With everything in life, there is always a positive and negative perspective. I myself am a glass half full kind of person. I am finding myself having this conversation more frequently these days. So I thought it would be a good idea to put this in an article.
What is the ugly side of job boards? Settings, settings, settings.
You wouldn’t bake a cake without reading a recipe. You wouldn’t operate a heavy piece of machinery without reading the instructions. And you wouldn’t book a holiday without knowing all of the details. So consider your job search/CV profile the same. It is imperative for you to read the small print, as this can create an incorrect impression about your motivation to move, your experience and general profile severely. As an example:
What you see:
It’s a Monday after work and you are over it, so you decide to have a scroll through accounting jobs on Seek. You see a role that piques your interest so you apply. You add your cover letter and CV and you have clicked through saying you have read all the T&Cs but what really happens in the background?
What we see:
As an example, most job boards often have add on services that employers and recruiters can access for a licencing fee. So in case you didn’t know, there is another side of Seek that employers can pay money to access which is called “Seek Talent”. With one click of a button, anyone can download your resume which contains your contact details, where you work, referee details and whether you are actively seeking a new job opportunity.
You then receive an email as an example from Seek saying something along the lines of, Tash from Tyler Wren has downloaded your resume and they will get in contact with you.
However, someone can download your resume and without your permission, send your profile to multiple firms then call you saying they have secured you an interview.
What’s the issue?
- Your current employer can potentially see that you are open to work
- Your resume can be downloaded and sent to places without your permission
- You may not be aware of applications made to potential employers on your behalf therefore risking the chance of multiple applications made ot the same employer your personal brand will be affected
- Like most people, you probably overlooked the Privacy Settings and agreed to go for the recommended settings which is ‘Standard’
So what can you do about it?
Change your settings!!! The example below is for Seek but most job boards operate in the same way
- Click on your name in the top right hand corner
- Then Click settings
- Click notifications on the right
- Scroll down to the bottom to “Hear from employers” and select Manage Profile
There are 3 settings
• Standard (which is what most Job Boards recommend)
We can download your resume, send you a message and see your name, your job title, where you work and the last time you updated your profile
• Limited (this is what I would recommend)
Potential employers and recruiters can send you a message and see your name, your job title, where you work and the last time you updated your profile
• Hidden
Potential employers and recruiters can see your name, your job title, where you work and the last time you updated your profile
Whenever Tyler Wren download a resume, we will always speak to the candidate first. This makes sure we understand their current situation, what they’re open to and meet before disclosing any of our client’s names. We will meet in person to discuss a shortlist of options that match what you’re looking for.
However not every recruiter works in the same way. Unfortunately, recruiters don’t have a CAANZ or CPA in our industry to hold them accountable. I have heard of some interesting tactics in the market as of late so wanted to draw attention to this.
To sum up, if you would rather
- Skip applying for roles on job boards yourself
- Save yourself some time and stress
- Have a more tailored approach to considering accounting jobs in the market
- Be given way more information about a job than just the job advert
Then get in touch with me for a confidential conversation.
About Me
I am a Specialist Recruiter within the CA space which means I help Chartered Accountants / Certified Public Accountants and those studying toward their CA or CPA qualification.
My clients are Public Practice firms and Accounting firms and the roles/accounting jobs are within Business Advisory Services (BAS), External Audit, Tax, Corporate Finance, Risk Advisory, and Insolvency.
Find out more about Tyler Wren’s NZ Public Practice Recruitment here
Australia Public Practice Recruitment here
Our latest Salary & Benefits guide which has just been released in September 2023 here
Read some of our most recent Accounting articles here:
Dangers of Relying on ChatGPT and Bots in Job Applications
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