Recruiters might see hundreds of resumes for every open spot, and that’s just the ones that made it through the Applicant Tracking System. As a result, even the most qualified candidates have to be prepared to fight for their attention.
It’s no wonder that some people are willing to do just about anything to stand out, such as sending their recruiter gifts to move to the front of the line.
Leaving aside for a moment whether recruiter gifts represent bribery or just good thinking, there’s such a thing as standing out for the wrong reasons. For examples, see the following list of truly bizarre offerings given to recruiters by candidates. That, plus networking faux pas to avoid and professional ghosting, in this week’s roundup.
JobMob at UndercoverRecruiter: The Most Bizarre Items That Have Been Sent to Recruiters
A bag of fried pork. A breast-shaped cake. A teabag. And this:
A gift from a candidate I helped find a new job. Unecessary, but appreciated! @DubinGroup is the Best Place to Work! pic.twitter.com/Y4yh7comUY
— Kelly DeFinis (@KellyDeFinis) July 31, 2013
When it comes to getting a recruiter’s attention, these folks have it made. Whether or not they got a call back is another story. Full list here, for your reading pleasure.
Tyler Omoth at TopResume: 5 Small Networking Event Faux Pas to Avoid
Networking is awkward for most of us, but sometimes, we unwittingly make it worse than it has to be. For example, here’s an anecdote of Omoth’s about enthusiasm gone wrong at an event:
Some things you can do wrong and never realize it. Others, you know the second you’ve finished the act. This was one of those. After brief introductions to a younger gentleman who was working with the VA Hospital, my knee-jerk reaction was to say, “You do good work. Cheers!” and reach over to clink my glass with his. How can you not respect the good people helping out our vets?
He looked down at his drink like I had just tossed a bug in it.
I didn’t need my wife to tell me I crossed a line. He seemed to recover, but the awkwardness hovered for a while. A long while.
Want to avoid similar embarrassment? These tips can help.
Sharlyn Lauby at HR Bartender: Professional Ghosting
“Ghosting” has gotten a fair amount of attention in the dating and relationships media in recent years, but is the phenomenon extending to professional life, as well? Lauby discusses a recent article – and some examples from her mailbag – that argue it may have.
“The more I think about it, the more I can see that professional ghosting exists. The question becomes ‘why?’” she writes. “On one hand, I can see a person rationalizing that ghosting is a way to let someone down softly without hurting their feelings. Although personally, I want to call bravo sierra on that reasoning. It is possible to tell someone “no” in such a way that they can ultimately benefit from it.”
To see some other possibilities, and a few interesting questions about where this trend might lead us, read her post.
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