5 Traits Which German Headhunting Company Look For In Job Resumes

German recruitment agencies who wish to hire great candidates for US companies have the difficult task of identifying the potential success of a given candidate before he or she has actually proven his worth. The recruiter is required to judge the potential of the candidate before the opportunity is offered to them. So, what exactly does the German headhunting company look for in resumes of potential candidates in order to select the next hire from the stack of resumes? Here are some of the traits:

They know what the client requires and they look for proof that this can be delivered in the resume. For example in a resume of a sales person a German headhunting company would look for evidence that quotas have been met, that sales have been profitably increased etc. Simply stating that a given area was taken care of, that clients were visited etc. is not enough.

Experience In The Field That Is Being Looked For : Most clients of a German headhunting company are looking for experience in a specific industry sector. This is particularly the case in positions such as sales, engineering etc. The higher the position the less the knowledge in a particular sector has to be. Still, industry know-how, contacts etc. are always welcome.

The Unconventional Resumes : There are certain kinds of resumes which a German recruitment agency will always be interested in receiving, reading and examining. These are the unconventional resumes, the ones which tend to break certain rules, to stand out from their competitors. If the candidate has done something special, if he has special interests or other unusual ways of standing out, then this is always something that will catch the recruiter’s eye. While not right for every client, at the very least the candidate will get a greater share of attention than the “standard” candidate.

The Resume Should Be Clear And Readable : One thing, for instance that a German headhunting company really dislikes is if companies are mentioned in the resume but no further explanation is provided as to what the company does or what field it is in. This makes the resume extremely difficult to interpret and if many resumes are received, would cause that one to be laid aside. The recruiter wants to easily match the skills of the candidate and his experience in a given industry with the position that is to be filled.

An Interesting Cover Letter : If an interesting cover letter is written which shows why a recruiter should be looking at that particular candidate more closely, then chances are good that the recruiter will indeed have a second look at the candidate. For that the letter really has to stand out however. Remember, a recruiter probably receives dozens such letters. Don’t be verbose. The recruiter doesn’t have time to read that. Don’t be overconfident. This tends to turn the recruiter away. If you can’t write a great cover letter, then keep it short. Better short than inept. 

Bottom Line : Recruiters are trying to fill difficult positions. Their main responsibility is towards their clients. Candidates of course play an important role but in the end, it is the client that pays the bills. So make it easy on the recruiter to find and hire you!