Photo by AMIT UIKEY on Unsplash
As recruiters/headhunters, it's safe to say that we see a TON of applicants. Most of these folks are great people, but virtually all miss the mark for any given search. Consider that we will touch hundreds of candidates per search just to surface 3-5 strongly qualified individuals. So many people do a poor job of qualifying themselves for an opportunity, at the expense of their own time and, unfortunately, the time of others. This happens way too often and we think it’s completely avoidable. In fact, we know it’s completely avoidable.
In our line of work, as professionals, if we poorly qualify candidates and send them to our client, we don’t get asked to work on positions moving forward. It’s that simple. So why would individuals think they should or would be considered for roles where the talent and background doesn’t match the opportunity? This is a massive time-sink. Candidates attempting to nab jobs outside of their realm of expertise is nothing new, but we’d like to highlight that this doesn’t have to happen. Candidates can aid us and themselves in their search for the RIGHT opportunity.
We love ambition and we love the thought that a lot of candidates can wear many hats. That being said, we see too many people trying to self-promote beyond competence. Help us help you. Take the time to qualify your skills, your expertise, your best attributes, and your cultural fit. What are the 1-2 things that you are really good at in the workplace and what are the 1-2 things that you are NOT good at? The latter is just as important. An honest assessment of yourself is the key to landing the position that is right for you. This is also the key towards accurately predicting your staying power within an organization.
Rather than a rapid-fire application tactic, make those reach-outs targeted and properly-intentioned. Give the hiring team on the other side something to consider. You know, and the hiring team knows, within two minutes or less if you are relevant to a role. Seriously, it’s probably more like thirty seconds. You know, and we know, what is most likely the right role for you…so shift your time and your focus to qualify accurately. Don’t cast the wide net, focus like a laser and create a win-win-win for all involved!
Written by: Rob Scherer, Vice President at Hunter Crown, LLC
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