Most googled questions about recruiters — answered by recruiters

Devex recently hosted the 10th annual Devex Global Development Career Forum, to bring together seasoned global development professionals and recruiters from the industry’s leading organizations. Behind the scenes at the forum, we asked recruiters to answer the most googled questions about them: If cover letters really matter, whether recruiters lie, and their reasons for “ghosting” you. Watch the video above or read below for some of the most sought-after answers to questions surrounding global development recruiters. Why do recruiters ask for current salary? Asking for current salary is a contested subject between recruiters and it is becoming increasingly unpopular. It has been blamed for continuing the gender wage gap and, in some places in the United States, it is now even illegal to ask for current salary — including New York City, Massachusetts, and California, explained Jennifer Kaindi, lead recruiter for the global health fellows program at the Public Health Institute. However, for those recruiters who do still ask, Steve Bovee, lead recruiter of the energy team at Tetra Tech, explained that it’s a “very basic qualifier.” There are “certain salary ranges that we can meet,” that comply with a project’s budget and what an organization is willing to pay. If your salary is outside that bracket, they won’t be able to move forward with the application. Current and previous salary history is also required on the United States Agency for International Development biodata form — so some recruiters will ask for it as a contractual requirement. Do recruiters lie? Recruiters shouldn’t lie. However, sometimes they “do have to withhold certain pieces of information,” for confidentiality purposes, explained Daniel Head, co-founder of KeyLime International. Do recruiters read cover letters? Recruiters have very different takes on the importance of a cover letter. While for some, it’s equally as important as a CV, others will hardly look at it except to skim and check the basics, such as presentation, punctuation, and spelling. No matter what, always ensure you have a strong accompanying cover letter because you never know what individual recruiters are looking for, or who else may view it. If you missed the Cover Letter 101 webinar, catch up so you know exactly what to include, and land your next development job. You can also check out this article on the six things recruiters look for in a cover letter. Why do recruiters “ghost” you? We all know it can be extremely frustrating when a job application suddenly loses pace, or a recruiter goes quiet on you. However, recruiters are often extremely busy hiring for multiple positions and it doesn’t always mean bad news if you haven’t heard anything for a while. Ruben Covarrubias, recruitment officer at ADRA International, echoed, “99 percent of the time it’s not on purpose, it’s that … time flies by.” Our recruiters also acknowledged that there are several things that can happen during an application process, which can alter a candidate’s status and delay recruiters from getting back to you: Job requirements can change or recruiters might be waiting for a response from hiring managers. It’s also possible that someone else might come along better qualified for the role.