Recruiters’ Biggest Complaint About Applicant Resumes

Q: I know you also do HR Consulting. What’s the biggest dissatisfier that you hear about from companies when it comes to recruiting?

A: I was recently speaking with the Head of Talent Acquisition for a major tech company, and she confirmed something that I hear all of the time from my corporate clients and contacts. Recruiters are inundated with resumes that make it perfectly clear the applicant has not researched the role or company. 

In this specific conversation, my colleague was sharing how frustrated she was that a very qualified candidate – someone that her team really had an interest in – had turned in a generic set of job search documents that didn’t even address specific requests outlined in the job posting. She echoed a sentiment that I have shared on this blog before: the application process is a potential employee’s first deliverable and this candidate – because of lack of attention or ego – had not met some basic expectations. As a result, she was not going to pursue this candidate any further; an unfortunate outcome for both parties. 

Target your documents toward each specific position, research the company to which you are applying, and make sure you are addressing the specific requirements outlined in a requisition. If you don’t, you might miss out on a great opportunity even if you are perfectly qualified for the position.