baselinr.

"I don't want candidates from a database!"

Almost every recruiter has heard it at some point:

“I don’t want resumes from a purchased database!”

While I understand the logic (the client already pays for databases, so they feel paying you for the same candidates is redundant), the logic is flawed. Here’s the problem:

* There are 80 million plus resumes in the more popular databases… that’s more resumes than there are books in the Library of Congress. Finding the right resumes among all of that information is no easy task.

* There are 80 million plus resumes in the more popular databases… and there are only 240 million people in the USA. People younger than 16 can’t legally work on a W2 in most states, so subtract the youngsters and you have about 50% of the workforce represented somewhere in a candidate database.

* There are 80 million plus resumes in the more popular databases… and nearly none of the candidates know about the open position. Even after being informed of the position, it’s a whole different ballgame to persuade the candidates of the value of the opportunity.

Recruiting is a unique skill. It involves detective work, intellectual rigor, and persuasive ability. It is solution-based selling at its best. Any client who won’t look at a candidate you found in a database either doesn’t understand the work you did to obtain that candidate, or doesn’t respect the work you do.

Resumes are useless without the recruiting effort to make great hires. Simply knowing that the resume exists is not at all the same thing as closing the deal.