Common Misconceptions About Recruiting

What people think Recruiters do: 1/ Use AI to pick the best candidates 2/ Work for the candidate, not the company 3/ Intentionally delay updates and next steps 4/ Reject reasonably qualified candidates What Recruiters actually do: 1/ Review resumes one by one (most of the time) It’s easy to say: “My resume didn’t make it past the ATS” But more often than not your resume didn’t make it past a person. In some cases, like for entry level software engineering roles with thousands of applicants per hour at a company like Google or Microsoft, resumes are filtered down by machines out of necessity, then reviewed by the sourcing and recruiting teams. But in general, a flesh and blood human, flipping through resumes, didn’t see what they were looking for and clicked Reject. 2/ Work for the hiring company People often refer to working with "my recruiter". But remember: Recruiters are paid by the company they hire for. They're only "your recruiter" while you're a potential candidate for their open position. 3/ Don’t entirely control how fast the hiring process goes Hiring processes with many stakeholders are complex. Delays and confusion happen due to: - Busy hiring managers - Roles being put on hold - The needs of the business changing during the process - Recruiters building a pipeline without an open role 4/ Work with you if you’re a good fit Remember, Recruiters are incentivized to make placements. They can and want to help you land the job if you’re a good fit for the position. However, they are often responsible for narrowing down the known universe of candidates and finding candidate with specific skills and experiences, often in a specific pattern. If they don’t see what they’re looking for, typically for the sake of efficiency, the move on. I spent the first 8 years of my career working across a range of recruiting roles, and its heartbreaking to see the same misconceptions over and over. Anything I missed here?

I've been fortunate to have worked with thousands of candidates in my career, involved in placing over 5️⃣ 0️⃣ 0️⃣ Four misconceptions about the hiring process from a recruiter's perspective 🧠 1️⃣ Recruiters Only Care About Filling Positions Quickly. ❌ Misconception: Some candidates may believe that recruiters are solely focused on quickly filling positions and meeting quotas, leading to the perception that personal fit and candidate experience are secondary. ✔ Reality: While there may be pressure to fill roles promptly, "speed kills deals", majority of contracts we have, have some form of free replacement or partial refund should a candidate not workout within X period of time (industry standard 90 days). Trust me...there is no worse feeling as a recruiter, then having to go back and re-fill the role, twice the effort, for the same reward (and a headache from both parties at the same time who both sometimes blame you for it not working out!). A successful, long-term placement benefits all parties involved. 🤝🕒 2️⃣ Recruiters Have Control Over the Hiring Decision. ❌ Misconception: Candidates might think that recruiters have complete autonomy in the hiring decision-making process and that their recommendation alone can secure an interview/job offer. ✔ Reality: Recruiters act as intermediaries between candidates and hiring managers. While we play a crucial role in presenting candidates, the final decision often rests with the hiring manager or the company's decision-making team. Now, the better the relationship with client, more likelihood they can influence a decision, but that can take years of to achieve that type of relationship. Properly update your resume (no copying and pasting the JD under "responsibilities"), secure updated recommendations and keep your certifications active. Give yourself a fighting chance at Round 1. 🤷♂️👥 3️⃣ Recruiters Only Look at Skills, Not Cultural Fit. ❌ Misconception: Some candidates may believe that recruiters primarily focus on technical skills and overlook the importance of cultural fit within a company...key word searching. ✔ Reality: Recruiters often prioritize cultural fit and soft skills just as much as technical qualifications, if not more so. Recruiters may delve into a candidate's personality, work style, and values during the evaluation process to understand if they think there will be a matched vibe between candidate & client. 🌐🤔 4️⃣ Constant Pipeline of Jobs. ❌ Misconception: That every-day a new job falls into our inbox, ready to shortlist and call you about. ✔ Reality: Takes endless hours of business development, unreturned emails, voicemails, messages left on read, introductions to various teams, dealing with procurement & general networking to "pull a job". ☎ Conclusion: Understanding these misconceptions can help candidates better navigate the hiring process. 🚀👩💼

