There’s a long list of run-of-the-mill things that we know recruiters look for: references, enthusiasm, experience—the usual. But did you know that there are a plethora of other, less obvious things that recruiters look for when they’re hiring that you may not have known about?  

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We chatted to Gabrielle Clyburn, Senior Account Manager at Seek.com, who let us in on 4 things you may not know recruiters are looking for in job applications. Gabrielle has been working at Seek for nearly six years, where she has worked with hundreds of recruitment agencies to help them optimise their advertising and candidate sourcing strategies.

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Read below to find out what they are—plus a bonus tip for applying for jobs!

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Achievements‍

Hirers want to see what you’ve achieved in your roles and how this has impacted the business/team.

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Qualifications

Qualifications are useful to know, but recruiters want to see how you put these qualifications into practice in the real world. How has what you’ve learned or studied benefitted you in your past roles?  

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Team size & structure

“This helps hirers to understand the kind of stakeholders you would have had to work with and the level of responsibility you would have had.” Giving some context about the size and the environment of the team you’re currently worked on and have worked on in the past gives recruiters an idea of your experience, your current capabilities, and—in light of your achievements—your potential capabilities.  

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Projects or short courses

Of course, it’s common knowledge that you should include your major qualifications on your resume—but don’t forget about the smaller ones, too! Gabrielle told us, “This shows you’re interested in developing your skills. And if you’ve worked on your own side projects that are relevant to the job, even better!” Upskill courses and side projects display a passion and a drive for the field you’re in, which is an attractive trait in an applicant!  

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Personal summary

‍Gabrielle reminded us that you should include “a few lines at the top of your CV to give the hirer an idea of who you are and what you’re aiming for, and align this to the job description or company you’re applying for.” This is generally the first thing a recruiter will read about you, so make it count! You don’t have to be super in-depth (that’s what a cover letter is for!), but a brief summary about yourself, tailored to the job description in question, will help sell you to the hirer.

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We also asked Gabrielle for an answer to the question we all want to know—how important is your social media profile to a recruiter, really? She told us that over half of potential employers will look at applicants’ social media profiles, so it’s very important!

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Her advice? Keep your private accounts private. Connect with colleagues and business associates on professional social media and keep your private profiles under wraps. Use your professional social profiles to create a positive brand image for yourself.”

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Want to learn more about securing a job? Check out our Job Search Database.