Tag: Interviewing

For the Employers Seeking Workers

When reading a resume of a potential candidate, try to remember when you were seeking employment and you had a few jobs that you left because your boss or leadership team was less than ethical. It’s hard to come up with a plausible reason for “job hopping” other than, “I left for a better career opportunity”.

Sometimes, a candidate had to leave because their morals and ethics were higher than those above them or their boss asked them to do something illegal. You don’t want to disparage the place you worked at but you also don’t want to look like you leave your job every year or two years.

Sympathize with the fact that there may be other reasons and focus on their accomplishments and what they are bringing to the table today. I see many professionals still applying for positions and many jobs that have been open for months. What are you looking for? Perfection? It doesn’t exist. What does exist are broke, eager people out there willing to learn and work hard so they can pay their bills, feed their families, and keep a roof over their heads. Don’t hesitate so much. I realize you want a “good fit”, but that can be just as discriminating as hiring for race.

Stop trying to check off all the boxes on that job description and start looking for the transferable skills and willingness to learn. I have so many friends and colleagues out there hunting for that next best career that are being passed on due to this need to check off each and every item. It just doesn’t work this way.

Don’t ghost your candidates. Put them out of their misery if you don’t want to move them to the next round. It is better to send an email letting them know that they have not been chosen than to say nothing at all. It is down right rude too. Especially when you are the Vice President or CEO and you have met the candidate in person and then just pretended that they didn’t exist.

Let’s try to remember that candidates are interviewing you as well. Humble yourselves to the fact that candidates are savvy and looking for a certain type of company. They want a good team, kind management, room for growth, training & development, and great benefits. Yes, compensation is a key component, but those other items are also at the top of the list.

Stop wasting time. We think this job market is broken. We think this world is broken. Prove us wrong and hire us. We’ll show you how hard working we are.

Hi! How Are You Doing?

No, Really…How are you doing?

If the answer to this question is fine, stop. Eject that thought and put in a new one. Are you really fine, because what I am going to tell you is that it is okay, not to be.

In my now 9 plus months of unemployment with an unheard of 900+ applications in 2021, I have taken some classes through my local employment security department and they are fantastic. The two women that run these courses are empathetic and smart. They have been where I am now and the other participants in the class support each other through the chatbox. Through these classes, I have learned to say that I’m not fine and I hope that what I am about to share with you allows you to say that too if that’s the case.

I want to state for the record that I am not trying to be a downer. I am a very positive person but I have been searching for employment for a long time now and I don’t understand why I have not been hired. I know I am older but I am not dead. I know I would command a larger salary but I am not outside most of the ranges that I am seeing for the roles I am applying to. If I don’t know the range, then I ask for it. If the company doesn’t share that information, then I probably don’t want to work there anyway.

So is it my interviewing skills? It might be that, but I have had friends interview me and coach me through what they see as areas of improvement. I am open to mixing it up. I actually love to interview. It provides me with a platform to show how passionate I am about what I do. The fact is, I am getting interviews and I am making it to the 2nd round with some companies. Then, poof, they are gone. I ask for feedback knowing that I probably won’t hear anything, but it doesn’t hurt to try.

Is it my resume? I don’t think so. I have recruiter friends that have looked it over with a fine-tooth comb and they just remind me to change keywords and phrases to match the job description in the advertisement. I do all of these things so I feel that my resume is pretty good. I refuse to pay someone to write me one. I don’t have the extra cash lying around anyway.

How about the number of people applying for each job I am? Yes, this could be it. For one recent position, there were over 700 applicants. Is that real? Are that many people job hunting when the media says that unemployment is reducing? 700 people, that’s crazy! If I am 701, will my resume even get looked at? Will I get a shot at the job that matches my skillset over these other people? How do you possibly stand out in that type of crowd? I apply anyway and hope that my application magically slips through the cracks and lands on the hiring manager’s desk. So, I’m not fine. I’m frustrated. I want to work. I want to be a productive member of society again. I would like to be able to pay my bills. I would really like to stop borrowing money from family and move into a new place of my own. I made this change to pivot out of a toxic environment and I’m having a heck of a time making it happen.

