Six reasons why recruiters might not call you back
Pity the much-maligned Middle East recruiter. Three years ago the challenge was attracting sufficient talent to the burgeoning number of jobs on offer in the region, now they're faced with increasingly desperate candidates chasing fewer opportunities.
Comments from candidates on eFinancialCareers suggest you're not exactly enamoured with the service you've received from recruiters. In an attempt to redress the balance, we've compiled a list of the issues facing recruiters in the Gulf, and reasons why you might not be having a great deal of success in your job hunt.
1. Recruiters are still drowning in candidates
The Middle East financial sector broadly attracts three types of candidates - those who are locally based and still on the job market after a spate of redundancies over the last 12 months, those looking to switch jobs and expatriates hoping to relocate to the region. All are chasing fewer opportunities.
"We receive as many as 300 responses for a single job," says Jonathan Gould, financial services consultant at iQ Selection. "The majority of these don't have the relevant skill-sets. As an extreme example, we've had engineers applying for roles in equity research, but even more appropriate candidates often aren't good enough to put forward to clients."
Therefore, don't be surprised if the most you receive is an automated response. If you've not been contacted on a more personal basis within two weeks, assume you've been unsuccessful.
2. Clients are more demanding
You might be convinced that your skills and experience matches the job you're applying for, but a recruiter may think otherwise - simply because of the demands placed on them by their client.
"Clients now want a perfect match for the skills they're looking for. With more candidates on the market, they no longer have to compromise," says James Sayer, senior manager - Middle East at recruiters Robert Half.
"Rapid promotions, or career changes were possible when there was a shortage of talent two or three years ago," adds Gould. "But not now - you have to tick all the boxes."
3. Sometimes, hard skills are not enough
Doing business in the Middle East is all about who you know. A lack of contacts in the MENA region could work against you - particularly if you're applying from overseas.
"From a functional point of view, a lot of candidates have the right skill-sets," says Gareth Clayton, director at recruiters The Charterhouse Partnership. "But for a sales job, or a relationship driven role, you need exposure to the right people. We always try to convey this to unsuccessful candidates if we can."
4. Recruiters are suffering too
"Some of the major recruitment firms in the Middle East have seen their headcount shrink by over 50%," says one headhunter who didn't wish to be named. "We're under increased pressure and are therefore not always able to provide the level of service we'd like."
5. Overly enthusiastic follow-ups
It's in the interests of a recruiter to engage with a good candidate, even if they're not suitable for the particular position they applied to, but there are limits. One recruiter tells us of instances where they've been bombarded with 50 e-mails from a single (unsuitable) candidate. There are better ways of getting feedback.
"A recruiter should be upfront if they can't immediately help a candidate," says Gould. "But we're still willing to speak with them and point them in the right direction to where they might have more success."
6. Better bankers available locally
The flood of expat talent to the Middle East in 2008 means that not only is MENA experience ten-a-penny, but that it's also combined with exposure to more sophisticated markets and products. Sadly, this means competition is even fiercer.
"Clients here have a stronger pool of talent available locally compared to three or four years ago, when they would have been much more open to the idea of relocating someone to the region," says Clayton.
