What Recruiters Are Really Saying About Today’s Candidate Pool (And How You Can Stand Out)

Nakiya Parkes
Nov 21
3 min read

The 2025 job market is proving to be tougher, slower, and more competitive than many expected. Recruiters are seeing a flood of applications, but they are also noticing patterns that hold candidates back. Many job seekers submit resumes that don’t fit the role, struggle to clearly explain their value, and come to interviews unprepared. Understanding what recruiters really want can give you a crucial edge. This post breaks down honest feedback from recruiters and offers practical steps to help you stand out.

Candidates Aren’t Tailoring Their Resumes—At All

Recruiters often review hundreds of resumes for a single role, especially for remote positions where the candidate pool is global. Their biggest frustration is seeing generic resumes that look like a copy-and-paste job.

Common issues include:

Bullets that don’t relate to the job description
Lack of keywords that match the role
No clear connection between experience and the job

Recruiters want resumes that speak directly to the position. That means including:

Targeted keywords from the job posting
Accomplishment-focused bullets that show what you achieved
Clear evidence that your skills and experience fit the role

A generic resume usually leads to a quick rejection. Instead, take time to customize your resume for each application. Highlight the parts of your experience that matter most for the job you want.

Most Candidates Don’t Communicate Their Value Clearly

Many candidates list job duties instead of results. Recruiters want to know what you actually accomplished and how you made a difference.

Focus on:

The business problem you solved
The action you took to solve it
The outcome or result you delivered

Examples recruiters look for include:

Cost savings you generated
Revenue growth you contributed to
Efficiency improvements you led
Performance metrics you improved

For instance, instead of saying “Managed customer service team,” say “Led a customer service team that improved customer satisfaction scores by 15% in six months.” Results like these get interviews. Just listing tasks does not.

Eye-level view of a resume with highlighted keywords and accomplishment bullets

Everyone Lists the Same Soft Skills Without Proof

Candidates often say they are organized, team players, or great communicators. Recruiters hear these adjectives all the time and want more than just words.

They want:

Stories that show how you demonstrated these skills
Specific examples from your work
Real outcomes that prove your abilities

For example, instead of “I’m organized,” say “Created a project tracking system that reduced missed deadlines by 30%.” This shows your skill in action and gives recruiters confidence in your claims.

Candidates Can’t Explain Their Career Story

The “Tell me about yourself” question trips up many candidates. Recruiters dislike rambling answers that start too far back or include irrelevant details.

Common mistakes include: