#HRinNY #EmailRequests #HandlingResume #RecruitmentStrategies
Hey there, fellow HR professionals in New York! 🗽 Are you also dealing with the deluge of random emails from strangers sending in their resumes? It’s a common issue for many of us in the industry, and it can be quite overwhelming to figure out the best way to handle these unsolicited requests.
As part of the HR/TA department for my company, I’ve been grappling with this challenge myself. One day, I receive a flood of resumes and cover letters from candidates who may not even be a good fit for our organization. On the other hand, a senior coworker thinks we should at least acknowledge and respond to these emails. So, how do you or your company handle these types of emails? Let’s dive into some strategies and best practices for managing email requests from random people sending in their resumes.
## Understanding the Challenge
Before we delve into potential solutions, let’s first understand the complexities and nuances of this issue. Here are some key points to consider:
1. **Influx of Unsolicited Emails**: The volume of unsolicited resumes and job inquiries can quickly become overwhelming for HR professionals.
2. **Time and Resource Constraints**: Responding to each email takes time and effort, which may detract from other critical HR duties.
3. **Relevance and Fit**: Many of these candidates may not be suitable for current job openings, leading to a mismatch of skills and roles.
4. **Company Policy and Protocol**: It’s essential to align our approach with the company’s HR policies and procedures.
## Strategies for Handling Email Requests
Now, let’s explore some effective strategies for managing and responding to email requests from individuals sending in their resumes:
### 1. Establish a Clear Policy
– Develop a formal policy or guideline on how to handle unsolicited resumes. This could include parameters for when and how to respond, or if responses are even warranted at all.
– Consider aligning the policy with the company’s recruitment and hiring processes to ensure consistency and fairness.
### 2. Prioritize Relevant Inquiries
– Identify a set of criteria for determining which emails warrant a response based on the candidate’s qualifications and alignment with current or potential future job openings.
– Utilize keywords or filters to screen incoming emails, prioritizing those that closely match the company’s needs.
### 3. Automated Responses
– Implement an automated response system to acknowledge receipt of resumes and set clear expectations for follow-up communication, if applicable.
– Craft a template message that tactfully informs candidates about the company’s recruitment process and the possibility of future opportunities.
### 4. Segmented Email Management
– Create specific email folders or labels to categorize and organize incoming resumes based on job function, experience level, or other relevant criteria.
– Delegate the task of reviewing and responding to these emails to appropriate team members, if feasible.
### 5. Engage Talent Communities
– Encourage potential candidates to join the company’s talent community or talent network through a dedicated landing page or portal, allowing for a more structured and proactive approach to talent acquisition.
– Provide resources and information on the company’s culture, values, and future career opportunities to foster a long-term relationship with interested candidates.
### 6. Leveraging Technology
– Explore the use of applicant tracking systems (ATS) or recruitment software to streamline the processing of incoming resumes and to maintain a centralized database of candidate profiles.
– Leverage AI-driven tools for resume screening and candidate matching, enabling more efficient and targeted responses to relevant applicants.
## Evaluating the Options: Pros and Cons
Each of the strategies outlined above comes with its own set of advantages and considerations. Let’s weigh the pros and cons of each approach in the context of managing email requests from random individuals sending in their resumes.
### Pros
– **Clear Policy**: Establishing a policy provides consistency and clarity in handling unsolicited resumes.
– **Efficiency**: Automated responses and segmented management reduce the time and effort required to address these emails.
– **Engagement**: Talent communities foster ongoing connections with potential candidates, nurturing a talent pipeline for future hiring needs.
### Cons
– **Potential Oversight**: Prioritizing relevant inquiries may lead to overlooking hidden talent or unique skill sets.
– **Resource Allocation**: Managing automated responses and segmented email folders requires initial setup and ongoing maintenance.
– **Brand Perception**: The manner in which these emails are handled can impact the company’s employer brand and reputation.
## Final Thoughts and Recommendations
In conclusion, the influx of unsolicited emails from individuals sending in their resumes presents a multifaceted challenge for HR professionals. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, it’s crucial to develop a thoughtful and strategic approach to managing these requests.
Here are some key recommendations to consider:
1. **Establish a clearly defined policy**: This provides a framework for consistency and fairness in handling unsolicited resumes.
2. **Leverage technology and automation**: Explore tools and systems to streamline the processing and management of incoming resumes.
