by Beth | Jan 4, 2012 | Adventures in Interviewing
I was interviewing a couple of years ago for a great position at the local non-profit. An application for Andre came across my desk with decent qualification. As I glanced over the cover letter, I noticed the candidate signed as “Andrea”. I was confused about what to call this person, so I didn’t.
As employers, we can be swayed by a person’s technical skills, where they went to school, who they have worked for, but if they can’t get their own name right? No thank you.
by Beth | Dec 22, 2011 | Adventures in Interviewing
When I interview 14 people in a day and write 2-3 pages worth of notes on each, my fingers can get really stiff. I will bend them a few times and shake them out, causing the knuckles to pop occasionally. Last week in an interview with a hiring manager, I was in the middle of asking my questions and my fingers popped. The candidate sitting across from me reached over to hold my hand and shouted “DON’T POP YOUR KNUCKLES! Ewwwwww!”
Now, I get that some people are offended by knuckle popping and I do my best to keep it to a minimum. This candidate however didn’t even say please or thank you with her request, which was presented to me at the top of her lungs. If she is willing to yell at me in front of her potential boss, imagine what she might do to your customers. EWWWW!
by Beth | Dec 8, 2011 | Adventures in Interviewing
I placed a call to a candidate to invite her in for an interview. The message said “Please enjoy the music while your party is reached!” Then, I heard the song “Take this job and shove it.” Need I say more? Listen to the clues that people give you before, during and after the interview. You will be amazed at what you will learn.
by Beth | Nov 18, 2011 | Adventures in Interviewing
As I sat at the interviewing table looking out the window, a driver in large brand new pickup truck came squealing into the parking lot, veered into a parking spot and slammed on his brakes. He threw open his door, climbed down from the truck and dropped his pants. He was wearing boxers and an undershirt. He removed a collared, button down shirt from a package, threw it over his shoulders, and proceeded to tuck it in, never knowing that he had an audience. As he ran in the door, apologizing that he was late, I realized this gentleman was our interviewee. He continued to button his shirt throughout the interview, stayed for 5 minutes then declared that he wasn’t interested in this job and left.
We can really appreciate that he came to the interview to let us know his thoughts on the job. He didn’t just blow off the interview, which shockingly happens a lot. While he at least made an appearance, I doubt it was the appearance he intended. When examining candidates for your open job position, watch for clues in their behavior to tell you the type of employee you will be hiring. This gentleman was a good example of someone who may struggle with organization, time keeping and professional appearance.
by Beth | Nov 4, 2011 | Adventures in Interviewing, Selecting Good Candidates
I recently interviewed a candidate who sat across from me with his seat pushed back from the table and a foot on the seat of the chair. During the interview, he told me that his current boss was “annoying, but it is probably because I slept with her.”
The inappropriate disclosure of his sexual activities coupled with overly casual body language was enough to tell me he was not our guy. Don’t underestimate what body language can tell you.
by Beth | Nov 4, 2011 | Adventures in Interviewing, Employee Hiring
I interviewed a candidate that disclosed to us that the current boss is going through a bankruptcy. The candidate supplied us with his prior employers name, address and telephone number. While this seemed rather inappropriate, an even bigger offense is the fact that the candidate worked in a financial industry and had licenses which prevented him by law from disclosing someone else’s financial situation.
When I pointed this out, my client said “So we can’t trust that this candidate won’t talk about our clients’ financial situations.” My client is right. Disparaging a former boss or co-worker is a red flag in any interview process, no matter what industry or position. Discussing information that is protected by law is not only illegal; it is also unethical.
I was interviewing a couple of years ago for a great position at the local non-profit. An application for Andre came across my desk with decent qualification. As I glanced over the cover letter, I noticed the candidate signed as “Andrea”. I was confused about what to call this person, so I didn’t.