Don’t ‘overexpose’ your resume in this market

Statistics New Zealand employment survey                        

4 August 2009

Don’t ‘overexpose’ your resume in this market, recruiter warns

The unemployed and those looking to jump ship should resist the temptation to shop their resume around despite increasing unemployment levels, according to a leading recruiter.
 
Commenting on the latest Statistics New Zealand quarterly employment survey, which shows the number of full-time equivalent employees decreased by 3.2 per cent in the year to June 2009, Brien Keegan, Business Manager of LINK Recruitment says optimism has returned to the market.
 
“Business leaders are in a position to start hiring again, and we are seeing positive signs in health sector, food manufacturing and associated sectors,” he says.
 
“Domestic and Australasian businesses that have had less exposure to global downturn are already talking about rehiring in the next few months, especially in temporary and contract positions.”
 
However, despite these positive signs, Keegan says both jobseekers and the recently retrenched should tread carefully when promoting themselves to potential employers.
 
“Tap into the hidden job market by networking and perfecting your personal sales pitch, proactively approach potential employers, and partner with two or three trusted recruiters. But don’t shop your resume around to all and sundry – you don’t want your name overexposed in the market,” he advises.
 
Keegan picks September as a crucial turning point for business confidence, as employers move to secure and settle new employers before the Christmas break.
 
For those considering hiring, Keegan suggests the rising growing number of unemployed does not necessarily translate to better availability of talent.
 
“The cream of the crop aren’t necessarily on the market, as employers have tended to cut staff hired during the war for talent who were not necessarily a perfect skills or culture fit for their organisation,” he claims. “Professionals who feel secure in their roles need big carrots to move in the current environment – usually a combination of career development and salary increases.
 
“That said, there has been an influx of qualified migrant and expat professionals from the UK so there are some good people available for employers who know the right questions to ask.”
 
Keegan warns employers against neglecting their ‘value proposition’ or sales pitch for potential employees. He encourages large companies not to undersell their corporate responsibility achievements in favour of presenting an image as a stable employer. Those looking to rehire in the next quarter also need to be aware of the legal ramifications of filling positions recently made redundant.

© Scoop Media