Where Do You Rank On The Talent Spectrum? (Recruiters Want To Know)

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It should come as no surprise that the competition for jobs is fiercer than ever. This means you will need to do everything you can to stand out to recruiters when applying for positions.

Recruiters Are The Gatekeepers

In times of great stress such as now, hiring managers are too busy with their full-time jobs to review every applicant that comes across their desk. This is when the company will turn to recruiters for help.

For many companies, recruiters are the ones doing the initial screenings, not the hiring managers. This means, if you want a chance at being considered for the job, you must impress the recruiter.

Where You Stand On The Talent Spectrum Matters

In the recruiting world, there's something called the 'Talent Spectrum'. This is a visual breakdown of where workers fall in terms of their attractiveness to recruiters. At the high end of the spectrum is the recruitable talent, also known as passive job candidates. The ones that in the eyes of the recruiters are exceeding the expectations of their current employers - and therefore, would most likely do the same for the hiring manager.

This is where you want to be.

When reviewing candidates, recruiters will make an educated guess as to where the job seeker falls on this spectrum. The applicants the recruiters tend to focus on are the ones who fall under the "Accomplished", "Ambitious", "Arrived" or "Locked" sections.

2 Ways You Can Move Yourself Up The Talent Spectrum:

If you're serious about finding a job, you need to take a close look at this chart and ask yourself;

"Where do I fall on the spectrum?"

If you realize you're not in the top positions I mentioned above, don't lose hope. Here are two things you can start on today to improve your standing:

1. Be a Generalist with a Specialty. Chances are you have a wide variety of skills, but marketing yourself as super versatile isn't enough to land you a job. Strip away your vast array of skills and focus on the ones that will save or make the company enough money to justify the cost of paying more for you.
2. Quantify Your Achievements. The recruiter needs to prove to the hiring manager that a candidate can successfully do the job. Using numbers and percentages to validate your accomplishments allows both the recruiter and hiring manager to understand with a cursory glance how you're the perfect fit for the job.

NOTE: Unemployed May Be Less Desirable, But Not If You Know How To Present Your Reasons For Being Out Of Work

The sad reality is people who are unemployed get discriminated against. In times of high unemployment, recruiters understand you likely wouldn't have been in that situation in better times. BUT, you still need to differentiate yourself. There's a difference between someone who is temporarily "between jobs" and someone who is "long-term unemployed". The more you can show your unemployment status is a minor blip on your career journey, the more confidence recruiters will have in considering you for the role.

P.S. Your Job Search Must Be Original

Moving up the talent spectrum isn't enough to land your dream job. To do so you need to create a strategic marketing plan to attract and hold the attention of recruiters, the more opportunities will come your way.

No two job seekers are the same. Your skills and experience make you a one-of-a-kind professional. Your job search needs to be treated with the same mentality. An effective job search requires a customized strategy and tactics. 

I'd love for you to share your thoughts in the comments. Be sure to use the hashtags #JTTalkJobs & #TalentSpectrum so we can all join in the conversation.

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