I am surviving though, barely. I am honestly hopeful. I know my job is coming. It’s almost here. I have put in the work. This class I took was about mental health. In job-hunting, you are on the computer all day, every day, looking at jobs, updating your resume and cover letter, and applying with the information that is on that resume. It takes time to go through an application so imagine how long it took to do over 900. The class teaches to take breaks. I have really tried to do this on the weekend and get out of the house to do something fun. Or even just walk around the block or get a coffee from your favorite barista. I know you will say to me, “I might miss something!” Yes, you might but isn’t your mental health more important? I believe it is.

Whatever your higher power is, please use it to pray. I ask for your prayers for me, but also for all of the rest of you that are telling yourselves that you are “fine” while you are job hunting. I want you to find work too.

Maybe when I get my new job, I can hire you. Wouldn’t that be awesome?

Keep up the good work, it will come!

700 and counting…

Well, it’s 2 days before Thanksgiving and I am still job hunting. Today I filled out my 700th application. Yes, I said 700.

I’m not applying for jobs that I don’t qualify for and I’m updating my resume with key words so it goes through the ATS software. I’m just not sure what’s going on.

I know I’m an older worker but in my line of work, the requirements ask for the amount of years experience that I have. The salary expectations are within the range that the companies are offering, so what is it?

I’m willing to relocate, I’m able to start immediately, and I have awesome references.

I’ve even been in the interview process on several jobs and made it to the 2nd round. Then nothing.

So, I keep my head up and know that my dream job is coming. For those of you hiring and in need of a dedicated, skilled, and hungry HR Director, call me up!

Interviewing Stress

Why do you hate to interview? Some people are so terrified at the thought of going to an interview, it literally makes them freeze with fear. Others forget the answers to their questions and the rare ones are calm as cucumbers. How do we prepare for the face-to-face meeting and make it fun?

First off, wear your most comfortable professional outfit. If you are comfortable, you won’t be fidgeting in your seat. Please make sure it is clean for goodness sake!

2nd, no extra jewelry, crazy colored nail polish, or wild eye shadows. Simple and professional. This speaks to all genders.

3rd, practice answering interviewing questions with a friend. Take it seriously. Try not to say “like” or “um”. When you get to the interview and you are answering the question, if you need more time, simply say something like, “that’s a great question, let me think of answer that will be relevant for you”.

Before you go to the interview, be sure to thoroughly check out the company’s website and social media presence. There you will be able to formulate questions when the interviewer asks you if you have any. It is always good to have one or two.

At the end, stand up and thank them. If protocol allows for a handshake, give a firm one. You can ask for a business card from them at this time if they have not provided one to you so you can send a thank you email.

Sending a thank you email. I like to remember a part of the interview that was funny or personal or meant something, and use that in my greeting such as, “I really like the way you spoke about how this role works hands on with the marketing team, I had some experience at my last position in marketing. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain that to me today. I look forward to our next meeting.” This makes the greeting more personal and shows you were engaged in the interview.

I hope these tips helped! Make it a great day!

Are You Ghosting Your Applicants?

Ghosting in HR

I’m finding that job candidates are getting ghosted by employers. To me this is unacceptable. At the minimum employers should send the standard email explaining that due to the high volume of applicants not all candidates will be contacted. We thank you for your interest in our company.

This is an appropriate email after someone has chosen to work for you.

Phone Interview Etiquette

If you have done a phone screen on the applicant and you know from their responses, they won’t be moving on to the next round of interviews. At the minimum, human resources should send a rejection email thanking them for their time. You don’t want to explain in too much detail why a candidate didn’t make it to the next round but you should give them the courtesy of a response.

