UK Recruiter

The UK Recruitment Community Site

Enter your
email address:

-->

The purpose of the UK Recruiter discussion board is to give recruiters the opportunity to discuss issues relating to their jobs and the recruitment industry in the UK.

Whilst providers of goods and services to the industry are welcome to partake in the discussions they should not use this forum for advertising.

Please read and adhere to the board's guidelines which you will see when you click to "start new topic"

Home > Forum > UK Recruiter Discussion Board > Message

$\"Feed\"$
Start New Topic \| Message Index \| Threaded View
Covering letters
Author:	Liz
Date:	Tuesday, 3rd Feb 2009 16:04
Views:	553 (excluding Digests and RSS feeds)
Category:	Other
URL:	http://web.ukrecruiter.co.uk/forum/Forum/read.php?i=173567

How often do you get candidates to do a covering letter to you letting you know why they're interested in a particular job? I think it works really well and it enables me to see how commited they are to that job and not just that they want any old job (so many people do). I had a candidate who I talked with extensively last night about a role and gave him lots of pointer on it, agree to send me a covering letter. Checked emails this morning, no letter. Get phonecall at about 12 saying 'sorry something came up. I'm doing it NOW' I take NOW to mean NOW and estimate that it would take a maximum of half an hour to research the company a little and think of salient points that make you suitable. Yet I've still not received it. This makes me heavily question that candidate's interest level. I will not put myself out and work hard to get an interview for a candidate who cannot do what they have agreed to do at the early stage. Experience has shown me that such candidates are the ones who let you down at latter stages. What are peoples' thoughts on covering letters and the above scenaria. FYI I have pulled the candidate from the job.

Reply To This Thread
Re: Covering letters
Author:	Derek
Date:	Wednesday, 4th Feb 2009 12:57
Views:	56 (excluding Digests and RSS feeds)
Category:	Other
URL:	http://web.ukrecruiter.co.uk/forum/Forum/read.php?i=173567

If a candidate cannot or will not do this there is a fair chance they will not turn up for an interview if you arranged one. BTW did this particular candidate respond to your advertisement or did you find them on a job board? When I show a prospective candidate a job description I ask them to write an email / letter outlining why they consider themselves to be the best person for the job and what special skills/experience they bring, I will then interview them drilling down on this info and then, if appropriate, share this information with my client. The current market is client driven and if a candidate is unwilling to put themselves out they do not deserve to be put forward let alone get the job.

Reply To This Thread
Re: Covering letters
Author:	Liz
Date:	Wednesday, 4th Feb 2009 13:30
Views:	57 (excluding Digests and RSS feeds)
Category:	Other
URL:	http://web.ukrecruiter.co.uk/forum/Forum/read.php?i=173567

Thanks for replying and glad that I'm not the only who thinks this. There are plenty of candidates out there, so people need to stand out from the crowd and impress. I think too many candidates have poor relationships with agencies. They register with a few and then just assume that nothing is happening and they don't take an active part in finding a new role. It is frustrating when I know how proactive I am when I'm looking for something new.

Reply To This Thread

Please note: The reply form is not showing because the posting is older than six months or the thread is locked. Please start a new topic or contact the forum administrator.