In this article, I discuss the concept of sending floating resumes to HR managers and hiring managers when a talented candidate is spotted. Read on to discover why taking the time to review these resumes are a useful investment of your time in the current employment market.
Have you heard of a Floating Resume? Clue: It’s not a reference to the wind resistance of a curriculum vitae – even the densest, career packed, full of experience resume would take flight at a light breeze. Floating Resume is an industry term used to describe the process of recruitment agencies sending a resume to a company without being asked to. Floating Resumes provide so many benefits, yet so many companies reject the concept without fully understanding the huge efficiencies and market advantage unsolicited resumes from a trusted recruitment contact (who really knows their market) would give them.
To demonstrate this point I will give an example of a client we worked with in the UK who used their recruiters in the most astute way we have ever seen. Let’s call the employer, Sophie (‘wise, insightful and intelligent’ if you look up the meaning of the name) and let’s call the recruiter Helen (which means ‘light’ if you’re interested).
Sophie used to welcome floating resumes from Helen as she knew that she would only send her potential candidates who she thought would fit the culture of her company (and also respond well to the leadership and management style of her and her senior team). Because Helen knew Sophie valued knowing about any high-quality candidates who were on the market, Helen would only send Sophie the resumes of people who she thought were worth an hour or so of someone’s time in the company to speak with the candidate. Sophie didn’t get a resume every week, but when a great person became available, Helen would make sure she was the first to know.
Consequently, Sophie got to know about a candidate before anyone else did and was able to move quickly if the person had the type of skills and experience that she and many employers were finding it difficult to recruit for. Helen, of course, would also make sure that the candidate knew as much about Sophie’s company as possible so they could also make an informed decision about whether this was the type of company they were looking for to avoid wasting anyone’s time.
Sophie never tried to reduce the fee when she employed a candidate Helen had sent on a speculative basis – she understood the value of years of experience and work that had gone into identifying an exceptional candidate from a good candidate, understanding the culture and aspirations of her company and knowing who was likely to be of interest to her.
We are operating in a market with a scarcity of talent, where good candidates are hard to find. Refusing to accept unsolicited resumes, is, in my view, extremely short sighted. It goes without saying, of course, that a recruiter who sends you over resumes every week on a ‘throw mud and see what sticks’ basis are wasting your time. An exchange of information about a rare candidate from a trusted and expert recruiter can give your organisation a definite advantage.
Be wise, insightful, and intelligent like the Sophies of this world and be open to Floating Resumes from trusted contacts!
If you would like to talk to us about your organisation’s future plans, culture and recruitment needs then please contact Samantha Smith at Parkhouse Bell for a confidential and obligation free discussion. Email Samantha at samantha.smith@parkhousebell.com.au
