With more people searching for jobs longer than ever before, we at Staffing Solutions, Inc. wanted you to be aware of a dirty little secret that is so big that even the Wall Street Journal is reporting on it in, “How a Black Mark can Derail your Job Search.” Job seekers don’t realize that they can land on a “do not hire list!”
The Wall Street Journal article describes a networking event: a recruiter pointed to a software developer across the room. The recruiter told two other people, a career coach and an HR official at a biotechnology firm, that the software developer was very bad in his presentation skills. The HR official asked for the person’s name, scribbled it in their notebook, and said "I want to add him to our blacklist."
The developer landed on two “do not hire” lists that day! Whether you believe it or not, every agency and/or company has a “blacklist.” If you commit a faux pas at one company/staffing firm, it can land you on a wide network of blacklists!
At Staffing Solutions, Inc. we have experienced candidates not showing up for interviews without bothering to cancel, being “unreachable” after an interview with a client, or not returning to a scheduled assignment. It’s as if the candidate has disappeared off the face of the earth. All these folks are designated as “no rehires” and we track all of this information in our databases!
Recruiters have a tight network and “compare notes” about potential candidates. So, if you have a “situation” with one recruiter/staffing firm don’t be surprised if word gets around.
These mistakes can be a result of anxiety, which is increasing due to the high unemployment rate. In the Wall Street Journal article, a job seeker secretly allowed two rival agencies to send his resume for the same position as the same company. The job seeker stated that he wanted “to increase his chances of getting interviewed.” Bad choice!
While it is okay to work with multiple agencies, don’t allow two firms to submit your resume for the same position at the same company. It wastes the firms’ time and efforts. In addition, all three parties, the two agencies and the company, question the candidate’s integrity. Remember, if the agencies don’t feel like you are a candidate of integrity, they won’t feel comfortable representing you.
Other mistakes that will land you on the black list:
Don’t leave a temporary/contract job with one temporary agency for another temporary job with another agency.
Be sure to monitor what is posted on your social networking profile. NEVER post anything that is offensive or damaging to your image - it can make employers think twice about hiring you.
Don’t “spam” your resume to HR Departments or agencies for every opening posted.
What’s the moral of the story? As your mother always told you, “don’t burn a bridge.”
In this competitive market it is critical to be an “impeccable” applicant. What does being an “impeccable” candidate entail? Read the attached Wall Street Journal article, and check out our blog, website, Facebook, and MySpace links for more information to keep you impeccable and off the hiring managers’ blacklists.
To view the Wall Street Journal article in its entirety: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703389004575033583145567138.html
