First off, let’s disclaim that not all recruiters are created equal – some are way worse than others! In the weird and wonderful world of IT, weeding out the recruitment ‘haves’ from the ‘have-nots’ is a lot easier thanks to the very specific needs and skills required in the field. It’s safe to say that there are a few standard pet-hates that absolutely no-one in the industry enjoys about recruiters. Here they are, in no particular order:
When a recruiter values quantity over quality
Getting the same stock-standard sales pitch from several people from the same company is inexcusable. Recruiters trying to play the numbers game and get a couple of hundred CVs to send to their client, is a complete turn-off. These types of recruiters are obviously just trying to get the maximum number of potential candidates through to their client and couldn’t give a toss about your career aspirations or expertise.
When a recruiter doesn’t know the biz
When a recruiter doesn’t know their Oracle from their Orange Juice, most Dev’s want to scream. They must have at least taken the time to understand the tech industry and all its detailed jargon when chatting to dev’s, programmers, engineers and the like. A recruiter should know the business they’re recruiting for, perhaps even better than the candidates or clients themselves.
When a recruiter places the client above the candidate
We all know who pays the recruiter’s commission, but when a recruiter blatantly places the client’s wants and needs above a candidate’s, it can be infuriating. Trying to force a candidate into taking a position that is below their pay-grade or not matched to their career aspirations, simply for the sake of the placement, is an absolute no-no. The ideal balance would be to perfectly match a client with a candidate, to ensure a long-term relationship rather than shoving the candidate into the client’s den and hoping they’ll stick.
When a recruiter sends blanket emails
Generic, LinkedIn messages, or cold-call emails, where only the name has been changed, is not cool. In today’s information age, finding someone’s cellphone number and giving them an actual telephone call should not be a big ask? If you like a candidate, and want to chat to them about a well-suited position, give them a call! A generic or bulk email will get lost in a sea of unread messages or, better yet, get sent straight to spam!
A recruiter who knows the industry, the client, the job spec and the candidate is a rare gem – and will make a lasting impression on any interested techy.
To work with a recruitment specialist who does NONE of the above, and the rarest gem of all, send your CV to e-Merge this afternoon.
