This past week, my daughter Katy, applied for a job as a Personal Care Aide. She would be going to a client’s home who has some sort of disability. As a future nurse, Katy wanted to get some practical real- world experience before she started her clinicals in the fall of 2021. Really smart on her part.
She applied online to a company with her resume and targeted cover letter. The woman emailed Katy within hours and asked her for a phone interview the following day. Here is how the conversation went:
Interviewer: Do you have a reliable car?
Katy: yes
Interviewer: Do you want part-time?
Katy: yes
Interviewer: Does this hourly rate work for you?
Katy: yes
Interviewer: Then you have the job! I will send you some paperwork to fill out, and we will call you for orientation after your background check comes back. Do you have any questions?
Katy called me to report after it was over, and she said, “You are probably appalled.” Uh, yes. Yes, I am.
What kind of an interview is THAT? And for taking care of someone with a disability in their HOME???
I am horrified.
When you hire out of desperation, you make mistakes 2/3 of the time. This company got lucky with Katy. She is smart, kind, and responsible. She will make a GREAT aide to her clients. And because the company gets lucky, they won’t dig deep to figure out a way to really interview people effectively. And thus, the cycle continues.
If you are looking for front line, hourly workers, I have a shorter interview process that is highly effective, and it can turn the tide from desperate to visionary in a very short period of time. Think about it and reach out if you want to discuss. Your future company will thank you for it.
Power thought: A “non-interview” is the road to big mistakes in hiring.