10 Recruiting Myths

Here are the myths that many candidates still believe in:

1) “If I approach a recruiter on Linkedin, he won’t like the intrusion”.

Wrong! Recruiters do want to be approached by proactive candidates who are realistic about their skills and who are happy to talk about a specific role that the recruiter posted online recently.

2) “If I ask for little money, they will like me more and will offer me the job”.

Wrong! If you ask for little money, you will be considered a little player. You have to research on Glassdoor.com to discover how much you are worth so that you can ask for the right amount of money and not be rejected before you even got a chance to bet!

3) “If I ask for more time, they will find someone else”.

Wrong! You don’t have to be available 24/7 to pick up a call or to show up at an interview. You need time to prepare, prepare, prepare! The best is to never take unscheduled calls. You should never let a recruiter pressure you to make a fast decision or to take an unexpected call/interview unless you are fully prepared.

4) “If I am asked personal questions during an interview, I just go with the flow”

Wrong! Don’t answer any personal question during an interview process unless you are already hired. The more personal information the employer holds, the more the recruitment process will be biased.

5) “I should always dress up in formal attire when going to an interview”.

Wrong! You must dress formal to interview at a bank or at a lawyer’s firm, but not at a tech company of startup. You could be penalized before you even open you mouth.

6) “Dressing in black is better than using a bright color”.

Wrong! You need to be remembered and black is too safe and boring. It’s important to bet in high conversion colors such as pink, yellow, red, light blue and beige.

7) “The faster the interview process, the more likely I am to be recruited”.

Wrong!: if you think it went too fast, that’s probably because you will not be selected. An interview should be a conversation where time flies. The shorter the interview, the more likely you are not to be contacted for the second round.

8) “I shouldn’t boast about my skills on my Linkedin profile or Resume”.

Wrong! This is the one place where you cannot be humble. Humble profiles are not interesting profiles and are quickly forgotten. Be yourself, be unique, remember to put your awards, publications, memberships and a cool picture with no dog, baby or drinks!

9) “No recruiter cares about my Facebook profile. That’s my private life anyhow”.

Wrong! Recruiters do look at Facebook profiles and don’t like to see swear words or political opinions spread out bluntly. Remember that there is no “private life” once you have posted your life on Social Media. On the other hand, be visible. Invisible people are also suspicious and lack relevance.

10) “I should tell the recruiter exactly how much I was paid in my previous role”

Wrong! You don’t have to tell anything about your previous salary to your current or potential employer and they have no means of checking that information legally. Nor do they have the power to discover if you were fired or if you simply left your job.