Down the Horizon

I just watched a course that includes a session about the hiring and interviewing process. The lady representing this knowledge was one of those that are really not down to earth…at all.

So about hiring the right candidate. Let’s say you are a candidate that leaves the interview with these thoughts:” Wow, so many missed points from the logical and psychological point of view. I felt like I was supposed to be a robot…I didn’t say even one sentence without being interrupted.”
This kind of interviewer (manager, Hr, or whoever) will take a look at the CV only, and then after narrowing the circle of candidates he/she will maybe check their cover letters and other supporting materials. In my humble opinion, HR should look much broader, deeper. All material sent should be reviewed and taken care of with respect to the applicant. One should see the potential that maybe is hidden between the lines, that you as a company can contribute in working on some areas, and talents a candidate potentially has. You are also investing in this person and not “buying” a ready “project”.

Also if you are an interviewer that talks awfully loud with that fake optimism and “aggressive” positivity- that will scare people off. A nice, down-to-earth, calm, friendly conversation will give you insight into a candidate’s personality that plays a huge role in how they will perform.

Also if a candidate has some personal obligations and issues on a specific date of the interview or starting date, HR should not take it personally. It’s not about whether they are crazy super excited and warmed up to become a part of the “family”, but it’s something that doesn’t depend on them. People have families and obligations that are equally important to work life.

In this course, this lady lecturer also mentioned that question like: “How does a typical working day look like?” is stupid. No, it’s not. What if that question is a test for the HR, manager, director, or whoever is interviewing at the moment…Maybe the candidate wants to know if the manager is a leader that understands and follows each work position in the company and its protocols. What if the manager is not good enough, is just a “generic” type of manager that is not really supportive and knowledgable, understanding the job roles properly? There are many like those in the world, even in big corporations.

And in the end, I would like to add- Not all the time when you are passing by staff should be bubbly and excited. It’s sick, ok…