Executive recruiter Diane Steele says cover letters are a must and make an impact in her selecting candidates to interview and hire. Steele discussed this topic in a Star Tribune article titled “Do recruiters really care about cover letters?”
“With competition for top positions very tight, a well-written cover letter will separate the good from the great,” said Steele. “After reviewing résumés I turn to the cover letter to see if there is a compelling story behind the résumé. If there is, that candidate will move to the top of the pool.”
Talent Acquisition specialist Kent Johnson was asked if recruiters even read cover letters. His response?
“I say it all depends on the recruiter,” said Johnson. “I personally blow by the cover letter to get to the good stuff; the resume. I’d say the bigger the company, the less likely they are to read a cover letter. If a corporate recruiter has 20-30 open jobs and they’re sifting through 50-100 candidates per search, about the last thing they have time to do is read cover letters.”
And thus, the differences of opinion begin. Two recruiters, two different theories on cover letters. It’s no surprise, recruiters, HR professionals and small business owners all have varying opinions on the many strategies related to recruiting, interviewing and hiring. Put 10 recruiters in a room and you could get daylong discussions with 10 different viewpoints on hiring philosophy and other hot industry topics. And all 10 could be right.
“Hiring philosophies will be influenced by the size of the company, the resources available to the HR function and the priority HR and hiring is given within the organization,” says workplace consultant Ron McGowan, Principal of How to Find Work, and author of the international bestselling book How to Find WORK – In the 21st Century. “For small business owners, hiring is one of the many hats the owner wears occasionally, so within that category, there isn’t going to be a universal approach.”
Large companies can use sophisticated software like Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) where the first step in the hiring process is to electronically screen all applications to see which ones meet the screening criteria that has been established.And while this is a widespread approach, it may still have its flaws. Dr. John Sullivan, a professor at San Francisco State University who specializes in HR strategy and designing world class HR systems and tools for Fortune 200 firms, discussed a study where 100 perfect resumes were run through an ATS and while all of them had the qualifications required, only 12 percent were selected as qualified. The ones that were discarded were missing key words that the screening software was looking for. So even the technology being used can have differences in selecting the right candidates.
“Rarely do you get a perfect match for what you’re looking for and that’s when a subjective decision has to be made among the imperfect choices you have, is the best candidate you can come up with,” says McGowan.
When it comes to making final hiring decisions, it’s all about one thing – culture fit – says Michael Hess, Founder and CEO of Hotdog Yoga Gear and Skooba Design in an article titled Michael Hess’ Philosophy on Hiring
“Once you get past basic, presumed qualifications, culture fit is all that matters. I’d rather have someone who’s an “8” on skills and a “10” on personality, than the other way around, any day,” said Hess. “Skills can be taught, learned, improved – personality can’t. Personality is what determines how a person will fit in with the culture of your organization and that is largely what will determine whether that person will be truly happy and successful there and whether you’ll be happy with him or her.”
McGowan agrees: “You may get an applicant with very impressive qualifications and experience but from a personal point of view would not fit in with the department or the people in it.”
While there are differences in philosophies, there are differences in roles, and that influences hiring decisions.
“I think you have to distinguish between HR departments in organizations and recruiters,” says McGowan. “Recruiters are self-employed consultants who won’t last very long if they’re not consistently recommending quality candidates to the companies using their services.”
That’s a higher standard than most in-house HR departments are judged by, says McGown.
“Not all recruiters meet this standard,” he says. “Those who are hiring for senior positions within organizations have to have a successful track record and are typically known by the senior managers through their networking efforts which are critical to succeeding in that sector. Recruiters who are hired to provide lower level candidates may not look any different from a typical in-house HR department.”
Recruiters are often hired because they specialize in specific, often technical, areas and know, or have access to the key players in it. An in-house HR department that hires across a much broader spectrum may not have the expertise these recruiters have. If HR departments are hiring for specialized technical positions, they need to get their technical experts involved in the process. They can quickly determine if applicants know their stuff, or not, says McGowan.
When hiring, McGowan says the key to getting this part right is for everyone involved in the hiring process to agree on what qualifications and experience are a must for the position and which ones are desirable, but not essential. Key also is a clear understanding of the type of person who is a fit for the position, considering the department they’ll be working in and the people they’ll be working with.
The Internet and social media sites, especially LinkedIn and Facebook, have had a significant impact on the hiring process, says McGowan.
“Today, you can learn a lot about an applicant without ever meeting them, by using these resources,” he says. “That’s assuming you know how to use them and are prepared to invest the time it takes to properly scrutinize the available information about the applicant.”
They can also be useful in interviewing an applicant. By asking the right questions, you can tell who has done their homework and done a good job of using the available resources to check out the company, the sector they’re in, their competitors, and some of the key issues in the sector.
So what works for McGowan when it comes to hiring?
“I believe you can learn a lot about an applicant by carefully reviewing the way they present themselves in their cover letter, resume, how they address the key points made in the ad they’re responding to and if their overall approach conveys a professional, trustworthy individual who projects a sincere desire to join the organization,” says McGowan. “It takes time and a careful reflection about the applicant to achieve that. In today’s fast-paced environment, that doesn’t always happen.”
It’s hard to disagree with that philosophy. But every recruiter has different theories and criteria when making hiring decisions. Each individual and company has to use a system that is right for them/their needs. What works for them may not work for others. What works for you? What are your go-to hiring philosophies? Discuss below.
