Daniel Shaw’s Post

Last week's poll caused a bit of a heated debate... (here is the link to the post if you missed it) : https://lnkd.in/d3riCT_x Including a picture on your CV is clearly a debated topic, with arguments both for and against it. Here are some of the pros and cons: Pros 1. Personalization: A picture can make your CV more personal and help you stand out in a sea of applicants. It can create a stronger initial connection by putting a face to the name. 2. Memorability: A well-taken photo can make you more memorable to recruiters, especially in fields where personal presentation is important. 3. Professional Image: In some industries, such as modelling, acting, or customer-facing roles, a professional appearance is part of the job requirement, and a photo can showcase your suitability. Cons 1. Bias and Discrimination: Including a photo can lead to unconscious bias or discrimination based on age, gender, ethnicity, or physical appearance. 2. Irrelevance: For most roles, your skills and experience are what matter most. A photo does not provide any information about your qualifications or ability to do the job. 3. Professional Standards: In some countries and industries, it is considered unprofessional or unusual to include a photo, and doing so might make you seem uninformed about industry norms. 5. ATS: Applicant Tracking Systems do not like Photo's (amongst other things) and a photo on your CV can distract from the content of your CV and the keywords the ATS is looking for. My thoughts: The decision to include a photo on your CV should be based on the norms of your industry and country, as well as your personal comfort level with sharing your image. If you do choose to include a photo, ensure it is professional and appropriate for the role you are applying for. I for one will always do a little digging on LinkedIn and Socials before I represent a candidate so having a picture on the CV is really not needed. Thanks to all you joined the debate and casted a vote! This was an interesting discussion.

I'll die on this hill: A job application shouldn't require more than dropping a link to your LinkedIn profile and a thoughtful email. Don't make people work several unpaid hours just to express their interest. Don't make them input every line of their CV in a separate field in your online application system. Definitely don't make them do this again when they've already applied in the past. Don't ask for expected salary; disclose your range. Pay candidates for their time and protect their intellectual property if you're asking them to detail their plans for the role. I've just passed on a job I'd likely be a finalist for because of a tedious application process. You may think this is a way to filter in only the most motivated candidates; in fact it's a way to filter out talented people with options.

"I don't think this one's for you" An unbelievable response from a recruiter that someone received this week. They had seen a job ad posted - it had zero indication of industry, size, scale of business. Just enough to tempt this candidate. They messaged the recruiter to suggest they were interested in the role. To be told by the recruiter 'I don't think you'll be interested in this role'. It is unequivocally not up to the recruiter to decide whether a role is or isn't of interest for a candidate. Whether or not the candidate thinks they're suited to a position is their decision. What the recruiter might have meant: 🌟 I have specific criteria my client has given that you don't meet. 🌟 It's a fake job ad and I'm just prowling for CVs I can spam out to try and make a fee. 🌟 There's red flags for me in your background and I can't be bothered to explore them before I rule you out. 🌟 I've had better applicants on paper and I can't be bothered to speak to you. 🌟 I can't be bothered to be a decent human being and so I'll make an assumption on your behalf. It's really not difficult to have a bit of integrity and tell the candidate the truth. In a nice way of course. But, you absolutely can not tell someone whether or not a role would be of interest to them based on their background. If you're working in a recruitment role right now and you're doing this, you're part of the problem! Speak to people. That's literally your job. Pick up the phone and have a chat. Or, give the applicant an actual reason why you won't be considering them for the job. That's all. For more insightful posts, see my previous one 'dvvv' See if you can figure it out 😂

Have employers asking candidates for video submissions deterred anyone from applying? Source: https://lnkd.in/gKu4kK2u \#JobSeekerWorries \#ShortVideoRequest \#CandidateSelectionProcess I’m going through this right now. A couple candidates were spooked. I kind of understand how the candidates feel even though I know the employer has good intentions. Are you a job seeker who has ever been asked to submit a short video of yourself as part of the application process? Have you encountered candidates who backed out at the mere mention of a video submission? If so, you're not alone. Many job seekers find themselves in a similar predicament, grappling with the idea of putting themselves out there in a video format for potential employers. In this article, we'll delve into the reasons behind candidates' reluctance and provide practical solutions to navigate this challenging situation. \#\# Why Some Candidates Back Out \#\#\# Feelings of Vulnerability 😳 Submitting a video of oneself can be daunting for many individuals. It exposes them to a level of vulnerability that they may not be comfortable with, especially in a professional setting. \...

