As an employer, I am going to make the following resolutions for 2009:
1. I will highlight the critical points of the positions during conversations with potential employees (ie, on Thursday nights we stay until 8:00, will that be a problem?). I will not overlook obvious flags during our initial phone conversations. Being in too much of a hurry will NOT be the reason for not finding the right person.
2. I will provide potential employees with a thorough understanding of why the position is open, our company culture, where we are located, and what is required of this person before we agree to bring them in for an interview. Not being thorough will NOT be the reason for not finding the right person.
3. I will not keep potential employees waiting when they arrive on time for the interview. This is my opportunity to show them that I respect our employees and know their time is as valuable as mine. Projecting superiority will NOT be the reason for not finding the right person.
4. I will be honest with the candidate regarding the current and future potential of the position (including promotability and $$ increases). I will be honest with the fulfillment process for the position so they understand our time frame and commitment level. Being vague or cryptic will NOT be the reason for not finding the right person.
5. I will not make a decision just to be ‘right’ about one of the candidates, but rather I will make a decision based on finding truly the right person for the position. Arrogance will NOT be the reason for not finding the right person.
6. I will make follow up calls to all the candidates regardless of whether or not they were chosen for the position. It’s a tough market right now and the candidates have invested time and energy into our meeting, as have I. You never know when a position will come up that they may be a good fit for. Indifference will NOT be the reason for not finding the right person.
7. I will provide constructive criticism for the candidates where applicable. People have done it for me and I’d like to pass that on. One sided conversations will NOT be the reason for not finding the right person.
8. I will repeat this process as many times as necessary until I find the right person for the position. It is more important for me to find the right person than just to fill the position. In the long run, it could, and probably will, end up costing me more to hire the wrong person over and over again . . .
Having open and honest conversation with all candidates who, in your opinion, are borderline ‘perfect’ for your position can unveil a wealth of information. Every conversation, email, note, or other communication is an opportunity to learn more about your candidates. Take the opportunity and use it to your advantage. True colors hardly come out during a 10 minute phone call or a 15 minute interview. Taking mental notes and connecting the dots will eventually lead you in the right direction.
Good luck in finding the right person!
Finally the “Right” approach to start shining up the tarnished view of all of us in the Staffing Industry! Great work, almost seems fitting to create and organization that strives to bring a possitive light to the Staffing Industry and show us a a positive call for assistance rather than a nuisance!! Great Job Linda!
These are great rules to live by for both the interviewer and the interviewee. Too many times frustration is experienced when the parties don’t employ a common sense approach to the staffing dilemma.
It’s nice to see that I’m not the only one who thinks that the interviewer is being evaluated as well and should have respect for the candidates’ time, questions, perspective and goals. I can’t even list the number of times I have been held up waiting for an interview, ignored in follow up, or otherwise felt that the interviewer was not clear in the job requirements and expectations. It always leaves me feeling like they just don’t care about their company, the candidate, the open position or anything else.
While it is certainly an employer’s market right now, it would be nice to see just a little extension of empathy and respect for the job seekers during these difficult days of high unemployment. Low spirits, projections for things getting worse before they get better, and the competition factor have job seekers facing real emotional battles, real pain, and real empty pocketbooks.
Fearful is now not an uncommon term to describe the job seeker and therefore, to my mind, the job seeker could use a little more kind attention from the interviewers rather than the disrespect of a 30 minute wait for a 5 minute interview after a 45 minute commute that was more to “take a look see” than to assess the candidates skills and interest.
Wishing all a prosperous New Year!
Linda Mason