Two weeks ago, I posted a job on LinkedIn for a Director of Sales. I was clear about the parameters. Candidates need industry experience, a track record of sales success, marketing, team building, and staff management. But the number one thing the company wanted, and the number one thing I repeated three times in the post, was that the candidate had to be from the aerospace industry. Fairly straight forward, right? I even put aerospace in the title which read
Director of Sales and Marketing- Aerospace
I received 83 resumes and while there was some good sales talent, the simple fact is I did not receive a single aerospace candidate. This is a common frustration for recruiters: receiving applications from candidates who just don’t meet the minimum requirements for a job. I always ask myself why do so many job seekers apply for roles they are not qualified for? Here are a few possible explanations but let me know if you can think of more.
1. “Spray and Pray”
- Many job seekers under pressure to find work indiscriminately apply for any and every job that seems remotely interesting, regardless of qualifications. This quite simply is an enormous waste of everyone’s time.
2. Misinterpretation of Job Descriptions:
- Vague Requirements: Some job descriptions are vague or use overly broad language. This leads to excessive amounts of resumes/applications but this one is the recruiter’s fault, not the candidate’s fault.
3. The “Hope and a Prayer” Mentality:
- “Maybe they’ll consider me anyway…” Some candidates believe their unique skills or personality could compensate for a lack of specific qualifications. Recruiters, however, get paid to find the skills sought by managers, not to guess if your skills and personality can compensate for a lack of experience.
4. Lack of Guidance:
- Candidates may not have access to a support network, career counselors, or other resources that can help them effectively target their job search and tailor their applications.
5. No Consequences:
- With so many job applications submitted online, there are few consequences for applying for roles you are not qualified for. If there are no consequences for excessive applying, why not apply?
What Can Job Hunters Do to Get Their Resume Noticed?
- Don’t Use the “One-Size-Fits-All” Approach: Many job seekers use a generic resume for every application. This is a major red flag. Recruiters are looking for candidates who have carefully researched a specific role and company and tailored their resume to highlight the most relevant experience.
- Use More Keywords: Applicant Tracking Systems scan resumes for specific keywords. If your resume lacks the keywords used in the job description, it might not even make it to a human recruiter.
- Better Formatting: Cluttered layouts, inconsistent (or very small) fonts, too much bolding, too many pages, or excessive use of columns AI can’t digest, can make a resume difficult to select.
- No Typos or Grammatical Errors: Even minor errors can significantly impact a recruiter’s perception of your attention to detail and professionalism.
- Quantify Your Achievements: Use data and specific examples to demonstrate your impact.
By addressing these common pitfalls, you can significantly increase your chances of catching a recruiter’s eye and landing that coveted interview.
Are you having difficulty finding talented employees to fill your open positions? With 25 years of experience, a 4.8 Google rating, an average experience level of 22 years, our own Thought Leadership Team, and an A+ rating from the BBB, you will quickly see why we’ve built so many permanent, long-term client relationships. Visit our website at www.execsallied.com/employers or Email us at info@execsallied.com. We are here to help!
