Linkedin/HR/IT query for people in the following industries

LinkedIn/HR/IT Inquiry for Professionals in Relevant Industries

Hello everyone! I’m reaching out about a challenge our corporate team is currently facing, particularly for those in HR or related fields, although all insights are welcome! I often turn to Reddit for guidance and typically find helpful solutions. Just a bit about me: I’m an assistant at a focused recruitment company and am studying at a university outside of this industry.

We’re grappling with the task of transferring our extensive network of contacts on LinkedIn—approximately 4,500 connections—into the HR platform we intend to adopt, which is the RECRU portal, developed by a Slovak company. Our goal is to import profiles from LinkedIn, complete with all available details.

The RECRU plugin offers a convenient method—importing LinkedIn profiles in PDF format allows for quick uploads into our database, capturing all relevant information. However, the limitation is significant: LinkedIn restricts us to just 100 profile downloads per month, which is far too minimal for our needs.

We also have the option to upload profiles using CSV format. Unfortunately, exporting connection data via LinkedIn’s official tool only provides limited information (essentially just name, job title, and company), which isn’t adequate for us. While I’ve heard about data scraping software that may have the capabilities we need, we lack experience in this area and are concerned about the potential risk of a LinkedIn ban, which could severely impact our business operations.

At this juncture, we’re seeking advice on how to proceed. Has anyone faced a similar issue, and if so, how did you manage it? While manually inputting all 4,500 profiles in RECRU is an option, we’d prefer to find a more efficient solution.

Alternatively, do you know of any other HR platforms that might facilitate this process better?

Thank you in advance for any suggestions or insights!

[Need advice] Employment gap

[Seeking Advice] Addressing an Employment Gap

I recently accepted a job offer and am currently undergoing a background check. When I submitted my resume, I didn’t include Company 4 (as per my employment history). Now, I’ve been asked to complete a background check form that automatically calculates employment gaps. In this form, I’ve included all my work history, different from what was on my original resume.

Is this okay? Why did I omit Company 4 initially, considering I’ve had multiple interviews where this was a concern? My reasoning for skipping it was to avoid the appearance of job-hopping—something that seemed to be an issue during previous interviews, though I was able to explain it.

Here’s a snapshot of my work history for context:
– Company 1: June 2005 to June 2016
– Company 2: June 2016 to January 2018
– Business venture: January 2018 to July 2018
– Company 3: July 2018 to June 2022
– NGO work: June 2022 to present
– Company 4 (which I initially skipped): September 2022 to January 2023
– Health-related gap: January 2023 to February 2023
– Company 5: March 2023 to September 2023
– Freelance work: September 2023 to present

I appreciate any insight or advice on how to navigate this situation!

Back into recruitment after 10 years – Most difficult questions to expect

Reentering Recruitment After a Decade: Anticipating Challenging Questions

I’m gearing up for interviews in the coming days, and after a decade away from the field, it feels a bit strange. In the past, I’ve successfully landed every job I interviewed for, but this time, I know things will be different.

For those hiring new recruiters, what are some straightforward questions I should anticipate? And what unexpected or tricky questions might come my way?

Downsides to working with an executive recruiter?

What are the potential drawbacks of working with an executive recruiter?

I recently embarked on my job search for a Senior Director or VP position in the biotech sector and had a conversation today with a recruiter who offered to create a brief profile and share it with their industry contacts. It seems like a beneficial opportunity for me, but are there any possible downsides I should consider?

IT Agency Recruiters

IT Agency Recruiters

I’m transitioning into the field of IT recruitment and I anticipate that I’ll need to find a specialization.

I have a few questions:

1. Which specializations are projected to be the most promising in the next 10-20 years?

2. Are there specific areas within IT that are better to steer clear of, and if so, why?

3. Is there a particular sector within IT that offers more advantages or opportunities than others?

4. I’m interested in long-term specialization. Does working in contract positions help in building lasting professional relationships as effectively as permanent roles do?

Remote recruitment opportunity

Seeking Remote Recruitment Opportunities

I’m on the lookout for remote recruitment positions, but I haven’t been able to find any on LinkedIn. If anyone knows of any openings or is currently hiring, I would greatly appreciate your help! I have 2 years of experience in technical recruitment. Thank you!

Are all recruitment agencies the same?

Are all recruitment agencies the same?

I previously worked in Talent Acquisition for a single company, and while it was a satisfying role overall, I did encounter some personal and cultural challenges along the way. When I had the chance to join a consulting firm as a headhunter, I decided to take the plunge and see what agency life was like.

Unfortunately, it was a nightmare experience. The focus was predominantly on numbers rather than building genuine connections with people. We were expected to conduct 30 phone screenings per week—even when there were no active job openings. Our goal was to send out messages on LinkedIn to generate at least one candidate a day to present, despite lacking any live roles to discuss. Essentially, we were directed to mislead candidates into thinking we might eventually be able to present them to clients for job opportunities.

Another frustrating aspect was management’s expectation to recruit for positions that weren’t officially open yet and were merely in negotiation. We would find candidates, pitch them, and often the clients wouldn’t finalize the placement, leaving us feeling like our efforts were wasted.

This agency also had the practice of taking on new clients without a retainer. We would recruit for them, and they’d only pay us after a hire—resulting in a high likelihood that they would pursue candidates on their own instead of working through us.

Going to work felt awful because I was often compelled to mislead candidates. If I failed to meet my quotas, I would be subjected to “productivity calls” from management, which was stressful and made it hard to justify staying in that environment.

I’ve since returned to internal recruitment, which has been much more relaxed. So, my question is: are all recruitment agencies like this, or was I just unlucky? I want to avoid ending up in a similar situation again, especially since every role and company looks great during the interview process.

Thanks for your insights!

EDIT: I also want to mention that the pay was disappointing. I’m from Brazil, and my role was for a Canadian firm, which often seeks to minimize expenses. The commission for my work was extremely low—around 0.028% of the deal—which I found shocking. Meanwhile, a Canadian colleague mentioned her commission was enough to buy an Apple Watch, while mine barely covered the price of a nice pizza. Is this typical in North America?

Anyone in advertising? Need advice on portfolio?

Are there any advertising professionals here? I’m seeking guidance on my portfolio. With graduate internship applications now open, I’d love some tips on what to include to enhance my chances of standing out. Thank you!

New to recruiting

Transitioning to Healthcare Recruiting: Seeking Advice

Hello everyone,

I am new to the recruiting field and looking for some guidance. For the past eight years, I’ve been working in an emergency room, where I’ve developed a keen ability to read people and assess situations rapidly. My background in clinical operations, along with strong interpersonal skills, has provided me with a deep understanding of healthcare team dynamics. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Science and Kinesiology, and I am a certified EMT.

Given my extensive hands-on clinical experience, do you think it’s possible for me to transition into a recruiting role, even without prior experience in recruitment?

I’m particularly interested in recruiting physicians, especially emergency room doctors and RNs. What steps should I take to make this transition? Additionally, how can I effectively search for healthcare recruiting opportunities?

Thank you in advance for your insights!

Addressing Cover Letter Directly(Use Name) or to General “Hiring Manager”?

Should I Address the Cover Letter to a Specific Person or Use “Hiring Manager”?

I’m applying for a role in hospitality and want to ensure my application stands out.

On the company’s application page, I found a list of senior managers. While I initially considered using the generic salutation “Dear Hiring Manager,” I’m pondering whether it’s more effective to address it directly to one of the senior managers mentioned.

However, I’m concerned that I might address it to someone who won’t actually review my application.

What do you recommend? What’s the best approach in this situation?