Recruitingmaven.com

With the number of job boards available to job seekers why would you pay for a site that claims to offer “exclusivity”?

I was conducting a little bit of research on some sites that offer resume reviews; The Ladders popped up several times.  So I decided to research their site.  The Ladders site claims that you will secure a $100k job by utilizing their site.  I’m telling you now, you should beware of The Ladders.   The site states that they will screen every job and every Recruiter to make sure it’s a legit posting.  (Really?  I haven’t received a call from them yet and  I have hired a few folks making over that.)  So the site says in order to enjoy their benefits you must sign up and select a membership package.  Here they are:

BASIC MEMBERSHIP (Free)
Search for $100K+ jobs to see what’s available in your field.

So for the “free” membership you get to see what’s available.  Really you just get to see it?  Do you get to apply to these positions?  Looks like that is a no unless you are a paying member.

PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP ($35 for 1 month, $75 for 3 months)
Apply to over 58,307 hand-screened $100K+ jobs and receive a complimentary resume critique.

The “premium” membership states that you get to apply to 58,307 hand-screened $100K + jobs and you get a resume critique.  This is what I found when I did a search on The Ladders Scam regarding their resume critique:

This is from a post from JibberJobber- “Here’s the situation: You send a resume to The Ladders for their free critique.  Then you get back a letter telling you what all the problems with your resume is, and for a fee they will get you a new one.  Last I remember the fee is around $700.  Remember, we are usually talking about resumes for executives.

The biggest red flag I’ve read is that the critiques are form letters.  They will even critique their own, The Ladders generated, resumes!  It’s a simple process that a salesperson goes through to make a sale, not a real resume critique that a professional resume writer would give.

In other words, it seems they hardly even look at the resume… they just get you back a scary letter saying how bad your resume sucks, and that they can make it shine like new.  Scare tactics.  I’m sure it’s done well for them.”

JibberJobber even shares a copy of the form letters that were received for the resume review and honestly it’s sounds a little scary and intimidating.  If I were a job seeker, possibly unemployed or have been searching for quite a while possibly feeling a bit overwhelmed and stressed this would just make me feel worse.

Nick Corcodilos (love his name) from Ask The Headhunter has written several posts on The Ladders scam, he truly believes the whole system is a scam; I agree.

It seems that The Ladders hasn’t been honest about their actual postings too.  This article again by Ask the Headhunter discusses how they “qualify” positions and candidates.

I believe that if you are seeking a new position whether it’s $100K or not, it’s wise to steer clear from The Ladders.  Keep your money and utilize traditional job boards even if they are not my favorite or best return when it comes to posting positions.  As far as resume review go, there are very many credible sites out there to assist with resume review or resume writing for fractions of the cost of the Ladders membership. And really you should go with a certified resume writing professional if you are going to invest any money on a professional resume.

The whole site seems like a fraud, and honestly sites like this should be shut down.

EasyJob Resume Builder – Resume and
Cover Letters that get you interviews!

I’m going to be totally and truly honest on this one.  I never read them.  Ever.  I’ve reviewed resumes for over 13 years and seriously I never read the objectives.

It’s not that I do not think they are important, they are.  The reason I don’t read them anymore is because so often candidates use the same objective over and over again.  I think they visit objectivesforresumes.com or something like that and they all use the same one.

When I first started in Executive search many moons ago, (I’m really not that old) objective statements were one- or two-liners that often started out like “I am seeking a position as a …”.  This is my perspective, objectives have been used and abused so often that they have grown mundane; if I don’t see an objective on a resume I don’t scratch the candidate off my list.  On the other hand, I have been told by other Recruiters that if a candidate leaves out their objective it shows a lack of direction or commitment to a specific goal.

What exactly is an objective?

The objective helps a hiring manager or recruiter find out what it is you are looking for or trying to accomplish.  Most hiring managers are busy folks who do not have time to waste trying to figure out what your specific career goals are.  There is not rule that says you have to use an objective, you may choose to highlight your career goals into a Qualifications summary instead.  For example: Talented and dependable Administrative Assistant, skilled in all aspects of office management within a nonprofit environment. The summary highlights her qualifications but it enables those reviewing her resume to recognize her goal.

Tips for Writing Your Own Objective Statement (this info comes directly from career-advice.monster.com if you would like to learn more.)

• Focus on how you would benefit the potential employer, not how they would benefit you.  (It’s all about them, not you here.)
• Don’t be vague.  Stay away from statements that say nothing substantial about your career goals (e.g., “seeking a challenging position with potential for growth and advancement.”) Seriously, what exactly does this mean to me as a hiring manager?
• Keep it concise and targeted.  I see hundreds to thousands of resumes for one job opening, make it easy on me by keeping your objective short and to the point.
• If you have more than one career goal, create different resumes to highlight these career goals, you don’t have to use the same resume for every position you apply for.

Again, I’m one of the few who could care less about objectives, but in your quest for the position you really want, you might follow the advice of the masses versus one little Recruiter in Albuquerque.