Dear Super Recruiter,
Everytime I speak with a recruiter, you guys want to know where I’ve applied and interviewed. Why does it matter? — George, Connecticut
Dear George,
Even though it might seem like we’re prying, asking about your recent application and interview history has nothing to do with nosiness. There are four major things we can learn about you by asking these important questions:
- We learn about your interests. If you’ve only applied to major financial firms and we’re calling to speak with you about a position with our pharmaceutical client, we may not have a good a fit. Listening to where you’ve been seeing opportunities helps us steer you toward the right environment.
- We learn where you stand in the process. There’s a big difference between a candidate who’s just begun their search and one who’s preparing for a fourth round interview. Learning what stage you’re in helps us manage your expectations as well as the client’s.
- We learn where else we might be able to submit you. There may have been a specific role that caused us to reach out to you initially, but we’ve got a lot of clients who may have similar positions. Also, for many of our clients it’s important not to duplicate your submission. If we send you to a client where you’ve already applied, some of our clients will nullify your candidacy and others will invalidate our submission, meaning we’ve wasted your time on that role.
- We learn about patterns in your process. If you’ve had phone screens for four different Sr. C# Developer roles with investment banks, but never made it to the face-to-face interview, there’s a trend worth examining. By looking through your history, we can help identify areas to improve your candidacy moving forward.
In summary, it’s always best to give your recruiter as much information as possible about where your resume has been sent, and the companies with which you’ve interviewed. Find a reputable IT Recruiter, keep the lines of communication open and honest, and your job hunt will be a breeze!