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You see a great medical device sales or pharmaceutical sales job posting on line that asks you to send your resume to a recruiter. You enthusiastically send your resume per the instructions, but now they are not responding to your e-mails. What is going on? Did your resume end up in some black hole? Did anyone even look at it? How could they not call you when you think you are perfect for this job?
I know that job seekers often find that working with a recruiter can be frustrating. I have worked as a hiring manager and a recruiter in the world of medical device sales for nearly twenty years so here is the cold, hard truth - recruiters work for the hiring company, not for you.
As a job seeker, you probably view recruiters as a necessary evil in the job search process and you just wish you knew what they were thinking and how to work with them. Here are some tips on how to successfully work with a recruiter and get them on your side.
Problem #1:
You cannot get anyone at the recruiting firm to respond to your resume despite follow-up phone calls and e-mails.
Solutions:
Because recuiters can get literally hundreds of resumes every day for a job posting in medical device or pharmaceutical sales due to the high job demand, you want to make sure your e-mailed resume stands out and makes the recruiters job easier:
- Put a clear cut subject line on your message such as "Resume for Tampa opening."
You do not need to try to use the subject line for anything cute or too over the top. Just make their job easier by giving the recruiter a clue about what your e-mail contains.
- Make sure your attached resume and cover letter clearly spell out your job experience and accomplishments.
An effective resume is the most important part of your job search that will either get you a call back from the recruiter or get your resume deleted.
If the recruiter has to guess about what you are doing now or does not immediately see the kinds of top-performing sales successes the hiring manager wants, they will not be calling you.
You may not have heard back because your work experience and accomplishments, as described in your resume, do not seem to meet the requirements.
If you respond to a job posting without meeting a clear cut job requirement in the posting, the recruiter is going to think that you either did not read the posting or that you just disregarded the requirement. This can be a waste of time for everyone, including you.
Rather than looking inept or clueless:
- Create a well-written cover letter or introductory e-mail.
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If you are a fit for the majority of the job requirements, state that in the cover letter written directly to the recruiter. (See my previous article for tips on how to write a powerful cover letter.)
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If you are missing a key requirement from the hiring company, state to the recruiter that you would like to be kept in their database for other positions that they may have available.
Problem #2:
You spoke to the recruiter for a phone screen, but now have not heard anything back.
The good news in this situation is that your resume is helping you. Based on just that information, the recruiter felt compelled to call you. However, something has caused them to not pass you on to the hiring manager.
Quite honestly, the recruiter's reputation is at stake. They will not pass on a candidate that they do not think will do well in the initial interview.
During phone screenings, keep your answers concise and to the point. I have personally found that many candidates get long-winded during a phone screen and feel the need to give responses that are too in-depth. Especially for a sales job, if you are too verbose, the recruiter may question your ability to be a good listener and to be a good sales rep. If the recruiter has worked with the hiring company in the past, they certainly know what the hiring manager is looking for and are able to evaluate how well you would fit in with the corporate culture.
Solution:
- If you are passed over, be sure to follow up with the recruiter to find out why you were not the right candidate.
Make them a partner in your job search and ask for constructive feedback and to be considered for future positions.
- Above all else, do not get frustrated and defensive with a recruiter if they do not pass you on to the hiring manager.
They will certainly not call you in the future if you are hostile.
Problem #3:
You got a first interview with the hiring manager, but not a second, and the recruiter is being vague about the reason why.
Most likely, the recruiter did not get a lot of feedback from the hiring manager.
Many hiring managers are now being told by their companies to give very non-specific feedback to candidates. This is due to a concern with any kind of perceived discrimination. If the manager tells the recruiter that you are overqualified, you might think this is ageism. I know one major medical device company that specifically trains their managers to only say that they are moving forward with other candidates who are a better fit. They never give any specific feedback to the recruiter.
Obviously, this is very frustrating for you as the job seeker, but I would recommend the same advice I gave to the above problem - politely ask for any feedback they can give you, do not get defensive, and ask to be considered for future positions.
Bottom Line
Working closely with a recruiter can be a sure-fire way to land a job with a top medical device or pharmaceutical company because most positions in this industry are still filled by recruiters.
To make sure you are someone that the recruiter will call:
- Always be the pleasantly persistent type who respects the fact that they work for the hiring company, not for you.
- When you do have a recruiter that you like, be sure to send them referrals.
This is a great way to help them and to keep yourself at the top of their mind when they have an opening in your area. Recruiters really do want to help you find your dream job, but they want to work with candidates they are confident about and those that they like.
© Copyright Nikki Kerzic, 2009. Used with permission.
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About This Author:
Nikki Kerzic is the president of Executive Connection, Inc., one of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical and medical sales recruiting firms, and is now also the owner of Find Your Dream Job Now! to coach job seekers looking for jobs in medical and pharmaceutical sales. Visit Nikki's Website, PharmRepConnect.com, for additional free tips for landing a job in pharmaceutical sales and to learn more about Nikki's exclusive job search tools and strategies.
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