Improving Your Job Search by Tracking It

“Seeking a new job or position has, like everything else it seems, become a bigger, faster endeavor. At Queen Consulting Group, we’re seeing more openings, more candidates, more resumes and more recruiters. In this overheated environment, we’ve noticed that it’s easy for candidates to lose track of what positions they’re applying for.

When candidates submit a resume for multiple positions, it can lead to confusion or problems if the process is not managed well. That’s why we at Queen are working to make the job search process work better for all involved.

On the government side, in particular, many positions appeal to a broader audience, so once we post openings, we notice that lots of candidates apply to multiple jobs. Taylor Garrand, a Client Delivery Specialist/Technical Recruiter, says “generally, this is a good thing for candidates, to have many more options.”

The trouble can begin, however, when the same candidate is approached by multiple recruiters for the same position. Now, recruiting agencies are supposed to clearly communicate the job position number and the candidate is supposed to formally give permission or a Right to Represent (verbally or via email) for a recruiter to submit their resume for a particular position. But, especially in a busy market, this doesn’t always happen. And that creates, at a minimum, confusion for the client company and leaves a poor impression of a candidate’s professionalism. Unfortunately, clients have been known to cancel out a candidate’s application upon discovering duplicate submissions.

The Importance of Tracking Your Resume

That’s why it’s a smart tactic for a candidate to track job submissions. As Jim Scialabba, Team Lead in our government division, says, “the burden is on the candidate to keep things straight. Our advice to candidates is to ask lots of questions about where your resume is going.” In addition to avoiding duplicate submissions, tracking lets you easily follow up on what positions you’ve applied to.

To stay organized and up to date on resume submissions, Taylor advises, “as soon as a call ends or you receive an email about a submission, do your tracking right away.” The essential details to track should include:

• job title and rec number
• recruiting agency
• pay rate
• date of submission

Jim offers additional tips for even better tracking and management. “Many candidates build out spreadsheets to keep track of all the information. Another great way to keep all your details organized is to establish a specific email address just for your job search. This makes it easy to sort and locate information.”

How Queen Consulting Supports Candidates in the Job Search …

Encouraging candidates to track the job search is just one way Queen makes the job search process more effective for our candidates as well as our clients.

Taylor says, “we care about our candidates. We try to figure out what makes them happy. To that end, we encourage candidates to honestly share their thoughts about a particular job, because with a fuller understanding of what they are looking for, we can negotiate more effectively on their behalf—or we can work with them on finding more appropriate opportunities.”

“We treat the candidate relationship like a partnership, not just a transaction,” says Jim. “We believe that candidates get much more out of the relationship if they’re as transparent as possible with their recruiter. We focus on understanding the big picture for a candidate, which can lead to better opportunities. We’ve been known to tell a candidate to take another job—not one we’re working on—if that’s best for the candidate.”

Taylor adds, “we don’t just want candidates to take jobs that are appropriate for their skills. We help our candidates find jobs that not only fit their career path but also their lifestyle,” whether it’s working remotely, having more flexibility on hours, or other concerns.

One specific way Queen helps yield better results is by working with candidates to tailor their resumes for each specific position. “Crafting a resume to highlight specific experiences will make it stand out from the crowd,” says Jim. “Customizing a resume gives the candidate more opportunity and, as we work on this together, it gives us and the candidate a great chance to build a deeper relationship.”

… And How We Work with Clients

On the client side, Taylor says, “we work closely with hiring managers to advise them on market trends and data, such as appropriate salary. We often recommend that clients be flexible in terms of remote work, location or travel so that they can attract more and better candidates.”

“When it comes to our government division,” says Jim, “Queen does a really good job at following specific processes dictated by the government, and we are then able to guide our candidates through successfully. Being diligent and experienced about navigating government processes lets us help our candidates follow all the guidelines and avoid problems with paperwork.”

Looking for a Partner in Your Job Search Process?

Providing guidance and tips on ways to track your job search is merely one way that Queen Consulting helps our candidates navigate a rapidly changing environment and find just the right position. We keep our focus on what’s most important: you finding the job that fits for your career and your life.

If you are looking for a supportive relationship with a recruiter who’s looking out for you, we urge you to contact us today.