Have employers asking candidates for video submissions deterred anyone from applying? Source: https://lnkd.in/gmbzKERk \#JobSeekerWorries \#ShortVideoRequest \#CandidateSelectionProcess I’m going through this right now. A couple candidates were spooked. I kind of understand how the candidates feel even though I know the employer has good intentions. Are you a job seeker who has ever been asked to submit a short video of yourself as part of the application process? Have you encountered candidates who backed out at the mere mention of a video submission? If so, you're not alone. Many job seekers find themselves in a similar predicament, grappling with the idea of putting themselves out there in a video format for potential employers. In this article, we'll delve into the reasons behind candidates' reluctance and provide practical solutions to navigate this challenging situation. \#\# Why Some Candidates Back Out \#\#\# Feelings of Vulnerability 😳 Submitting a video of oneself can be daunting for many individuals. It exposes them to a level of vulnerability that they may not be comfortable with, especially in a professional setting. \...

This is a repost from earlier for all the new people who have connected with us recently. Dear Candidates We have a number of roles we are hiring for which you can see in my previous posts. As always I request you to go through the Key requirements for each role and ensure that it matches your skillsets. If not there are always new roles we are working on which you can apply in future. Whilst I understand the temptation to apply to any possible roles there are drawbacks to this 1) it shows you don't value your experience and cv 2) shows desperation 3) puts off the recruiter because they have to filter through all that extra cvs to shortlist Last but not the least it will give you a poor experience as the recruiter will simply ignore you and you will feel demotivated that you aren't getting replies. As a policy we ensure we reply to EVERY candidate. But we need your cooperation to bring this change into the industry. I hope you appreciate that. note: this not only applies to us but to any recruiter you deal with. All the best in your search

This is a repost from earlier for all the new people who have connected with us recently. Dear Candidates We have a number of roles we are hiring for which you can see in my previous posts. As always I request you to go through the Key requirements for each role and ensure that it matches your skillsets. If not there are always new roles we are working on which you can apply in future. Whilst I understand the temptation to apply to any possible roles there are drawbacks to this 1) it shows you don't value your experience and cv 2) shows desperation 3) puts off the recruiter because they have to filter through all that extra cvs to shortlist Last but not the least it will give you a poor experience as the recruiter will simply ignore you and you will feel demotivated that you aren't getting replies. As a policy we ensure we reply to EVERY candidate. But we need your cooperation to bring this change into the industry. I hope you appreciate that. note: this not only applies to us but to any recruiter you deal with. All the best in your search

I can't understand why this continues to happen. Recruiters not being explicit with professionals re: who they intend to represent that person to. Resulting in? A lack of knowledge about which companies they've spammed your details to (I don't need to spell out the problems with that) and high levels of frustration on the candidate's part (Usually the recruiter goes quiet). People. When engaging with a recruiter, the recruiter should be discussing specific options they CURRENTLY have OR, clients who may not be recruiting but they can make a speculative approach to. They should formulate a select group of prospective employers appropriate to/aligned with your technical experience, cultural values, career ambitions etc. But, they should be explicit about who they intend to represent you to; for many reasons. It goes without saying, as a candidate, you would want to know this, of course!? (Before they submit your details). On the off chance, they have no options for you, they should tell you and keep in touch - not engage in this nonsense. If a recruiter cannot give you that information and doesn't follow the above process, then my advice would be to steer well clear.

Recruiters are waiting for your application... People sometimes get intimidated by the number of applications a job ad has received thereby refusing to send in their application because they feel they do not stand a chance. As a recruiter, I am telling you to stop that behavior. Carefully analyze the job requirements and expectations and if they align with your skills and experiences send in your application. Your application could make a difference so don't let the numbers scare or discourage you. If qualified, go ahead and apply. You shall not fail.