So, this is post #2 of a 3-part series. In this post, we focus on the caveats involved with the the second gatekeeper, "Middle Man."
The "Middle Man" is usually a recruiter, HR manager, our talent sourcing specialist who has been given a list of specific requirements by the Key Hiring Decision Maker.
This part of the process reminds me of a "Check the Box" exercise, as the "Middle Man" has minimal-to-zero ability to exercise the search outside of the specific parameters given by the Key Hiring Decision Maker.
For example, if the Key Hiring Decision Maker gives me (the recruiter) a job requisition for a sales manager with requirements to find a candidate with 7 years sales leadership experience with specific industry experience such as "Enterprise Software in the Security Market."
As the "Middle Man" I created a Boolean string search so that the profiles I pulled up met those exacting core requirements. It was only after we had exhausted our initial pool of candidates that had these exacting requirement, that I would be given permission to broaden the search to other adjacent industries or someone with less experience, etc.
You get the gist.
We talked about how these caveats can impact your search on Blog Post #1. In this post, we review why it is so important to structure your resume so that this gatekeeper, the "Middle Man," can easily scan and grasp that you have the core requirements they are scanning for.
Let me share with you what recruiters' desks looks like: They are inundated with job requisitions, calls from clients, demands from their team and manager, scouring hundreds upon hundreds of resumes a day, interviewing candidates, and fielding phone calls--it is non-stop. Therefore, it is imperative that your resume meets their needs in showcasing your unique strengths and skill sets in an easy-to-scan design so that they immediately understand if you "have the goods."
This is why as resume writing best practice, we shape the resumes the way we do, and strategically leverage the top 1/3 of Page 1, as it is key branding real estate space, and must be leveraged as such.
Do you have international or regional-specific experience? The Middle Man needs to know in that 6.5-second glance. Do you manage a P&L, and if so how large? The Middle Man needs to know in 6.5 seconds. Do you have digital transformation experience (a hot skill in today's market), if so, the Middle Man needs to know ASAP when they begin to scan the resume.
I have a saying, it's called: "Don't make them work for it, because they won't." This means that as a job seeker, it is your job to clearly communicate key skill sets within that first 6.5-second glance for the "Middle Man."
I also want to refresh your memory with regards to caveats I mentioned in Post #1 and that is that if you do not have the key requirements such as industry or function-specific, there is strong possibility you won't get the call.
That's why, for those who are either: (a) looking for a unique "unicorn" opportunity, (b) do not have the 7 out of 10 core requirements, or (c) are changing lanes in function or industry; you are best served by learning how to execute a strategic networking strategy that circumvents the #1 and #2 bottlenecks.
I will be discussing that in a separate blog string shortly.
This is why I stress to clients the importance of understanding "How the Market Works." If you are serious about changing lanes in your career, it's important to understand this happens on the front-end so that you are not spinning your wheels.
Let's move on to Part #3, The Key Decision Maker.