Expert Advice
Dear Hiring Managers and HR Teams:
Can we get together on something?
We need to rein in the interview process. It’s gotten out of control.
I know you want to keep your beloved culture intact, but sheesh…
It’s not uncommon for candidates to go through an initial phone/video screening, pass several rounds of interviews, take psychology assessments, be instructed to put together an engaging 20-page pitch deck and present it to a panel with a Q&A, meet the senior leadership team, take a tour, problem-solve real-world issues on the spot, and… since interviews now take 8 hours instead of one these days, have the nerve-racking, forced smile experience of eating lunch with their evaluators.
Did I leave anything out?
This process can take up to 3 months (several weeks minimum), peppered with last-minute requests, changing job requirements, cryptic instructions, unexpected disappearing acts from HR, and straight-up ghosting.
And then, after all of this — after weekends spent away from family building a PowerPoint presentation, after rehearsing answers to ridiculous but pervasive questions like “tell me 3 of your weaknesses,” after sleepless nights from fearing the tech interview, after scrubbing the web for “out of the box” exercises, like “tell me how many marbles it would take to fill a school bus,” after 20+ firm handshakes with eye contact, after setting up a professional-grade Zoom studio, after all the followup notes, the tracking in Excel, the time off work, the money for parking, the dry cleaning, the power breakfasts, the mental health debriefings with friends…
After all that…there is no job offer.
For 3 months, this candidate has made your company their life.
They’ve given you their best ideas, their best performance, their best times slots, not to mention serious professional, financial, and emotional expense.
And then its, “Sorry, you’re just not the right fit.”
And you know what’s coming next, you know the question they have for you, their last hope at taking something from this whole disappointing experience: the humble request to know why.
You will inevitably give them one of two canned responses:
“We found someone with more experience.”
OR
“You don’t have enough _____________.” (Something that’s usually obvious from looking at the resume.)
Yeah, I know you’re playing your cards close to your chest to avoid a discrimination lawsuit, but seriously, c’mon.
At the very least, after taking so much of someone’s time and ideas, can’t you at least guide them a bit, as you boot them out the door?
Nope.
It’s “Buh-Bye,” and sometimes not even that.
If you’re a candidate reading this you’re nodding your head. If you’re a hiring manager, you’re shaking it.
An uneven equation, to say the least.
You, the employer, leave with more knowledge of who you need for the position, strategic plans for where to take your business, inside info on other companies, a broader understanding of the talent pool that’s out there, and sometimes free labor!
And the job candidate? They leave with the false hope that “maybe another position will open up and we’ll call you.”
Yeah right.
You hold all the cards. How about a little compassion?
How about paying these folks if you’re going to have them work for you?
How about a probationary period instead of a 3-month interview?
How about looking at their past presentations instead of asking them to create a brand-new one for you?
How about letting them eat lunch alone?
How about treating them like a fellow member of your industry who has value separate of working for your company?
How about taking a little risk and making a better educated guess.
If you must see a benefit, think of this as a business opportunity.
People talk, especially people who don’t get the job.
Why not have them walk away loving the company instead of resenting it?
Why not have them wishing they could have gotten in vs rationalizing why you suck?
I’ll tell you this: the company that designs the first-ever respectful, energizing interview process is going to have an influx of applications and a massively robust referral network amongst people inside and outside their walls. And your new hires are going to love you all the more.
You’re not just filling a job requisition, you’re spreading the word. Whether you want it to be or not, your story is seasoned by the whispers of your detractors. You’re not privy to these conversations.
And you don’t know what you’re missing.
Sometimes, we get ourselves talking and we forget where we’re going. Or we don’t know what direction to talk in or how deep to dive.
You’re not alone.
It’s difficult to figure out how much you should say at any given time in a job interview. And with the prevalence of video interviewing it’s become ever harder to judge how people are receiving what you’re dishing out while you’re dishing it.
So how do you know what to say, how much to offer, and when to say it? Continue reading this entry »
Everybody’s doing it.
Even before COVID-19 struck the world, employers have been relying on virtual interviewing to screen out candidates. It’s inexpensive and way less time-consuming. There are several types of video interviews employers use. Make sure you’re savvy in all 4 of these formats. Continue reading this entry »
Most interviews start with the same question (which, actually, isn’t even a question):
“Tell me about yourself.”
Why?
Because open-ended questions are the best way to get to know someone. And, they’re the easiest way to allow someone to reveal themselves.
The question is simple enough, yet most people answer it incorrectly. Continue reading this entry »
Is anyone hiring?
Not really. There are, indeed, industries and companies that are going strong, but they’re not necessarily adding to their headcount right now. Everyone’s in waiting. HR departments are in an Arctic freeze. People with jobs are clinging to them like driftwood in the cold open sea. Unemployment numbers are rising, which means the competition for life rafts is growing.
It’s hard to be cooped up in your house, knowing all of this is going, feeling like you should be “out there” looking for work.
Still, it’s always better to take action during a crisis. Action delivers a sense of progress. It fans the flame of hope in the night while we pray for the sun to come back over the horizon.
Here are some ways to stay productive and generate your own warmth in this time of uncertainty: Continue reading this entry »
People always ask for a list like this so here is some age-old advice to help you prepare for your interview. These are extremely basic tenets that apply to almost everyone looking for work. Continue reading this entry »
Recently, a resume client of mine forwarded a newsletter article from a job board discussing ways to overcome “job gaps” of 3-6 months.
Here’s a snippet from the article, and my subsequent retort as to why we should redefine the criteria for a job gap: Continue reading this entry »
One of the best kept secrets in job-hunting: The government has offered to pay part of your expenses!
You read correctly: Career expenses, including fees incurred for career counseling, professional resume writing, and job-search coaching, are tax-deductible for everyone with only a few exceptions: Continue reading this entry »
I’m getting tons of clients coming to me with this question.
First off, it’s unfair.
Now that that’s out of the way, how can you overcome the stigma?
The key is recognizing and remembering that your work experience Continue reading this entry »
Is a Graduation Date Necessary on a Resume?
Hiring managers love the math of graduation dates. It’s an easy way to figure out your age.
To be clear, you should never list your graduation date, unless Continue reading this entry »
Your negotiating power stems from your ability to demonstrate how your contributions will increase revenue and productivity and/or decrease costs and stress for your employer.
Therefore, the earlier you talk about salary (without having first addressed the employers’ concerns), the worse your negotiating position. Here are some winning answers Continue reading this entry »
Ultimately, the choice is yours as far as who should speak on your behalf. However, here are some guidelines to help you figure out who are the best people to approach when searching for references. Continue reading this entry »
There’s a widespread frustration held by people that their resumes’ cannot adequately describe “the real me”. I’ve challenged this notion with the following comments and suggestions: Continue reading this entry »
Online profiles (posted on networking sites, your own job-search site, and social spaces) are an excellent complement to your resume. Just be sure to leave at least a few questions unanswered. Continue reading this entry »
