To hire or not to hire

In my role as a HR specialist I recruit potential employees for open positions for businesses. I post detailed job descriptions, conduct interviews, and at times do the onboard training for the listed position(s) . As I navigate through this process with potential candidates for businesses I have been heavily noting consistencies and inconsistencies that I have been noticing among candidates in the process of job hunting. Strangely, oddly… my main note is, PEOPLE ARE NOT PREPARED TO WORK. Really! I have seen everything- from improper email addresses, text message worthy written communication in emails, showing up late … the list goes on and on. It’s seems as if some people have the attitude of “if I get the job I do ; if I don’t I don’t.” I know this isn’t that case because people have financial needs and wants that are fulfilled by having a job.

I’m just going to be straight forward – things are beginning to become a little too loose on both the job seekers’ and employers’ parts. We have become a little too ‘laxed in business standards. Our “lax’ness” may not translate well when transitioning from one job to another job. When looking for a job there is a certain decorum that you must have. We must revisit “business standards” while job seeking . I will highlight a few things that I have noted being on the HR side of the process.

Applying & Resume Submission

Let’s start with applying for a job. Many people use Indeed.com as a tool to find positions. I personally believe Indeed is a great tool to find jobs. However, with all things you must be careful. Indeed gives applicants an option to create a resume. Skip the “create a resume” feature and upload a resume! When you allow Indeed to create a resume for you it asks a series of questions. The answers provided by applicants are then placed into the resume being created. I suggest skipping the “create a resume” feature because the issue is that Indeed will add personal pronouns to the resume. Personal pronouns should not be on a professional resume. Your resume belongs to you. Your name is at the top. Employers know who the task, responsibilities. and description are referring to you. Might I add, it’s a bit taxing for HR to read “I handled,” “I managed,” “I supervised,” at the start of each responsibility noted for a possible 4-6 job description. It will start to read as a 5th grade autobiography assignment (which is a whole topic within itself).

Phone Etiquette

If you know that you are applying for jobs you should have a voicemail inbox that has space to receive new messages. Job seekers are missing out on opportunities because they are not reachable. If you have recently applied for a job be prepared to answer incoming unknown phone numbers. You should always use your best professional voice as well when answering the phone. Let me teach you a little trick; If someone from an unknown number calls asking for you, simply say “May I ask who’s calling?” From there you will be able to determine if it’s the job you just applied to or a dreaded spam call.

Once an employer contacts you for an interview seal the call by confirming the day, the time and location(if necessary) of the interview. Write down the name of the person you’re specifically scheduled to be interviewed by at the company. Also, get the name of the person calling you and thank them -by name- at the end of the call. This may or may not be the person that is interviewing you . However, their name will be important even if they are the administrative assistant that will check you in for the interview. The interview is a chance to connect names, roles and responsibilities within a company especially if there are several steps in the interviewing process.

On Time is Late 

Always, always… always show up to an interview at least 5-10 minutes early! ON TIME IS LATE!  In the event that you are late please tell your interviewer a brief story about something that was out of your control. Therefore, giving you a valid excuse for being late. I interviewed a late candidate last week. I asked her if she had a hard time finding the location. Her reply was simply “No.” She had no regard for my time. Another candidate walked in 15 minutes late. She stated she thought her interview time was for 12:30pm. I informed her it was actually for 12:15pm (which is why you should always seal the call with confirming details and write it down. I’m pretty sure this was a result of her not writing it down and just placing it in her mind as “close to 12:30!”) . She apologized and I told her someone would contact her if she could be rescheduled. Then she left the building.What was troubling was the fact that I spoke to her two hours before her appointment time in which the time was also confirmed. So, how did she get the times mixed up? Sometimes the role of HR is to teach hard life lessons. Being late to the interview tells the employer that you may have time management issues or you don’t pay attention to details. Treat the interview as if it’s your first day clocking in!

No Show

If for any reason you decide not to attend the interview call or email the company to inform them . You don’t have to provide an explanation. “I decided this isn’t a good fit for me,” is perfectly fine. Even calling to get another day scheduled will work. But, not showing up for an interview will get you blackballed from that company and its affiliates. On Indeed’s website the company has the option to mark you as a NO SHOW. Who knows what the website may or may not do with your resume after that.

Once you’re actually at the interview and speaking with the hiring representative know that your words matter. In other words, be prepared. You can prepare for an interview by looking online for potential interview questions based on the position. There are a few standard interview questions that will almost always be asked. Those questions are “Tell me about yourself? What are your strengths? What are your weakness?” I had an interviewee tell me she hates the question “What are your weakness?” I was a little befuddled. Who says that in an interview? An unprepared person does, that’s who. She totally had control of the tone of her response. She is aware that question is asked at interviews and she hates that question. She could have simply changed the tone by responding with one of her strengths, for example, “ I beat myself up when I see an error in my written communication. I work really hard to communicate effectively and…” So simple to turn around and so simple if one prepares for their interview!

Many companies use the STAR method in interviews. The STAR method is situation based. The method uses questions that start with “Tell me about a time…” STAR stands for Situation Task Action Result. That’s how the answer to the question should be explained, by defining the situation, your task, your action, and the end result. In order to answer any question you need to listen so you know what you’re answering. I can’t begin to tell you how people ruin the answer because they didn’t listen to the question. I had one woman tell me in the middle of her answer “…or whatever I can’t really remember the rest.” Bottomline —BE PREPARED!

Last, but certainly not least be personable. Neverousness is understandable but your interviewer will chat with you to make you feel comfortable before starting. Take advantage of that opening. You’d be amazed how often people get hired based off of their personality alone. A friendly person that has the ability to listen, learn, and ask questions is a great hire. Being personable is a gage of how you will interact with the staff and possible clientele. If you come off too hard, stoic or monotone… no, you possibly will not get that job as the preschool camp advisor for example .

This doesn’t need a explanation , make sure you are well rested as you can be before your interview day. Eat a small snack or protein bar to hold you over during your interview. As an HR specialist I have sat across from interviewees on edge or exhausted from lack of rest and/or they are simply hungry. This process brings on a lot nervousness and lack of rest and lack of nutrients only amplifies our nervousness.

All these tips apply to virtual interviews and job searching as well. If you need assistance with interview preparations the internet is a great source. You can also ask people you know that are in leadership positions. If those aren’t helpful you can contact BusinessServiceSolutions1@gmail.com .