by Beth | Oct 13, 2021 | Adventures in Interviewing
After I conducted an interview the other day, I asked the candidate if they had any questions for me,
and I waited for the dreaded question:
“Do you have any reservations about hiring me?”
I hate this question.
I know why candidates ask it. Every article about interviewing tells candidates to “ask for feedback” in
the interview, so that the candidate can “address any issues” in the interview. So, why do I hate it so
much?
Because it puts the employer on the spot. The fact is we can’t give feedback to the candidate, because if
given poorly, it opens the door for potential lawsuits and complaints. There is zero benefit to the
company for giving feedback to a candidate, and the company must consider the employees already on
payroll. Also, the candidate typically isn’t truly open to feedback at this point because they are under so
much stress. From my perspective, pointing out someone’s flaws while in an interview is just cruel. How
do you say to someone “I can’t hire you because you come across as a complainer”? What the candidate
will say is “I’ll change” because they want or need the job. Bottom line: no one wins in that situation. It
is incredibly uncomfortable for all parties involved.
The way I avoid this question during an interview is by naming the elephant in the room: “We have to
talk about you behind your back before I can answer that question.” And usually, everyone laughs, and
we move on.
I don’t know who decided that this question was a must for candidates, but it does NOTHING to
promote a good working relationship with your potential employer. If you are a candidate looking for a
job, don’t ask this question. And if you are an employer who is asked this in an interview, name the
elephant and move on.
Being uncomfortable is not a good thing in an interview, so don’t promote it.
Power thought: Do you have any reservations about hiring me? None that I can discuss with you.
by Beth | Jul 21, 2021 | Adventures in Interviewing
A few weeks ago, my interview team conducted a second interview with a gentleman who totally knocked the ball out of the park. He was prepared, asked great questions, and he had the demeanor and skill set that we were looking for.
My client wanted to hire him right then and there. I said no, because we had a third interview to go through to completely finish the interview process. He wasn’t very happy with me, but he conceded.
Then, we set up the third interview with this candidate, who showed up late. His demeanor was condescending, and it was very clear that this wasn’t the job that he ultimately wanted.
My client was stunned.
Later, over tacos, my client said “I think I got it now. You can’t Fan Boy over a candidate.”
Nailed it.
The third interview is such a make-it-or-break-it event. Why? Because the candidate has relaxed. They realize that they are close to getting a job offer, so they let down and show you their true selves, warts and all. It can be truly mind-boggling to watch, especially when the candidate turns out to be the wrong fit. As one of my clients so eloquently stated, “Thank GOD for the third interview!”
The lesson here, as it often is in business, is to finish the process and don’t Fan Boy. You can’t be obsessed with a candidate; you have to be obsessed with the process. Ultimately, this leads to hiring the right fit.
Power Thought: Fan Boy the process, not the candidate. You can Fan Boy over the candidate after they become a Rockstar employee.
by Beth | Apr 14, 2021 | Adventures in Interviewing, Employee Hiring
Yesterday, I was interviewing with one of my favorite clients, and we were talking about general hiring practices. I said to him “When you talk to a client, you want to always say “yes”. You want to solve their problems, because that is how you get to do the work that you love. Also, that is how you make money, which gives you the opportunity to grow. “
My brilliant client turned to me and said “Exactly. When talking to clients, your default should be yes. But when you are hiring your default should be no.”
He is totally right.
Hiring is about rejection. Think about it. You receive 300 resumes for a job, and you will reject AT LEAST 299 of them, if not all 300. Then, you receive another 300, and the process starts again.
The reason that hiring is so hard for business leaders is because their default is set to yes. When a client comes to you for help, you WANT to say yes. It’s fun!
As hard as that can be for some people, the reality is, you just can’t do that in hiring.
Power thought:
Make a conscious effort when hiring to switch your default from yes to no.
by Beth | Jan 20, 2021 | Adventures in Interviewing, Employee Hiring
I have been conducting video interviews for almost a decade now. Early on in my video career, I did what a lot of people do, and I wore a blazer and my pajama pants. Except in the middle of the interview, I realized that my file with my resumes was on top of the filing cabinet next to my desk. I stood up to grab the file, and the candidate said, “Nice pajama bottoms!”
My p.j. pants had crushed beer cans on them.
Needless to say, I have NEVER done that again!
These days, I am not the only one who has hidden their favorite jammies underneath the desk. According to this article, pants sales have plummeted since the beginning of the pandemic, but pajama sales have skyrocketed by 143%!! And slippers are having their moment too, according to this article.
Take it from me: while those pj bottoms might be really comfortable, it is really easy to get TOO comfortable. If you want to present yourself in a highly professional way, you must put on real clothes. The phrase “dress for success” is said for a reason.
So, make sure that you buy (and wear!) real pants when you are on a video call.
You can, however, wear your fuzzy bunny slippers on your feet. I may or may not be wearing mine as I write this.
by Beth | Jul 29, 2020 | Adventures in Interviewing
This past week, I made a job offer for one of my clients. All of us on the hiring committee were all really excited about this candidate. The way he had presented himself in the interview process. his references, homework, and answers to our questions earned him a job offer. We were thrilled.
Imagine our shock when he turned us down.
“Can we ask why?” said my client.
“You know, I have the opportunity to pursue my dream job, which is in a completely different industry, and I am going to go for it. I really appreciate you, your time, and the offer. I will never have this opportunity again, and I am going all in,” said the candidate.
Wow.
There is so much uncertainly in the world right now. There is so much fear. Watching someone take a leap of faith in spite of all the gloom and doom is so damn inspiring.
While I am disappointed that I didn’t fill the job and disappointed for my clients that have to keep searching, I am so dang proud of this guy! What an act of bravery!
What brave act are you going to do this week?
Tell me all about it.
by Beth | May 23, 2019 | Adventures in Interviewing, Employee Hiring
I was having a lovely conversation with a potential new vendor a few weeks back. I was telling her about how my bad hire so many years ago had made national news and launched my career as an interviewing coach. I told her that this was a club where no one wanted to be a member. She graciously laughed and then said to me, “You received a lifetime membership to the BHA: Bad Hires Anonymous”.
Boy did I ever.
All of the clients that I have worked with over the years have been and are currently a member of this club. It is almost like you have to be a member before you understand the true devastation of a bad hire.
Please note that you are not alone. Here is the criteria for club membership: Anyone who has been in business for any length of time who has ever hired an employee, and anyone who has been in charge of employees, has at some point made a bad hire.
What I want you to know is that it is not you. A bad hire isn’t something to be ashamed of or something that you need to hide. It is simply an indicator of a skill set that you need to learn and that you ensure that your employees learn.
In the meantime, welcome to the club.
