Talent Sourcing at Yousign

Amanda, our Talent Acquisition Manager, takes the floor to explain how talent sourcing is done at Yousign: what her best practices are and what criteria she focuses on for a given profile.

Would you like a visual overview? We've got just what you need 👇 👇 

You’re on the job market, but you keep getting those generic rejection emails that don’t even explain why you weren’t a fit for the role.   Is it your experience that’s not relevant? Is it your diploma?

Why is it that your colleague, who’s not even looking for a new job, keeps getting offers from head-hunters on LinkedIn while you might as well be dusting off the cobwebs from your profile?

It’s true that the average recruiter spends no more than 7.4 seconds looking at a CV. For Linkedin profiles, that number goes down to only 6 seconds.

It’s scandalous, I know.

While at Yousign we pay close attention to each application we receive and each person we contact, it’s true that with thousands of profiles to filter through a day, those seconds can really add up. This means that our talent acquisition team has to be able to make a quick and thorough analysis of a candidate’s qualifications when deciding whether or not to move forward with an invitation for an interview.

For job seekers, this means that it’s more important than ever to nail the presentation of their skills sets. After all, you’ve only got a few seconds to make an impression.

So how can you make your profile shine brighter than all the rest? Here are 6 criteria that recruiters at Yousign are looking for:

keep them concise, direct and industry-specific. Maybe you’re the Director of a team of 20 people, or maybe you’re simply “directing” your own daily schedule. In any case, we should be able to immediately understand the context of your job titles and their relevance to the position without skipping a beat. 😁

Pro tip : Some roles include the word “Manager” or “Director” when they are individual contributor positions (ex: Customer Success Manager). If you are managing a team and getting head-hunted for individual contributor roles, try switching up your job title to “Manager, XYZ” or “Manager of XYZ”.

One major red flag for head-hunters is when candidates list menial tasks while describing their job responsibilities (we don’t want to know that you are in charge of making copies). Everyone’s job is complex and includes a multitude of functionalities, so stick to highlighting the key missions. Usually between 4 and 7 brief but detailed bullet-points will do. We’ll clear up more specific details during a live interview.

Yes, we all wish we were in Biarritz with our toes in the sand, but if a company is looking for a salesperson in Lyon, and your profile indicates that you’re surfing waves in the Atlantic, you most likely won’t get a call.

 Luckily, at Yousign, we have a flexible work from home policy and for many roles, offer the liberty for our employees to work from wherever they choose🌊 Still, when you’re applying to a company, you should remain transparent about your current location. If you’re willing to relocate or work remotely, indicate it next to where you would put your address. 

LinkedIn is a major tool for recruiters these days. One reason your profile might be overlooked is simply that you haven’t updated it in a while. This goes not only for LinkedIn, but for other platforms like Github, Dribbble, Behance, job boards, etc.

It’s confusing us recruiters to read a bio that says that you're “looking for an internship” when you’ve been working full-time for the past 3 years. This also goes for changes in location, education, and industry of work. The more precise your digital profile, the more likely it will appear in a recruiter’s search.

Pro tip : Your LinkedIn profile is more likely to show up in a recruiter search if you change your status as “Open to Work”.  

I can’t stress this enough. Most recruiters use Boolean searches or other keyword search strategies to find relevant candidates on job boards and social media. The words could be technical, related to hard skills like languages spoken, or even  industry-specific jargon. The more relevant keywords you include, the more likely your profile will be picked up in a search.

Adding a brief note describing your current situation, whether that be in a Bio or at the top of your CV, can go a long way. Think about sharing a few sentences about what you are looking for in your next role, what you would like to do, or just present yourself in a few words (even a random fact like your nerdy, undying love for Star Wars ). It will give your profile a personal touch so that your unique character can shine through and make us want to call you even more.

Remember : You only get one chance to make a first impression. By sprucing up the presentation of your skills and experiences, you’ll be able to easily demonstrate your professional value to recruiters who are dying to meet you already.

So, are you ready to join the team?