing 7 SIG which is a sub-group of Pacific Northwest Recruiter Association, this group is to enhance our local strategic Talent Engagement community by leveraging expertise in the areas of Sourcing, Research and Social Media to attract the right talent to our organizations.

Kay Kelison CIR, ACIR, CDR | Talent Sourcer

Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group (APS)
Office 425-707-2702/  kaykel@microsoft.com / advertising.microsoft.com

and her blog http://kaykel.posterous.com/

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