Great companies w/ exceptional leaders can still struggle to recruit top talent. A great reputation only gets them a ticket to the dance related to recruiting the best of the best....it gets them in the door. But reputation alone will not compel a top talent to bet the next 4-5 years of their career on that company. The experience that individual has during the interview process will be the determining factor. Here are some items that routinely derail recruitment...even at the most desirable of companies (in no specific order): 1. Unclear or constantly changing job specs. If the comp, responsibilities, reporting structure, travel requirements are perpetually shifting during the process, this is a red flag for top performers. 2. A 5PM traffic like process. Stop. Start. Stop. Start. Stop. Start. If companies are pausing the role, then restarting, then pausing again...this sends any number of signals to the individual, none of which are positive. 3. Unnecessarily long interview process. A diligent process is responsible. A redundant process is wreckless. 4. Non-stakeholders involved in the interview process. Does the CFO really need to meet the prospective Clinical Associate? 5. Unprepared interviewers. This is a common complaint I hear from top talent. If they are taking time away from the role they are actively engaged in to prepare for this meeting, they expect the interviewer to do the same. 6. Bait and switch. Even if it is unintentional. If the offer will be materially different from what was shared with the candidate at the beginning of the process, this should be shared asap in the process, with a clear explanation why. This is not an exhaustive list. But it hits the high points. The good thing is, w/ a minimal amount of planning and intentionality, most of these are avoidable. Getting comp. approved on the front end, establishing an interview team, developing a goal for each interview, and even setting a target date of completion can be very impactful. Candidates view the interview process as a sample of what it will be like to work there. They are paying attention to the details...just as interviewers are of the candidates.

A lot of candidates think that recruiters get to choose who gets hired and who doesn’t, but for many industries & roles, this couldn’t be further from the truth.  → Yes, recruiters play a really important role in quarterbacking the hiring process.  → But the interviewer panel has a lot more say over whether someone’s the right fit.  → And while recruiters help facilitate debriefs, hiring managers ultimately choose who to hire. The inverse is also misunderstood where hiring managers think recruiters have a lot more influence over whether a candidate chooses to accept.  → Ultimately, candidates decide based on a ton of factors, and are oftentimes more influenced by the role fit, company fit, comp, and the entire panel they met than the recruiter. Recruiters are facilitators, recruiters are strategic partners to candidates & hiring teams, but they aren’t the final decision makers.

Why do companies <insert one of the many annoying things that happen in a hiring process>? These are some of the common complaints I hear, and some of the perfectly logical reasons these things happen. "Why do companies post a broad range, but then tell you they're not paying the top of the range?" 😒 Misconception: They're just trying to low ball you. 💡 Reality: Wage transparency laws are vague so many companies will post the full range, but typically reserve the higher end for people with proven results over time. Often, a job posting or compensation page on the website will outline this for you. "Why do companies repost a role over and over again when they have hundreds of applicants?" 🤨 Misconception: They're just farming resumes or not serious about hiring. 💡 Reality: They are using that one pipeline to fill many roles over time, and the reposting is usually automated. There's really no reason to collect resumes when we have LinkedIn available. "Why do companies post a role and then change the details of the job or level mid-process?" 🤔 Misconception: They are using a more desirable job to get applications. 💡 Reality: Sometimes they didn't really know what they wanted/needed and have a strong enough understanding of the market when they initially posted. Sometimes things shift internally leading them to rescope the role. Other times, they may like a candidate and see potential but not feel they are at the level needed so they'll tweak the role. "Why can't companies talk to every applicant instead of asking us to fill out all this info or rejecting people who can do the job?" 🙄 Misconception: Recruiters are lazy and don't want to do their jobs. 💡 Reality: Recruiters are working on lots of roles and may have the time to meet with just 4-5 candidates for each position each week. So they use the info they have to prioritize the people who they think have the most potential. "Why don't companies prioritize applicants who have been out of work longest instead of hiring people who are employed?" 🧐 Misconception: Companies are missing out on great talent that is eager to work. 💡 Reality: Being unemployed isn't a qualification (but it's not a disqualification either!) It's our job to hire the most qualified person we can for the role, not the person most in need of work. We also can't judge why someone is applying. An unemployed person could be independently wealthy; an employed person could be on the verge of bankruptcy. I have seen hiring teams prioritize this when they're looking for a fast start but outside of that, it's usually not going to be something they pay attention to. Now are there cases of bad companies that do this stuff to take advantage of the workforce? Absolutely. But by and large, most of these decisions aren't actually made by "companies". They're made by humans like you and me doing the best they can with the information, resources, and training they have.

