jobs.dcrecruiters.org

While third-party job recruiters definitely want to fill vacancies for clients, they also seem to have a universal fear of suggesting a bad candidate to a client. Such feelings on behalf of the recruiter make total sense when considered in light of their incentive structure.
 
Most recruiters get paid for filling vacancies, so obviously they would like to make money by filling these vacancies for their clients. At the same time however, recruiting is a competitive field, and if they find their client and employee that turns out to be a “lemon”, then not only will they look bad, but their chance of getting repeat business from that client will drop dramatically.
 
Many recruiters seem to operate by keeping a running mental count of how many “red flags” a particular prospect triggers. One red flag and chances are they won't cross you off their list, two of them and you still might be able to land the job, but with three or more you are in dangerous waters, and the chances of never hearing from a particular recruiter again, will have skyrocketed.
 

If you feel you can handle the job in question, then it is your job to present yourself in the best possible light and therefore take care to not to unnecessarily trip any red flags. Keep in mind, there is no universal set of red flags that we can list, and that the danger spots on each person's resume and job background will vary greatly.
 
Just to get you started, here is list of some statements you might make or questions you might ask, that could act as triggers. For example, If the salary you have requested is too far above or below the range that their client had in mind, you've probably tripped a red flag. Too high a salary and there is little point in bringing you in for an interview because even if you're a great fit, they probably can't afford you. Too low a salary and you project an image that you yourself are not confident in your ability to competently handle the job.
 
If you tell the recruiter that you are available immediately, that can send the message that you are desperate and need work ASAP. Recruiters can be especially sensitive to such an answer if they see that you last updated your resume two months ago or longer. A better answer might be, I can start within two weeks of receiving an acceptable job offer. Of course there are always exceptions to rules like this. For example a company might need someone to start working on a special project within a few days.
 
When it comes to tips for the job search there really are no hard and fast rules. The idea is to act like the recruiter does by constantly processing information in real-time and making decisions on-the-fly. To do this well of course requires practice and experimentation, and you can hone these skills with every prescreen and interview.
 
If you tell a recruiter that your last job was as a “consultant” and that you worked at your own LLC, just be aware that you have most likely just upped the recruiter's sensitivity. You might have been an excellent consultant with metrics galore to show for your work, but you should to have a story ready to explain your circumstances, as well as a list of projects, to be able show as reference of your skills. Regardless of what you say, the message that sticks in the recruiter's brain shoud be anything other than “great, this guy has been unemployed since his second to last, listed job”.
 
One of the more common red flags that is seen across industries is a bad answer to the question, “why did you quit your last job?” If you say “my boss was a jerk” they're likely to think, you have problems dealing with people. If you say “my coworkers had problems with me committing ritualistic animal sacrifices in the office kitchen” they'll probably think you're nuts (and rightly so). Once again, they key is to have a story prepared that is believable, consistent with anything any of your references might say, and does not portray you in a negative light.
 
These are just a few examples red flags to watch out for in prescreens and interviews, what others can you think of? We'd love to hear from you in our comments section.
 
\