We can probably all agree that candidates aren't exactly jumping for joy when they receive recruiters' messages about an open opportunity. But why? You have the power to connect them with a job. Shouldn't they be glad? The problem is the message becomes diluted among countless copies of the same recruiter schpiel, and most top talent have already taught themselves how to tune out until they need you again.
Feeling used? More importantly, how are you supposed to get your passive recruiting groove on? Cut through the noise and read on to find out if your sourcing strategies are giving other talent acquisition pros a bad rap.
Lack of understanding
Tailor your outreach by understanding, top to bottom, what a role entails. First, job title. Know the difference between roles and their duties and required experience. If you're recruiting for a graphic designer, make sure you're not messaging a back-end engineer about the position. Looking for an account executive? That's not the same as a sales development rep. Be conscious of who you're recruiting for. Candidates can easily spot a misinformed recruiter, and will quickly delete your message as soon as they realize your unfamiliarity. Next, position level. Be sure you're not underselling a candidate with a lateral job move for less pay, or offering a junior-level role to a 10-year industry pro. Third, skills. Work with the department you're recruiting for to learn what types of expertise suitable candidates would have under their belt. What kinds of projects will the employee be working on? What would make one job seeker more qualified for this position than the next candidate?
Lying about an opening
In particular, this line: "We don't have any positions available for you right now, but send over your resume anyway." Just like the acquaintance who suggests you two should meet up for coffee sometime (even though you both know very well that's likely not going to happen), lots of candidates see through recruiters who say this. Unless you actually plan on reviewing an applicant's CV to see where they fit with the company or to hold onto for future reference, steer clear of giving talent false hope of a potential job opening. While these candidates are probably not only looking at your company, it's best to be upfront about your interest or lack of it. Asking for something you both know you don't need comes across as witless, stubbornly uninterested, and insulting.
Being overly passive
Repeat after me: There's no such thing as "kind of" recruiting. If you're going to go after a candidate, commit to the hunt because let's face it, that's what the job entails. Some recruiters make the mistake of apologizing for reaching out and being a bother, or mentioning that there's "no pressure" to get in touch with them about an opportunity. Others say some bizarre things like they're not necessarily recruiting, per se, but just seeing what's on candidates' plates. (What, like, dancing around the concept of recruiting?)
As the phrase goes, say what you mean and be straightforward. Candidates will respect your honesty and the quick, painless process of hearing the truth because it demonstrates your respect for their time and work, and the courage to get what you want.
Pulling the fade out
This usually happens when a recruiter becomes interested in a candidate, engages with and interviews him or her, and fails to send a follow-up because the interest shifts to a more qualified contender. The fade out can also be a side effect of sloppy mass messaging. Whether you're afraid to reject a candidate upfront or simply forget to, teasing talent with a new opportunity hurts your company brand and negatively influences the way job seekers view recruiters in general.
Avoid tainting your reputation and sourcing strategies with bad practices, and observe a fairly basic procedure: Keep all candidates in the loop of the hiring processes, even if you don't end up hiring them.
