We’ve heard it before and we will hear it again; those 4 little words that cut deep for any recruiter: Where are my resumes?
Whether they are coming from a hiring manager or your internal account manager, coming face to face with the infamous “where are my resumes” question is never easy and answering it properly is even more difficult.
The truth: there is no good answer. Hiring managers don’t want to hear that you can’t find candidates since they pay you to do just that. They don’t like to hear that their job descriptions are so specific they eliminate 99% of available candidates or that the salary range is for a Level I employee versus the Level III they want to hire. What they want to hear is that we have 10 candidates ready and waiting to interview; all are of course perfect for the job, the company, and can start Monday.
Recruiters reading this are probably laughing as I was just writing that last line, because what hiring managers want to hear is not the reality of recruiting today. We are in a candidate-controlled market where jobs are plentiful and candidates are (happily) employed; not sitting by their phone waiting for recruiters to call. So what do you say to your hiring manager?
At DAVIS, our goal is to set the right expectations BEFORE the question is even asked. It’s no secret Engineers are in high demand, some more than others, and when a manager calls in with a request for a Senior Electrical Engineer both recruiters and sales are prepared to give said manager a realistic answer. Making false promises or saying anything just to win the business will not get you anywhere. Hiring managers may not understand the recruiting process but they do understand good business and will appreciate an agency that is upfront. Present them with facts and data to help them understand and keep them updated throughout the search so they never have to ask. In today’s competitive business environment, giving your clients honest expectations and feedback is one of the best ways to retain their business.
