10 things recruiters won’t tell you

Recruiters have one job: find the right person for the position. Their performance is evaluated on how efficiently and effectively they match top talent to job requirements. Ironically, in the current economy, recruiters are finding their jobs harder than ever.

I’m serious.

There’s too much talent for them to weed through. What used to be “finding a needle in a haystack” has now become “finding a needle in ten haystacks.” As a result, recruiters have to determine a candidate’s marketability much quicker.

Translation: Candidates must pay even more attention to the power of the first impression factor.

Reality check: Those who are failing to make a good first impression get put in the “no” pile and are never contacted again.

So, if you aren’t getting called back by a recruiter after either an in-person meeting or phone call, there’s a good chance that, in addition to the fact you didn’t have the right skills, you also might have displayed one or more traits on the “I can’t market them” list.

Now, most recruiters won’t tell you what you did wrong. Why? For one reason, they aren’t paid to give you the bad news. Second, they don’t want to burn a bridge. And third, as I mentioned, they just don’t have the time.

And yet, how are you going to fix the problem if you don’t know it exists? I’ve put together the most common reasons why a recruiter writes a candidate off. You may not like what you read, but the good news is with a little attention and practice all of them can be improved upon.

So, ask yourself, “Am I guilty of the following?

1. Your interview attire is outdated / messy / too tight / too revealing / too flashy.

2. Your physical appearance is disheveled / outdated / sloppy / smelly / overpowering (i.e. too much perfume or cologne).

3. Your eye contact is weak / shifty / intense.

4. Your handshake is limp / too forceful / clammy.

5. You say ah / um / like too much.

6. You talk too much / use poor grammar / say inappropriate things (i.e. swearing) when you answer interview questions.

7. You appear overconfident / pushy / self-centered /insecure /aloof / ditzy / scatter-brained / desperate.

8. You talk too fast / too slow / too loud / too soft.

9. You giggle / fidget / act awkward / have facial tics / lack expression.

10. You lack sincerity / self-confidence / clarity / conviction.

“I learned by asking questions and by old-fashioned trial and error, with a healthy dose of over-communication.”

Chuck Robbins