Here’s a bit of a secret: in the spirit of trying to get the absolute best talent, recruiters occasionally have a tendency to resort to clichés...and maybe even exaggerate.
Here’s something else: candidates have taken notice. To the point that they have stopped taking seriously some of the things that recruiters say.
What specific recruiting phrases are candidates most skeptical of? Well, good for you, there’s a popular Quora thread built on this exact topic (which partially proves that the problem exists). So, without further ado, here are six of the most popular statements candidates hear from recruiters, but don’t necessarily believe:
1. “We’re like a startup inside of a big company.”
A popular one for big companies everywhere. There’s a belief out there that workers at big companies have less of an impact and can take less chances than one at a startup, enticing big-company recruiters to tell candidates how an offered position is like “a startup in a bigger company.”
2. “You’d be coming in at the right time.”
On the other side of the coin, here’s a popular one for startups. Generally, taking a job at a startup is riskier than taking one at a larger company. To help offset that risk, recruiters will talk about their vision of the future of the company, which often ends with the candidate becoming obscenely wealthy.
3. “We lead our industry in technology.”
Always a popular one by recruiters looking to lure tech talent by suggesting their company has the coolest, newest tools for them to play with.
4. “We have work-life balance.”
Nobody wants to work 80 hours a week, and that sort of environment can force people to look for new jobs in the first place. Therefore, touting work-life balance becomes a staple of the recruiter lexicon.
5. “We only hire the best.”
If all these companies are legitimately only hiring the best, how are all these people getting jobs? A bit dubious…
6. “We are a cool company.”
One of the most vague terms of all. There are variations off this too: “we have a great culture”, “we are one of the best places to work” and “people love it here.” Sounds good, but does it actually mean anything to candidates?
Eh, probably not.
How to overcome the skepticism: Show, don’t tell.
Chances are, you are reading this and saying, “This really is true at my company! We really do have a startup culture”, or “we do have the best technology”, or “we do have a good work-life balance.”
Here’s the thing: you can say it all day, but candidates will still be skeptical. But fear not, there’s a solution: prove it.
A perfect example is instead of telling people you have the best technology, tell them about the technology you have. If it really is the best, that’s going to really impress a tech candidate. Or, if you have a great work-life balance, talk about how your CEO makes it a point to leave at 5 p.m. every day and how everyone is kicked out of the office at 6 p.m.
Bottom line, there’s a lot of noise out in the market. Even if you are the best, telling someone that isn’t going to work. Instead, showing them is a far more effective tool.
*Image by Pascal
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Topics: Industry humor and fun
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