In-Person Interview Etiquette

If you have performed a phone screen and brought the candidate in for an interview with the team, and you aren’t going to be moving the applicant further, call them and let them know in person. If they don’t answer the phone leave a voice mail and be sure to thank them for applying and wish them luck in their search.

The most important thing to contact them. We, as employers, should not be so arrogant to think that this employee is desperate to work for us but they have a choice. We should be grateful they wanted to apply. Ultimately without applicants and candidates who want to work at our organizations, we would be out of business.

Reference Checks

Do me a favor and don’t check references until you have your final two candidates. It is disrespectful to the candidate and to their friends, colleagues, and former supervisors taking the time to perform said references for your organization on behalf of your candidate.

Please don’t waste their precious time doing references on everyone. Save it for the two finalists.

Final Thoughts

Please be respectful of job seekers. They have looked at your posted job description and feel they qualify for it.

They have looked at your company website and feel your organization would be a good fit for them.

They have possibly received a referral from a current employee. Show them why this person would say it’s a good place to work.

Give them the respect they deserve and show them their first great impression of your company.

It’s Time for the In-house Interview

So you have phone-screened your candidates and you pick a lot to come in and meet the team. Today is the day. What will happen?

You decide that you can spread out the three candidates in one day. Make sure you and your team are fresh all day. Each candidate deserves your complete attention without distractions or fatigue

Types of Interviewee’s

All of these candidates are coming in hopeful, energetic, and a bit nervous at the same time. Let’s take a look at what could happen and what you can do to counteract it.

  1. The “One word answer” candidate. What should you do? Well, obviously the interview will be shorter but let’s see if you can get the person to open up a little. If you have asked all of the pertinent questions for the job, ask the person what they are passionate about. The person may surprise you and start blabbing about their passions. This is when you can see the real deal. The person behind the fear.
  2. The “Can’t stop talking to save my soul” candidate. These ones are hard for me because I want to keep on schedule and when someone just keeps rambling on, it is really hard to concentrate. This person is usually this way all the time. It’s not nerves. Let’s be real. You may love it or not, but it is hard to listen to. Of course we don’t let that get in the way of seeing if the person is qualified for the job, but it does go to “fit” within the organization.
  3. The “Confident Interviewer” candidate. I feel a kinship to these types of candidates. I have been in my field long enough that I am confident in my skills and abilities and at a certain level, the employer should be understanding that the position they are hiring for the person they speak to has the education and skill level they are looking for. Sometimes we are wrong. I know this. However, the majority of the time it is true. So this interview goes by smoothly and someone on team feels that the candidate is cocky or conceited. Is this really true? Or…is it the fact that confidence can make others uncomfortable if they are not as confident in their own roles.

I know I sound like a head shrinker in this case but be aware that this may happen. We don’t want to lose a good candidate because someone on the team is threatened. We also want to make sure that we are not basing this decision on gender too. If a man is confident, they are seen as go-getters. If a woman is the same, she is seen as a bitch or conceited. Let’s make sure we are providing equity in the workplace and not allowing this to happen.

Pick the Final Two

Of these three, who would you pick to come back? Only you and your team can decide. You know your culture, what the job entails, who they have to work with, etc. Make sure you decide on the person based on their skills and abilities and then fit for the organization. Don’t just pick someone because everyone liked them. Make sure they can do the job.

Also, a person may surprise you when they get hired and they have the pressure of being “on”. They might relax and show you their personality a bit easier. Yes, this can backfire. Let’s concentrate on the good for a while and play that this has a great outcome, shall we?

The Last One Standing

Here is your winner. You have had all of the interviews, you have asked all the questions and answered some too. Congratulations on picking your new team member. There is nothing in HR as satisfying as giving someone a new job. I love the feeling of it and I love seeing their face on the first day!

The Art of Resume’ Reading

Looking at resume’s seems to be a lost art form these days. The more technology we use to parse out words and phrases, takes away the humanity of the resume itself. After all, this is about the human. The people we want to bring in to our organizations.

