David Teten's Blog is a frequent source of very practical and timely information. Today's posting, with an article on Overeager Job Hunters, struck a responsive cord with me because it described experiences I have had all too often recently as the recipient of unsolicited resumes, phone calls and drop-in visits by candidates who emit an odious aura of desperation.
Consider this posting a continuation of the posting of April 26 - "Adding Some Humanity to Resume Posting"
http://whiterhinoreport.blogspot.com/2006/04/adding-some-humanity-to-resume-writing.html
Some of the biggest turn-offs to me, as a recruiter, are the following:
1) Candidates who have clearly broadcast their resume and cover letter to whatever e-mail addresses they have been able to purchase, beg, borrow or steal. This tactic immediately cheapens the candidate in my eyes, and the resume goes into an electronic folder labelled "Unsolicited Resumes" which I look at only when I have nothing else to do with my time - which is rare!
2) Candidates who respond to a specific search or job posting even when they are not remotely qualified. It requires a great deal of time to do justice to reading and responding to a resume and cover letter. Every "Spam" response from an unqualified candidate means less time to respond to qualified candidates.
3) Candidates who have been turned down for a position because there were better qualified individuals, yet who will not accept the answer "No." I have had candidates continue to call me months after a search has been completed -asking if I have received any more feedback from the client company on why they were not offered the position. This tactic screams desperation, and causes me to determine never again to present that candidate.
4) Candidates who do not take the time and effort to customize their cover letter. I can't tell you how many times I have heard from candidates who are responding to a specific job posting, who know my name, yet still send me a cover letter that is addressed: "Dear recruiter" or "Dear Sir/Madam." That candidate, even if they possess all the hard skills needed to do the job, will have to work very hard to convince me that I should present them to my client company.
Enjoy the article, and please forward it to job seekers who may be inadvertently hurting their chances by committing some of the cardinal sins outlined above and in this attached article.
I encourage you to visit David Teten's Blog, as well.
Brain Food Blog: http://www.circleofexperts.com/blog
CareerJournal How Overeager Job Hunters Can Thwart Their Efforts
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