How is your resume being introduced?

When a Recruiter/Recruiting Agency introduces your resume to an organization, how or where is it presented?  Is your resume submitted directly to a decision maker or is your resume uploaded into a VMS (Vendor Management System). 

A VMS is a web-based procurement application that enables companies to manage the process of outsourced temporary and permanent staff from providers such as Beeline, WorkCard, Peopleclick, eBid, IQ Navigator, etc.  Over the past several years this has become an increasingly popular trend for many organizations.    

However for the candidate, the advantages are very little.

Certain VMS providers (by default or design) create agency anonymity, meaning the end client may not know the identity of the recruiting agency representing candidate #1234.  With that in mind, the authenticity of the relationship between the agency and client becomes irrelevant.  

People are what make or break a company; however, through a VMS landscape candidates become commoditized.  The driving force becomes price, instead of the quality of the human capital.    

Questions to ask your recruiter

How long has this position been open?
If a recruiting agency presents your resume to a position that has been open a while, your resume may end up on the bottom of a large stack of resumes and the chances of your resume being seen are slim to none. 
Is my resume being presented directly to a decision maker or is it being uploaded through a VMS? 
This will enable you to ascertain expectations.  If it will be presented through a VMS, chances are likely the process will take a while.
Will my resume be presented to one position or multiple openings?
With organizations that allow the same candidate to be presented to different positions (from the same vendor) this might increase your chances of success. 

If you decide to move forward through the VMS route, understand the recruiting firm will have limited influence, feedback will be limited or non-existent and the process may take a while.

Don W. Gee

Talent Strategy Manager

Escendent

Dgee@Escendent.com