What works in job hunting
A recruiter’s perspective
Mary Ellen Slayter

Brad Karsh has thrown away stacks of resumes with barely a glance.

He has judged people in an instant, based on what they were wearing and the strength of their handshake.

And he still expected them to send him a thank-you note.

World-class jerk? Nah, just a former recruiting director. And if you’re looking for your first job, you might want to listen to what he has to say.

His book, ‘Confessions of a Recruiting Director: The Insider’s Guide to Landing Your First Job’ (Prentice Hall Press, April 2006), walks recent grads through the basic steps of getting that first job, including writing a good resume and cover letters, networking, interviewing and what comes after.

Karsh has read more than 10,000 resumes, interviewed more than 1,000 people and hired hundreds of workers. Seeing people make the same mistakes over and over is a huge part of what inspired him to write the book.

"Young workers, in particular, get so much advice—from their parents, their teachers, their dentist—but so much of it is off the mark," he says. The book was a chance to share the insider’s view, the perspective of the people who actually make the hiring decisions.

Besides the book, he has also created a career consulting company, JobBound.com, staffed by former recruiting directors.

Here are a few of his ‘confessions’:

Most resumes are never read. By anyone. This is the opposite of students’ experience in applying to colleges, he writes, where most admissions departments consider applications individually. If you had a vision in your mind of recruiters poring over every piece of paper, think again. Recruiters don’t have time for this. "In fact, recruiters typically spend less than 10 per cent of their time reading resumes," he writes. And if yours happens to be read? You’ll get 15 seconds, tops, to catch the recruiter’s eye.

Most cover letters are never read, either. But you still have to write them, for two reasons. One, companies want to see if you will put in the extra effort. "Some companies will use it as a screen against people who apply to every job opening they ever see," Karsh writes. And two, it’s a chance to show something extra that isn’t on your resume. Assuming that it gets read.

Most people welcome ‘networking’ calls. "People love to talk about themselves and give advice," he writes. So don’t be shy; pick up the phone.

You must send the thank-you note promptly. As in, within 24 hours. Interviewers make up their minds quickly, and a candidate who sends a note makes a better impression, he writes. "There is absolutely no benefit to delaying on this." E-mail is fine.

There’s a fine line between persistent and stalker. Calling every few days is a good idea; calling every few minutes is not, even if you don’t leave a message. "There’s this crazy little invention you may have heard of called caller ID," Karsh writes.

Speaking of technology, it’s fine to send e-mails to coordinate with your phone efforts. But when do you stop trying? Karsh says six e-mails or phone calls, spread out over a few weeks, is plenty, no matter how badly you want the job. "In the back of your mind, though, the following question should be going through your brain: ‘Do I really want to work for a company that doesn’t have the common decency to get back to me? What’s it going to be like to work there full time?’"

You have no leverage. Entry-level pay and benefits are usually set pretty firmly. For this first job at least, the offer is take it or leave it.

Recruiting directors want you to succeed. They are not "vengeful, spiteful, evil human beings placed on the earth for the sole purpose of deceiving, terrorizing, and tricking college students into ruining their one and only chance to get a job," he writes. A recruiter’s job, after all, is to hire people. "The truth is, I would sit down before every single interview and think, ‘I hope I really like this candidate.’