Gone are the days of getting excited about placing a new advert on job portals to attract new star candidates…
Gone are the days where we could get our creative juices flowing and place an amazing advert that would have as much flair as Priscilla Queen of the Desert!
Recruiters today shudder at the thought of having to place adverts online, and why is that?
The problem is not the volume of responses that you get, but the quality.
We get it, the job market is very saturated at the moment and securing employment is no longer an easy task. I’m sure you thought “well let me just respond to this advert so that the recruitment company gets my CV and keeps it for future references”. This causes a problem for both recruiters and candidates alike. Not only did you send your CV for a position you do not have the right skills for, but this makes recruiters feel that if you cannot read an advert properly or manage your own process for the job applications, why would we risk sending your CV to our clients (Whom you probably have also blasted with your CV before). This then starts to create a vicious cycle of CV’s being sent and not being viewed due to past experiences.
I always recommend to potential candidates that when applying online, always make sure you are applying for a position you qualify for.
If you are desperately looking, make a point of sending your CV to the agencies directly, and request a meeting with one of the consultants. Bear in mind, though, that not all agencies will bring you in for an interview to get you registered on their database for future positions. Each agency has their own way of doing things.
Always keep an eye out, and if you do apply for a position that you qualify for, make sure that you are ready to make a move. Applying for jobs just to see what’s out there tends to give a certain candidate and CV the appearance of being a job hopper or serial interviewer.
Good luck with all your future applications.
Written by: Matthew Neethling, Recruitment Consultant
