JOB APPLICATION FRUSTRATION: Where did my resume just go?

By Hal Bent, Senior Director of Communications


Oftentimes, I tend to find myself with my nose buried in industry resources in an attempt to keep current in the marketplace, stay on top of trends, and dig up any nuggets of information that may be helpful to me and co-workers in our jobs. One columnist I was reading recently had a piece about the difficulties that internal recruiters in Human Resources departments face in filling key positions. In his article 7 Mistakes Internal Recruiters Make, Nick Corcodilos lists a myriad of reasons why these companies do not fill the jobs they have in a timely manner. In my opinion, I thought the article was of interest not only to target audience of recruiting firms or HR departments, but also to the executives who have been frustrated by applying for countless jobs and having them fall into the HR black hole. The article does a decent job of showing where the process falls apart in the HR department of these companies.

As an example: Mistake 3 - They know too much HR and too little about their industry: How many times has a job description appeared that looks like a perfect fit for your background and skills and never heard a peep back from the company? Too often, clerks and administrators in Human Resources are discounting eminently qualified candidates. Instead of your credentials getting to someone who could see how qualified you are to help this company, Human Resources dumps you in the not-acceptable bin due to some ticky-tacky qualifier in the job description that probably has no real role in the position. If you are lucky, you get a form letter informing you that “thanks, but no thanks” with no explanation and no chance to make your case to the person who would benefit most from having you at the company: the hiring decision maker.
Just a peek at the comments sections of job boards like Indeed.com and others show the bubbling-over frustration job-seekers have when trying to get through HR and get the interview process started. Sure, in some cases there are reasons why you are rejected by HR, but sometimes it is good to know: It’s not you—it’s them!

Since its inception in 2002, HiProFile has established selected relationships with organizations throughout New England needing to fill positions at the $80–300K base salary level. Unlike outplacement firms or “headhunters,” HiProFile establishes cost-effective on-going relationships and carefully recruits Member Companies to preserve its “boutique” status. In other words, the firm maintains a “by invitation only” policy regarding client companies based on strict non-compete and non-solicitation agreements.Additional questions or information requests should be directed to Hal Bent, Senior Director of Communications (hbent@hpfjobs.com).

HiProFile LLC ● 125 Summer Street ● Boston, MA 02110 ● 617-345-0007 ● http://www.hiprofilellc.com/