I’m a bit old school and like to look at every resume. I look at details like length of service at each job, duties they performed, skills they may have, people they managed, and what their education is. I’m sure you all check out these details too.

Technology

Resume readers, and I mean the robot kind, are programmed to look for key words and phrases that match up with the job description. That’s fine but what a robot doesn’t do is see experiences that may not match exactly to the current job applied to, but have related experience that transfers to the posted job requirements.

I like to look for these types of details because it shows flexibility and their potential range. Now some might say that looking at each resume might be deemed as discriminatory because of the title names sounding “ethnic” and that would cause me to not pick them for interviewing. Well that would be true if I was a BAD HR Director. But since I’m NOT, I don’t worry about it. I always start with the job description and match skills and experience. If you take a chance on someone that is really close to your requirements as well, it may surprise you.

So now you have a pool of candidates…

Let’s do a phone screen interview. I have used a specific phone screen template for many years now and I always start with the “housekeeping” questions. What are they you ask?

  1. How did you hear about this opening? *This allows you to track and report where people are finding your ads to make sure you are getting your money’s worth.
  2. If chosen, what is your availability for an in-house interview? *This give you a firm grasp of when is best to schedule with this candidate. It is very helpful especially if you are planning for multiple interviews in one day.
  3. Do you have a wage in mind for this position? *I know in some states it is illegal to ask what someone is currently making per hour so I don’t ask that question. Asking the candidate what they are looking for is perfectly legal. It gives you a chance to see if their expectations are within the pay grade range you have set up for this position. If it is too high you can tell them what the range is and ask if it fits within their budget. If yes, great! Continue the interview. If its not, then politely say that we didn’t want to waste their time and they didn’t want t o waste ours. End the interview at this point.
  4. If you were to be hired for the position, when would you be able to start? *The answer to this question can give us many clues. If they say “I need to give 2 weeks” that is a standard time frame that most companies ask employees to respect. If they say “anytime” they are most likely not currently working (so check their resume to see if it jives). Now, some positions may require longer notice periods but for the most part the answer to this question helps you and the hiring manager.
  5. Why are you leaving your current position? *If in #4 they answer “anytime” , you can assume they aren’t currently working but I have heard many reasons for this question. I personally don’t take offense or read much into it, I just like to know why if they are willing to tell me. It can be for reasons like lay-offs, personal growth, “I always wanted to work here”, or just moved to the area. Remember from my first article, sometimes people leave their bosses. That is a big reason.
  6. Are you available to work at our xxx location? *You want to be sure to tell them where they will be working in case you have multiple locations and you know where this particular position will work.

Meat and Potatoes

Now that the housekeeping questions are complete, you can get into the “meat and potatoes” of the job to see if the candidate really knows their stuff. I like to put together questions pertaining to the job title and then work with the hiring manager to come up with a few questions that they want to know up front before face-to-face interviews. I suggest about ten questions. It shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes of interview time. The last three questions are usually the same for me.

What kind of manager to you like to have? *Most people will say that want communication with their manager and no micro-managing.

Why are you the person for the position? *I like to hear people respond with confidence here such as, I “know” I’m the right person because…. If they use, “I think I’m the right person…” then it shows less confidence in themselves and possibly their ability to do the job.

What questions do you have for me? *This is a good tool for getting more information about where the candidate is coming from. What they are really interested in. I find too, if as the HR person I don’t know the answer, it is an opportunity for me to ask the hiring manager so I have a better understanding of the role and the department. You learn something new everyday.

Now that the phone screen is over…

After each interview, I like to type up the responses and send them along with the resume to the hiring manager. From there, the manager can see we have asked each candidate the same questions and they can pick from the group who they want to bring in for the next round. I usually step back in when the manager has made a decision and wants to make an offer. Of course different companies have different recruiting and hiring processes but this gives you some ideas to use.