3. **Maintain a candidate-centric focus**: Engage potential candidates in long-term talent communities to cultivate relationships and talent pipelines.
Ultimately, the goal is to strike a balance between efficiency, fairness, and candidate engagement while respecting the resource constraints and policy guidelines within the organization.
So, how do you or your company handle email requests from random people sending in their resumes? Let’s continue the conversation and share our experiences and insights in navigating this common challenge within the HR community. Your thoughts and perspectives are highly valuable! Thanks for sharing! 🌟
Explore the contact if you’re desperate, otherwise they can follow the usual channels.
I’d love to know while your colleague thinks you should give these the time of day.
At my company we have a clear approach to handling inquiries and unsolicited resumes – we opted to discard them. Our process is explicitly outlined on our careers pages and job postings. Specifically, we state that resumes alone would not constitute as an application. We emphasize that individuals interested in a position should formally express their interest by submitting an application. Furthermore, only those who submit an application would be considered for the position.
Essentially, when it comes to unsolicited resumes, you have two choices: either discard them or keep them, but be consistent in your practice (this includes your entire team). To mitigate discrimination risks, consider not accepting or holding onto these. Simply state on job ads/company website that unsolicited resumes won’t be accepted. If you do receive them, just delete or shred without reviewing it. Alternatively, if you decide to keep them, follow the same retention period as solicited resumes – typically one or two years for federal contractors (record retention laws may have changed, so I would double check state and federal laws)
If they are based in my country, I’ll forward the mail to our recruitment mailbox and someone will reply to them with a generic link to our vacancies and tell them to apply there. Good PR n all that.
I get a lot of emails from overseas people and they all use the same text, which makes me wonder if it’s some kind of scam. Anyone who says “I am writing to express my keen interest in securing a suitable position in your esteemed company” is an auto delete.
It doesn’t happen very often here so we’ll put it in the proper queue if there’s a job open.
If they just email me about nothing specific I’ll delete them. If they email me about a specific opening and have a personalized email I’ll reply.
I’m required by law as a federal contractor to post my contact information on all reqs posted with the states. Some states have this info public (like MA). There is also an email that we use if you need an accommodation to apply that people like to send them to.
I created a “fake” automatic reply that I send that says this email account is for requests from the state department of labor or to request accommodations. If you wish to apply to a position, please apply on our website (link). Resumes are not accepted through this email account.
At my previous org I just responded that any jobs we are hiring for are posted on the website and any applicants must apply via our website. I had a nice little copypasta saved for it.
At my current org, the previous person who held my role apparently didn’t understand the concept of “no” and they regularly hired people by having them start working and I find out by that person asking me how they clock in 😐
unsolicited resumes should be kept (albeit a shorter time than solicited one) to prove you are NOT discriminating and it can help to show there is another pipeline for someone who might have some sort of disability to using whatever the normal process is.
eta: but i do agree with the others that the company should have a policy that makes it very clear what the procedure is…
They get ignored. Honestly. Deleted.
I keep a trash pile for 90 days. I make sure websites clearly state where and how to apply. I also usually ask clients to add an experience page as part of the career portal. It outlines exactly the process an applicant can expect in the pipeline to onboard.
There is always a blurb about we can not reply to_____. Pointers to FAQ pages, etc.
Any emails that come in for those clients get a generic reply that the inbox is not what they are looking for, and it gives a redirect to the site. At that point, I deleted the resume. They know where to submit it, so there is no need for a record.
It has worked for me for years. It cuts the garbage down by a lot.
I know this is specific to NY. I’ve used it nationally and have had no audit/labor issues.
Along the same lines, what would you do about people who keep calling constantly? We recently had 2 instances. One had applied through proper channels, we interviewed and declined to hire them. They continue calling almost 2 months after the initial interview and have even gotten on with a staffing company and they were going to send them as a hire. We declined.
The other called 4 times in a day, got routed to me by who knows what means and went on to tell me that they were planning on applying. Ok, apply and then find out if you get picked to interview. I don’t know why the phone call. The next day called 4 more times. I was unable to take any of the calls, but it was 2 calls within 5 minutes and then 2 calls within 5 minutes about half hour later. And I’m not even sure if the applied.
We don’t have a formal HR person and the company is using me as HR, in addition to my other duties, so I don’t have the time to respind to the numerous phone calls, esp after you’ve been rejected from the job. And we also are training someone to do the hiring yet they keep getting referred to me.