4 Things Recruiters Say and How to Interpret Them

4 Things Recruiters Say and How to Interpret Them4 Things Recruiters Say and How to Interpret Them If you havent had the pleasure of working with a recruiter yet, theres no doubt you will at some point in your job search . Recruiters help organizations find top talent and, if youre lucky, help put in you in position to land a job .In other words, they can be great resources during your job search. Unfortunately, however, they arent always completely clear when they communicate with candidates.A recent survey from Glassdoor revealed that a lack of information about a jobs total compensation package, including pay and benefits, is among the biggest frustrations for U.S. workers and job seekers during the interview process .If youre searching for jobs, its important to understand what recruiters really mean so youre not left hanging in the wind. Here are four common things say, what they really mean, and how to answer1. We ll keep your resume on file. What you hear We think you have great skills, and well look at your resume each time a similar position becomes available.What the recruiter is really saying Your resume will stay in our system, but we may never look at it again.When recruiters tell you theyll keep your resume on file, what it often means is your resume will be logged in their system, never to be looked at again. Remember, recruiters deal with hundreds of applications for every job listing they manage, so the odds of them remembering your resume when a new position comes up are very slim.How to respond When you hear this, thank the recruiter and ask what other positions they have available now that may be the right fit. If they dont have any, let them know that youll keep an eye on their listings and contact them when similar positions become available.2. We ll get back to you either way.What you hear We value your effort, so we wont leave you hanging.What the recruiter is really saying If you dont get the job, you migh t get a canned rejection email, but no guarantees.The reality is, if you didnt get the job you probably wont hear back from the recruiter. Its not that theyre necessarily lying to you when they say this, but recruiters deal with a huge number of candidates on a daily fundament and often dont have time to reach out before moving on to the next candidate search.How to respond One of the best ways to ensure youre not left flapping in the wind is to be proactive. Tell the recruiter youll check in next week to see how the process is going and continue to follow up at reasonable intervals until you find out whether or not you got the job.3. You re perfect for the job, but we have to finish interviewing other candidates.What you hear We just have to get a few formalities out of the way before we offer you the job.What the recruiter is really saying Weve got someone else in mind, but if we cant close them, youre the next best thing.Its a recruiters job to fill the position. If youre per fect for the job, then the employer wont waste time and resources interviewing other people. In this situation, the recruiter is most likely trying to keep you from taking another opportunity in case the employers first choice doesnt take the job.How to respond Ask for a specific hiring timeline and keep your options open. Let the recruiter know how interested you are, but that youre going to continue going on interviews and considering other offers in the meantime. You never know, that may be enough to convince the employer you should be their No. 1.4. Employees love the company culture. What you hear This is a great place to work, youll enjoy it.What the recruiter is really saying We know how important a cool company culture is nowadaysWhether the company culture is laid back or high strung, recruiters are going to try to make it a selling point in their pitch to you. The truth is, it may be great. But, those employees the recruiter talked to who said so might just be the hir ing manager and upper management who want to get the position filled.How to respond Do your homework. Use Glassdoor to read reviews about the company youre applying to and ask the recruiter questions about telecommuting policies, professional development opportunities, and other specifics about the cool company culture to get a more well-rounded picture of the organizations culture.What other things do recruiters say that don t necessarily represent what they mean?