subject: 3 Sides of "I Have Already Submitted My Resume" by:Brett Stevens [print this page] You are interviewing a candidate about a position for your client, and then you get to the part about interviewing. You ask," Who have you submitted your resume too?" I have submitted it to A, B, and C companies.
There are 3 major problems with submitting your resume to a company or Job Board.
Number One: The Company loses if they haven't seen the resume. Typically the recruiter is now out of the process. There is no need to continue the conversation, because it's now in the clients resume "abyss." Therefore the recruiter is not entitled to a fee. Some clients have honored our pointing out that the resume has been previously submitted, and had it not been for the recruiter bringing it to the attention of the client company this person was currently being overlooked. Other companies don't want to know about a candidate that has been submitted, and they are not entertaining the candidate and you know they have a solid background for the position. There needs to be a policy in place to handle candidates that have submitted their resumes in the past, and they are currently not under consideration.
Number Two: The candidate loses out because the resume is lost, and they can't get a shot at the position. I have had candidates actually say, "Well if you don't want to represent me, then it's your loss. The resume is probably being overlooked." Both points are valid and have probably crossed the recruiters mind once or twice during the conversation.
Sending your resume to a several companies has both positive and negative effects. The positive is you can land a great position. The negatives are that you are not sure "where in cyberspace" your information is floating around.
I have had several potential candidates and I have asked them if they have previously submitted their resume to my client and they say no or the amnesia surfaces and they can't remember so it slows the process down. A couple of weeks ago, I interview a candidate and cover submitting his resume. He said he had not submitted his resume, and I submit his credentials and my client calls me back almost immediately and tells me when they received it. It was just two days prior to our conversation. Coincidentally, he gets a couple of interviews. He didn't get the job.
Now I look like I am not qualifying my candidates, and the candidate lessens his/her qualifications. Then the candidate calls back two or three weeks later and wants to know about other opportunities. What would you do?
Another problem occurs when someone sends the resume to a company. The candidate sends the resume in to a company in the past. As long as six months prior to the new position opening and the candidate has not been reactivated.
I was working on a search. The client needed someone with very specific technical skills. I submit a candidate that had submitted his resume six months prior to our conversation. Once I submitted it, I get a call from the client stating they already had the resume on file and I wouldn't be entitled to a fee. After some negotiations and stressing the fact that we brought the candidate to attention of the candidate we should be entitled to a fee. What is the right thing to do?
Conversely, we hear the hiring manager knows this person. The candidate takes the initiative to call the person after we have revealed the have an opening for the same skill sets. Would they have reconnected if the recruiter had not spent time with the candidate?
Tips for using Job Boards:
Job boards like Monster can be very helpful, but from a recruiters stand point it's like using the phone book. We have to search for the right person, then the screen the person. We will get hundreds of resumes sent to us. We will narrow down the number of viable resumes by background and skill sets required. We'll call five people and amazing only 2 or 3 people will return the call.
Monitor where you have sent your resume
Don't submit your resume for a position that you are not qualified for
Remove your resume if you are no longer interested in a new opportunity
Check your resume for spelling errors
Make sure your contact information is current
Be realistic about your requirements i.e. salary, relocation, commute
Be aware that your current employer can find you on job boards like Monster
Several times we have qualified a candidate and submitted the resume only to find out it had already been submitted by someone else without their knowledge. There are recruiters who will submit a resume to "test the validity" of a search. Hopefully it wasn't your resume.
Some companies ask recruiters not to use Monster. I feel that is like asking a recruiter not to use the telephone. Job Boards are like phone books. You need to "dig out" the proper person. We often hear, "If you use Monster we will know." Good but we all have job boards to utilize and it's like finding a needle in a haystack. It's just another resource for finding the right person for the client.
Submitting your resume if like using the telephone. If someone answers and takes your call then congratulations. If you keep calling and no one answers or returns your calls then don't be disappointed. This goes for both companies and potential candidates. Think carefully about "submitting you resume" and then make the best move for your career.
About the author
Brett Stevens is founder and President of The SearchLogix Group.
Brett has enjoyed remarkable success in the executive search business in the fields of Software Sales, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Distribution, Warehousing, and Transportation. He has achieved the industry's highest level of professional certification: Certified Senior Account Manager (CSAM). He has received numerous regional, national, and international awards through meeting the needs of his clients. He continues to achieve record breaking performance and has been nationally recognized for those results with The SearchLogix Group. Brett is a member of The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, formerly The Council of Logistics Management (CLM), The Association for Operations Management, The Warehousing Education and Research Council, and The Institute of Industrial Engineers. He has been recognized in many trade and online magazines and is a notable guest speaker. Most recently, Brett was recognized internationally by both the American Stroke Association and the Prostate Cancer Foundation for his fundraising efforts. You can email Brett at brett.stevenspr@searchlogixgroup.com or telephone him at 770-517-2660 x20.
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