To all the hiring managers and recruiters who are doing these things...JUST STOP. ❌ Discriminating based on age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic. It's not only unethical, it's downright disgusting. It deprives organizations of talented individuals and fosters a toxic work environment. ❌ Judging candidates for gaps in their employment history. People may have taken time off for valid reasons, such as caring for family members, pursuing education, or dealing with health issues. What matters is their qualifications and potential contributions. ❌ Judging candidates for being laid off. Completely unfair! Layoffs often occur due to economic conditions or organizational restructuring, which are beyond a person's control. It says nothing about their competence or work ethic. ❌ Nitpicking over minor errors like a missing period or a typo on a resume. It's a bit petty and ignores the candidate's overall qualifications and potential. We're all human, and such minor mistakes are understandable, especially in a high-stress application process. ❌ Overlooking candidates labeled as "overqualified" without further consideration. Talk to them first. Some may be seeking a career change, a better work-life balance, or new challenges. Their experience and expertise could be invaluable assets. ❌ Ghosting candidates. It's unprofessional and disrespectful. ❌ Judging candidates for quitting a job before securing another. Sometimes, people need to remove themselves from toxic or unhealthy work environments for their well-being. ❌ Expecting candidates to be 100% qualified for a role. That is unrealistic. No one is perfect, and the right candidate can grow into the role with proper support and guidance. ❌ Using the terms "unicorn" and "rock star" in job descriptions. Just stop. ❌ Overlooking attitude, motivation, and desire to work for your company. That is a huge mistake. These intangible qualities are often more valuable than technical skills. A positive attitude and drive to succeed can significantly impact an employee's performance and longevity. Candidates are human beings deserving of respect and consideration. Many are going through challenging times and simply want the opportunity to contribute their skills and talents. 💫💫💫 To the recruiters and hiring managers doing things right, THANK YOU. All job seekers appreciate your efforts to maintain a fair and inclusive hiring process. #Hiring #JobSeekers #Recruiting #Resumes #Applications #Jobs #JobCandidatesArePeopleToo

"Recruiting never sleeps." Or does it? This is a MYTH. Most recruiters set strong boundaries. So... Let's bust some more hiring myths. Because recruiting is so misunderstood today. 📌 The 5 most dangerous recruiting myths: 1️⃣ "Recruiting is just posting and praying" In this era to attract right candidates you have to proactive source, work on employer branding, candidate nurturing, and using data-driven approaches to identify and engage the best talent. It’s a blend of marketing, sales, and relationship management. 2️⃣ "Recruiting is a volume game" Find the RIGHT people. Not the most people. Focuses on targeting the right candidates rather than casting a wide net, leveraging data and tools to refine your Job description, Job posting sites, outreach and even niche referral campaigns. 3️⃣ "Recruiting stops when a candidate accepts your offer" The reality? Your real work starts after the "yes." Post-offer engagement is critical. I've seen perfect candidates lost in that gap between offer and start date. All because companies think signing means done. 4️⃣ "Big tech pedigree = best talent" The most expensive myth in tech that talent from high-profile companies like Google or Amazon is inherently better. Success in one environment doesn’t always translate to success in another. Skills, mindset, and cultural fit are better indicators of potential. Build talent and don't alway buy talent. 5️⃣ "Recruiting success is all about speed " The fastest way to make expensive mistakes. Great hiring takes intention. Alignment. Understanding. Rush it? You'll pay later. P.S. What else did I miss? Lmk what you'd add below!

When we talk about biases in recruiting, it's often brought up in the context of Diversity efforts... But understanding where human decision making can be faulty should just be part of creating sound hiring decisions. Some common cognitive biases that I see influence recruiting decisions ALL the time: 1. Halo Effect: Halo effect occurs when an interviewer's overall impression of a candidate is disproportionately influenced by one positive trait, leading them to overlook other, potentially critical, aspects of the candidate's profile. Example: A candidate with excellent verbal skills might leave such a strong impression that interviewers overlook gaps in technical knowledge or expertise necessary for the job. 2. Priming: Priming involves being influenced by prior information. In recruitment, it can happen when an interviewer's expectations are subtly influenced by information seen or heard before the interview. Can also lead to Anchoring. Example: An interviewer overhears that a candidate has been strongly recommended by a trusted colleague. 3. Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions or hypotheses, often ignoring contradictory evidence. Example: If you believe that X companies have solid Engineers, might pay more attention to evidence that supports this belief and ignore evidence to the contrary. 4. Sunk Cost Fallacy: The more resources (time, money, effort) one invests in a decision, the harder it becomes to abandon it, even if it's not the best course of action. Example: A hiring team might continue investing time in a candidate they've spent weeks courting, despite emerging evidence that the candidate may not be a good fit, simply because they've already invested so much in the process. 5. Contrast Effect: The enhancement or diminishment of a weight or other measurement when compared with a recently observed contrasting object. Example: If a particularly weak candidate is interviewed before a slightly above-average candidate, the latter may appear more competent than if assessed independently, simply due to the contrast. These are just a few of many that may come up in interviewing. Completely eliminating them is impossible so instead, I suggest trying to spread awareness to interviewers, hiring manager and recruiters during training. Just knowing that these are in play can trigger interviewers to catch themselves or point out when these are showing up to each other. #recruiting #techrecruiting #hiring #techhiring

