By Jennifer Krinsky
Sometimes (okay, often) our candidates say things that make us really question their judgment. I am sure that during many interviews, candidates would LOVE to know what is going through the recruiter’s mind. Here is a taste of what we think when we hear these phrases/questions, during our interviews:
1.”I would relocate for the right opportunity”. I start with this one, because it is one of my all time favorites. What we are thinking: If I were to be offered my dream job and an obscene amount of money, I would relocate too! Sure, why not, I too would move pretty much anywhere if you offered me a crazy salary and a company car! That “perfect” job is rarely out there, and in the current job market, even less so. Unless you are ready to pick up and move yourself tomorrow (at your own expense) for just a “great job”….then we should only consider local positions. . If you have to sell your home and move your family of 5, the likelihood is that it isn’t going to happen.
2.”I want to be in sales because I like dealing with people”. This one is right up there with one of my favorites because we hear it ALL THE TIME! What we are thinking: Well, you can work a cash register at Target and deal with people all day long too. There has to be a specific reason you are going after a sales role. Millions of jobs out there “deal with people”… doctors, lawyers, receptionists, and heck even the ice cream man!!!
3.”I’d really like to sell something that I like that is exciting to me!” (Usually this is followed by the candidate offering suggestions of what fields would “excite them” such as sports equipment, fashion, make-up etc. What we are thinking: OF COURSE YOU DO! Those that enjoy fishing would LOVE to sell fishing rods—it is obvious! However, there are very few jobs that are available (especially in this market) that fit that bill. Everyone would love a job that they think is “fun” and we get it. But please don’t hold out for that job because the wait can be a long one.
4.”I’m not sure I even want to make a change…I’m just putting my feelers out, seeing what is out there”. What we are thinking: PLEASE do not waste our time. We are in the business of finding jobs for people who want one! Our clients are paying us to help them secure talented sales people who are looking to make a change. When a candidate says this to me in an interview I want to look at them and say “Then why are we sitting here?” Again, my clients have serious needs, and while we aren’t trying to shove some one into a job that doesn’t meet their needs, we do want only serious job seekers. If you are truly happy, then by all means, stay where you are, because as recruiters, we cannot afford to waste our time with “tire kickers”.
5.”I’ll come in and meet with you when you have an actual opportunity in mind for me”. This one is classic and if you really think about it, it makes no sense! What we are thinking: How can I possibly have something ideal for you, when I haven’t even met you and don’t know what you are looking for? I can certainly get a basic idea from your resume, but I won’t know which clients are real matches until I get to know you better IN PERSON! This is also a good barometer for screening out job seekers that are not serious about their search.
6.”I’m not really that interested in cold calling and prospecting”. What we are thinking: Oh really? That is a shocker! Doesn’t every one love to be rejected repeatedly and be tasked with finding new business????? (note my sarcasm)Very few sales people tell me that they LOVE to cold call and hunt for new business. It is much tougher than simply up selling or growing established business and we understand that. However, it is one of the necessary parts of selling. Without it, businesses cannot grow and certainly in the current economic climate, our clients are more interested in hunters than anything else!!!
7.”But Sales is Sales”- lastly the all time favorite that we hear more often then we care to. What we are thinking: Yes, it is, but that is not the blanket rebuttal every time you hear that you are not qualified for a position based upon your experience. If our client wants some one with 3 years of software sales selling to the legal market, simply telling them that “but he’s great and sales is sales” simply won’t cut it. Keep in mind that our clients are using our service so that they can only review resumes that match their criteria. The reason most clients ask for specific experience (either calling on a specific type of client or selling a particular product or service), is because they don’t have the time or resources to help get you up and running. If they were to hire you “anyway” they’d be setting you up for failure, which does not bode well for anyone in the end. Think of it this way….You decide to adopt a dog and head to the kennel to look at small dogs because you live in a tiny apartment. You tell them your criteria and why you can only consider small breeds. They come out with a Doberman, a Great Dane, a Labrador and a sheepdog. You would quickly get pretty annoyed. If the kennel person said, but hey “a dog is a dog” and continued to push these large breeds on you, at some point you’d either becoming increasingly frustrated or just walk out. We work hard to maintain a high caliber of clients in our database so that we can place our candidates with the best companies available. If we continually ignore what they’ve asked us for they might just walk out of the kennel, and that is something we aren’t willing to let happen.
8.”Just get me in front of them, and I will get the job. Really, I will”. I have saved this one for the end because it is something we hear in virtually every single interview. What we are thinking: If that were the case, don’t you think I would be retired and living on a tropical island???? If all of the candidates we met with, who said this, really did get the job once we got them in front of the client, we would be multi millionaires! It simply isn’t that easy, and that is why our job exists. We know that often an interview goes extraordinarily well and things just fly after that first meeting, but more often, that is not the case. Our job is to not only help you get in front of the right clients, but also to walk you through what is often an unfamiliar process. We know the rules of the game and how to play it. Think of us as your personal interview coach and receive our years of knowledge and experience with an open mind. I promise, in the end, it will benefit you in many ways!
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