An Open Letter Plead to the Staffing and Recruiting Industry

I know this is not new news to anyone, and there is a chance I might receive unwanted backlash for this, but it is needed. I would like to make my personal request for all recruiters to please stop spamming everyone with your job opportunities. Professionals and Executives already receive way too many messages on a daily basis. Many of the individuals that receive your messages can’t even be considered candidates as they don’t even come close to the jobs/roles you are offering. It is very frustrating for them to receive what appears to be a very promising email/message from a recruiter that on the surface might even be a life-changing opportunity… to only read the message in its entirety and see that the recruiter didn’t even bother to take the time to review their profile prior to sending the message. I am a recruiter, but because of my prior career background, even I receive your messages on a regular basis (another one this morning). I understand you are pressured to meet your metric goals, but those of you that do this, make ALL professionals in the staffing and recruiting industry look bad and it demoralizes the industry as a whole. We (me included) are in this business to be their enablers for growth and to match the best possible candidates with the roles our clients/employers are offering. So, let’s do what we are hired to do. Yes, shoot for efficiency, but be specific, be targeted, be smart about the individuals you reach out to. But most importantly, respect them and don’t waste their time. You are just making yourself and the company you represent look bad in their eyes. Let’s step up our game.