What recruiters look for in a candidate profile
Recruitment agencies receive a large quantity of applications from prospective candidates looking to land their next job opportunity. Standing out from the crowd is no longer about having a killer resume and polished cover letter.
Having a well-formed and up-to-date profile is a great way to get a leg-up over fellow candidates. Candidates must place importance on carefully choosing the right keywords, to help recruiters and opportunities find you.
Here are some of the top terms recruiters look for on a candidate’s profile. Using these commonly searched keywords and phrases will help you get one step closer to landing your next opportunity.
1. Job Title
Recruiters search for candidates whose experience matches the role. One way to stand out is to use typical names for your current and previous job titles and make these clear and concise. If you’re previously worked for companies that gave you a convoluted job title, update it to a more widely used title, for your profile to appear in more search results.
2. Skills
Detailing your skills you have gained in previous roles, education and qualifications are just as important as having a logical job title. Recruiters want to know you have the capabilities for the role they are recruiting for, so it is important to complete the skills and education section of your profile. Regardless of the job you are seeking, showcase in detail your capabilities.
3. Industries
Many recruiters often look for keywords (e.g. construction, industrial, general labour) when searching for the perfect candidate. Carefully select the industry you want to work in and communicate this clearly. This ensures recruiters will offer you roles that match your experience, interest and ambitions. This information should also be clearly evident on your attached resume.
4. Role Preferences
Clearly detail your working preferences. Are you after full-time or contract opportunities? Recruiters want to know that the role they are offering suits these preferences and that you are more likely to accept that role.
5. Career Level
If not evident from your job titles, let recruiters know how much experience you have and explain this in detail. If you’re not upfront and honest, or made clear, you don’t want to invest time and effort going through the recruitment process, only to realise you’re under or overqualified. Communicate your experience through keywords including graduate, junior, mid-level or senior.
As a candidate, in order to get your profile noticed, it must make the right statement. One way to do this is wording your profile more positively, polish up the language or highlight transferrable skills. In doing this, the potential reward and enhanced exposure is worth it.
Be sure to update your profile regularly, including the small details to ensure its up-to-date. Regular tweaks may be the difference why you stand out from fellow candidates. Recently updated profiles demonstrate you’re diligent, organised and pro-actively seeking work. This can be done through adding new information including details of a business network you belong too, community programs you have been involved in or details outlining how you have been successful in your current role.
If you are actively seeking work or just looking for that next job opportunity, make sure your profile stands out and are actively at the top of the recruiters mind.
