ASAP Talent Services

I got a resume last week with a title step-down.

VP to Director. Big red flag, right? Wrong.

Most recruiters would have immediately rejected this candidate.

But I asked the question that changes everything:

"Tell me the story. Why did your title change?"

Here's what I learned:

He'd been VP at a 50-person startup with no direct reports and a small budget.

He stepped down to Director title at a Fortune 100 with 15 direct reports and a much bigger budget.

Big fish, small pond to small fish, ocean.

The "step down" was actually a massive step up in scope, scale, and impact.
If I hadn't asked about the story, I would have missed an incredible candidate.

Here's what else we've learned:

Sometimes people take sabbaticals for cancer treatment.

Other times they step back to save their marriage. Life happens.

Great recruiters get to know the story before making judgments.

More information helps you make better decisions.

So… If you're rejecting candidates because of title changes without understanding why, you're missing rockstars.