Q & A for Kelly Dingee: A Recruiter’s Perspective on What Job Seekers Need to Know
Kelly Dingee is a Strategic Recruiting Manager with Staffing Advisors, winner of the 2011 “Best of Staffing” award for client service. In addition to sourcing candidates and recruiting talent, Kelly has trained recruiters on best practices for finding talent—she’s worked for AIRS and is a guest contributor to the talent acquisition blog, Fistful of Talent. We sat down and asked her what you need to know about working with recruiters.
You work for a retained search firm. How do you find potential applicants for jobs?
We source candidates through multiple channels. We use select job boards and perform an extensive amount of research online to access passive candidates that have created resumes or profiles.
There has been a lot of talk about how job boards don’t work—and how companies are no longer using them. Do recruiters and hiring managers still use them to source and find candidates?
Yes, recruiters still use job boards, but they no longer post and pray. 95% of the time our firm starts searching online before our posting hits job boards or website.
What is the biggest faulty assumption that you see job seekers make in looking for jobs?
The biggest assumption? That you can do what you did the last time you needed to find a job, that just submitting an application will get you an interview. Jobseekers can’t just “post and pray” in this day and age. Applicant tracking systems are often a black hole— resumes go in, and sometimes they’re not brought back out.
To keep your resume at the forefront for review, you need to find someone in the organization you’re applying to. Referrals are King: They are cost effective and employers like receiving resumes from great employees. Getting referred in is like having an instant reference.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Even if you are only on an “acquaintance level” of friendship with your contact point in a particular company, most people who have survived the recession will pay it forward and put your resume in front of the Hiring Manager or HR.
What is the biggest mistake you see job seekers make in applying for jobs?
Don’t apply for jobs that you aren’t qualified for. Read the qualifications. If you are not a fit, don’t expect a call. And if you are a fit, make sure you’ve demonstrated on your resume or application the skills that match up to the qualifications. Recruiters aren’t mind readers; it has to be spelled out for you to make it to the first interview or phone call.
What are your pet peeves for working with candidates in the recruiting process? (Or to phrase it differently: How can candidates make your work easy?)
Make my work easy? To paraphrase the Spice Girls “Tell me what you want, what you really, really want.” I’m an upfront researcher and recruiter. I’m not interested in doing a dance or playing games: If I can help you, I’ll tell you I can. If you’re not a fit, I’ll tell you that as well. Help me find you by being findable. Build a profile, have a resume ready, even push it out online. Skip the fluff words and provide me with details on your skills.
Are there any questions I haven’t asked that I should be asking? What’s the question, and what’s your answer?
Should you make contact with a recruiter or candidate sourcing manager?
Absolutely. And unfortunately you’ll probably meet some you don’t care for. There are ethical and respectful recruiters and sourcing pros out there, but you may have to kiss a few frogs to find the ones that will work best with you.
If you’ve been contacted by a recruiter, acknowledge them. Even if you say “Thanks, but I’m not interested,” you will be noted as a class act.
Want to make yourself even classier? Pass the opportunity on. Referrals stand out in a recruiter’s mind. The next time they have an opening that would be perfect for you, they’ll remember the referrals you passed on and reach out to you first.
Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers (in 140 characters or less):
Network. Build an online profile. Be a referral king.
