As unemployment reaches a devastating 7.2% and layoffs continue into the New Year, recruiters are facing a new problem…too many resumes.

Given this situation, many companies are forced to ask… “Do too many resumes mean less quality applicants?”  The answer is no and in many situations quite the opposite.  The problem of resume overload is a double edged sword.  The good news is that the high-performers who were unavailable years ago are now actively seeking employment.  Employees are losing their jobs for one reason and one reason alone…downsizing.  The bad news is that many unqualified candidates are also seeking jobs and applying for any and every position in sight.  One recruiter at Blackboard noticed Real Estate agents applying for software jobs.

Too many resumes, simply means more work.  I had an interesting conversation with a financial services company last week.  They attracted too many qualified people and felt paralyzed in making a decision and losing this top talent.  Whatever situation a company might be facing when hiring in a tight economy, the result is messy and today’s recruiter faces the daunting challenge of managing this process. So, what should today’s recruiters do?

Here are some recommendations:
 
• Screening and Assessment needs to be a priority. Companies, such as MedicalEdge Healthcare, are adding additional screening tools and building “knock-out” questions in their Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

• Critical skills are still in short supply.  According to Bersin & Associates’ Talent Watch (Fall 2008), companies still face a shortage of critical skills particularly for line managers, executive positions, and technical positions. When facing too many resumes for tough to fill positions, best practice companies focus on internal development, job-restructuring, and employer branding that targets a younger generation.

• Schedule carefully.  Interview scheduling tools can help manage this process and take the administrative burden off of the recruiter. I sat on a briefing with Peopleclick recently and their customers (including McDonald’s) are able to reduce time spent making phone calls. More and more companies are providing these tools to help their recruiters today and also prepare them for the future.

•  Create clear job descriptions.  Recruiters should create clear job descriptions and invest in the right technology. Many companies are turning to job matching tools and niche job boards after disappointing results from traditional job boards in 2008. A recent study by Hitwise reported a decrease in traffic for Monster (16%), CareerBuilder (21%), and HotJobs (17%).  

• Consider an employee referral program.  Finally, companies are relying on the tried and true…employee referral programs.  Companies such as Tivo, BAE Systems, and AmTrust (80% of new hires) are turning to employee referral programs as a cost-effective way to identify top talent.  You can read more on this topic here: http://www.bersin.com/Lib/Rs/Details.aspx?Docid=10338378

Although resume overload requires more time and energy to identify candidates, recruiters should take comfort in the fact that quality applicants are actively looking for employment opportunities. Recruiters do not need to settle. By investing in the right tools, recruiters will achieve success in attracting the right fit.