Let Me Tell You a Secret No Other Recruiter Will...

A recruiter’s job consists of finding the right person for a position.

Their clients evaluate them based on how efficient they are in matching relative experience and talent with the job opening.

So, in an economy like we have today with fewer and fewer jobs, you’d think it would the easiest career ever, right? Wrong!

There’s too much talent for them to weed through. Instead of finding a needle in a haystack. It’s now more like finding a needle in a hay-filled cement truck. For this reason, recruiters are forced to judge a candidates marketability much faster. This means that candidates need to pay even more attention their first impression (especially their first online impression!) People skills, resume layout, etc. all become way more dire when your competition is huge. Those candidates who fail to make a good and marketable “first impression” are lost in a sea of emails and resumes and probably will never get a call back (unless of course they are persistent little buggers)

So, if you aren’t getting called back by a recruiter after either an in-person meeting, talking by phone, or email, there’s a good chance that your skills and/or persona did just not seem marketable enough. Recruiters typically will not tell you themselves. For one, they aren’t paid to give you the bad news, and additionally, they don’t want to burn bridges. Usually, they get really busy too. So, if this happens to you. Don’t get mad, do something about it! You may be wondering, how can you fix the problem if you don’t know about it.

Below are a few items that can be big turn offs for recruiters. Check it out and if one of them sounds like you, it’s good news! This means you can change it up and try again! As you’re reading, ask yourself on each item “does this sound like me?” It will make a world of difference!

A Few Things A Recruiter Will Not Tell You:

Your resume is messy or incoherent. Too much is going on and it doesn’t fit into the mold of the position being hired for.
Your eye contact is either weak or too intense
You say ah/um/like too much.
You use poor spelling and grammar and say inappropriate things (i.e. swearing) when you answer interview questions.
You come across as overconfident, pushy, entitled, self-centered,insecure, ditzy, or desperate.
You giggle/fidget/act awkward/have facial tics/lack expression.
You lack sincerity and self-confidence, clarity and conviction

Most of these can easily be fixed by changing one thing: Your Attitude!

If you are angry, annoyed, scared, or confused, it’s going to show. Find a way to feel good about yourself and the abilities you have to contribute to the hiring company. This comes from knowing your greatest strengths and focusing on those. Doing your homework on a company will also ensure that you feel confident and can speak more easily about how you and your skills would fit in there.

Sometimes, it also helps to just ask a recruiter why. There’s a chance they won’t respond, but maybe you’ll catch them on a good day where they have time to help you with your personal strategy.

Best of luck!