It's that time again. Some information about Recruiting/Recruiters on the corporate side. There's some misinformation/misunderstanding on what Corporate Recruiters do so I figured I'd let you know my job and how it works. Recruiters main responsibility is to fill jobs. That's the short definition. So how do we do that? We use Applicant Tracking Systems to post jobs, source candidates, and review resumes. Recruiters are typically your first and last touch point during the process. We review your resume, send to the Hiring team, and usually have a pre-screen or interview with you first. After that we are typically your main point of contact through the process. Helping facilitate next interviews, manage candidate communication, and relaying Hiring Managers thoughts. As interviews progress, the hiring team decides who they want to continue through the process, Recruiters can be an integral part of those decisions but every Hiring Manager is different in how they expect Recruiting input. This is something people often misunderstand. While we can influence decisions, we do not make them. From there, dispositioning candidates at the end of the process, informing them that they did not move forward or get the job. Now this is a very simple definition/overview, we do a lot more but some things that I felt get confused or misunderstood by the general applicant public. Some Misconceptions that I've heard: • "Do you know of any jobs that I'd be a good fit for" I see this request/ask often. Recruiters on the corporate side typically are filling jobs not finding jobs for candidates. If you apply for jobs I can do my best to send to the Recruiter/Hiring Team but I am not typically scouring the website to find a job that might align with your background. • "Can you help me get an interview with this team" This is another ask that I get fairly often. We do not choose who gets hired, interviewed or moved along in the interview process. We can influence who gets seen by the hiring manager and give input based on my conversations with candidates but cannot tell the Hiring manager who to interview or hire. Hopefully you found this helpful, I know this isn't a 'tips and tricks' but hopefully gives you a bit more insight going into reachouts and how you approach recruiting, recruiters and any communication with Corporate Recruiters. Have any other questions about Recruiting and Recruiters? Drop a comment and let's chat!

After 12 yrs as a Hiring Manager, these are the 6 most common job search ‘fallacies’ I see candidates getting trapped by: 1. “Managers will give me a chance because I have great character and work ethic” Hot Take: Why should they if they don’t have to? Hiring teams want less risk. Sure, this does happen at the entry level, But to land +$150k roles at higher levels - great character and work ethic is assumed. You need to demonstrate the ability to create value (ROI) for the business. The job market is too competitive to build a search strategy around ‘great character’ - - - 2. “I must be 100% qualified” Ideally, you should meet ALL the basic qualifications. I’d avoid applying to jobs where you don’t. Preferred qualification are negotiable. Think of these like a list of ‘must haves’ and ‘nice to haves’ - don’t keep rejecting yourself. - - - 3. The best candidate gets the job Not always. Hiring process are imperfect and full of biases. Many HMs go with candidates that have the ability to pitch themselves over actually having the job skills. In so many cases, I’ve seen soft skills win out over hard skills in the interview process. Lesson: Learn to engage and market yourself. - - - 4. “I need to land my dream job to be happy” Life changes too quickly for dream jobs. Land a job that enables your dream lifestyle. There’s different versions of this, and that’s ok. There’s lots of firms where you can enable the dream. Don’t get fixated on a single company. - - - 5. “I’ll have job security if I’m at a top firm” Nope - 2024 continues to prove that there is no such thing as job security. Your a number regardless of where you go and what you do. It’s a business, not a family. Never forget that - have an exit strategy. - - - 6. “Recruiters don’t care about me” 99% of recruiters are amazing, caring people who want you to succeed. Don’t treat them “less than” by default. Part of their job is to get you the best offer or package possible. - - - Hope these help! Let me know what you’d as to my list. ————— Follow me for more advice on job search, and repost ♻️ this if you found it helpful. #careertips #jobsearchtips #hiring