We are regularly asked by candidates about statements recruiters make, i.e. employers and recruitment agencies, and whether there is any truth to them. Firstly we should point out that recruiters generally want to do their best for the hiring managers, whilst also remaining professional and polite towards candidates, so 99% of the time there is a genuine and supportive reason why white lies are told.
Here are a few of the more specific / common statements some candidates hear, and what lies beneath them:
- Salary is dependent on experience. All recruiters will usually have a budget, pay scale or 'broad band' within which a candidate would be placed, hopefully in a way which is fair to existing employees (taking into account equal pay legislation and all that). They will wait to hear about your skills and previous reward packages before deciding what they wish to pay you, but they will have to take into account their own rules and regulations. Refusing to advertise a salary can help recruiters weed out those candidates who are asking for too much, but also means they can ensure they don't offer too much if you disclose you're happy to go in at a low salary.
- We have appointed internally for the job. This of course can be a very true statement, but can also mean that the recruiter has decided to put the job on hold for a while until some better candidates come along. In some cases it's a clear way of saying that you weren't of the calibre they needed, along with everyone else, without hurting your feelings.
- You are overqualified for the job. This can be a way of recruiters letting you know that whilst you might meet the criteria perfectly, they were looking for someone they could more easily mould into their ideal employee, who maybe isn't quite as experienced as you and can learn the trade in a way which suits the recruiter.
- We'll keep your CV on file. Now, bearing in mind some jobs nowadays can attract candidate numbers into the hundreds, this statement generally means they'll keep your CV somewhere, possibly, though they might not see it again. However, it's a statement which is meant to be taken as 'we wouldn't refuse to employ you, it's just that you didn't get the job this time, but in future you never know....' Again, it's a gentle let-down, rather than a feeling-hurting total rejection.
- We'll get back to you as soon as we can. Probably the most common of 'white lies' in the recruitment industry. Recruiters faced with a barrage of CVs will find it difficult to respond to everyone who applies, which is why many use that quite annoying chestnut 'if you haven't heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume you haven't been successful'.
Recruiters aren’t out to hurt your feelings. They are aware that they may see you in the future when you apply for other jobs and they sometimes sugar-coat let-downs in order to make rejection slightly easier to take.
