Go the extra mile - Get hired!

As a technology recruiter it’s incredible how often I am asked to click on a link to download someone’s resume or I receive an email referring me to their LinkedIn profile. When you’re contacted by a recruiter, chances are you already caught their attention. Don’t lose their attention by referring them somewhere else. Tools like LinkedIn, GitHub, Blogs, and other resources are ways to direct traffic to you. So when you’re asked to send a resume I recommend that you spend the extra minute to send your latest and greatest updated resume. However, the most surprising response that I still shake my head over is when a candidate is asked to provide a brief paragraph explaining their experience in one specific area. Let me elaborate.

When a recruiter is sending your resume to the hiring manager for consideration it’s because they strongly believe that you have the skills necessary to get the job done. Sure, in some cases it’s possible that you might have one or two other interviews before you get to the final interview stage with the hiring manager, but regardless of where you are in the process, if a recruiter is willing to vouch for you then you should do everything you can to make that process easy for the recruiter.

For example, last week I sent a candidate’s resume to one of the hiring managers for consideration. The hiring manager had a question about a specific skill set that needed clarification and instead of getting on a call and interviewing the candidate the hiring manager wanted it in email format. The candidate was contacted and asked to elaborate on the area in question, but the candidate refused. The candidate explained, “if they don’t understand the acronyms in a resume, then they shouldn’t be the decision maker”.

Let’s understand a few things about hiring managers. They manage resources, projects, timelines, and budgets (to name a few things). If they request clarification on something, I recommend that you provide clarification. When they are asking questions it means that they recognize your skill sets and talent and they just need to understand some additional facts in order to make an informed decision. Just like a LinkedIn profile, your resume is a brief explanation of your skill sets and not the entire presentation. It’s not uncommon to receive additional requests which require you to spend a few extra minutes explaining something in more detail.

If you go the extra mile to respond to questions you could be the one who gets the offer.

Join us Tuesday, March 8 2016 at our Technology Leaders Luncheon. One of our topics include the formula for professional success. www.meetup.com/technology-leaders/


Author: Dr. Eduardo Diaz, helping you exceed expectations.