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Recruitment Related Topics
loose cannons, interviews from the toilet, and other stories of ridiculous job candidates
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AUGUST 2, 2016
should have asked her to move but I was so new at recruiting, interviewing and hiring at the time I just kind of froze and tried to work with it. 5. A couple of weeks ago, I asked readers to share the weirdest or worst behavior they’ve ever seen from job candidates. The entire thing ended up being hilarious, but here are 12 of my favorites: 1. The The winner of them all. Listed in the “interests” section of a managerial candidate’s resume: “s g.” Loose cannon. worked at a very small nonprofit with only about 8-10 employees, several of them part-time. Blame my wife. Multi-tasking.
should I do mediation with my incompetent boss, recruiter said she felt used when I turned down an offer, and more
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OCTOBER 5, 2016
Recruiter told me she felt used when I turned down an offer. told my recruiter about this and she was upset and said that she felt used and that she had to salvage her relationship with the company that had given me the offer. The teapot manufacturing field is harsh and over half of new people leave, get fired, or squeezed out in five years. I’ll need a recruiter to help then, but frankly she got me an offer that was serviceable but not in line with my long-term career goals. There are other recruiters out there. It’s five answers to five questions.
former cofounder is trash-talking our organization, new boss quit right before my new job starts, and more
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JANUARY 13, 2016
She stated that it is acceptable to put honors and awards on our profile that we feel will be most interesting to the world/recruiters. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Former cofounder is trash-talking our organization. The cofounder and initial executive director of our small nonprofit was fired a few months after we launched for gross failure to carry out responsibilities and in no small part because of the way she treated the staff and other board members. As we were just starting out, we didn’t have the paperwork or foresight to have her sign an NDA.
letting a manager know employee is job-searching, texting recruiters, and more
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FEBRUARY 14, 2016
Recruiters who text. I was communicating via email and phone calls with a recruiter for two months and went through the interview process. Now, texting a recruiter or anyone in a hiring process seems strange to me, but at this point, I’m just excited because I think I may have landed the job or at least gotten to the next round. Do you think it’s unprofessional for a recruiter to use texting as a form of communication with a potential candidate? It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. post jobs, verify employment, etc. Do you have any advice?
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I offended people at a staff meeting by saying my staff works the hardest, recruiter told me to wear jeans to an interview, and more
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AUGUST 4, 2016
Recruiter told me to wear jeans to an interview. just received an email from a recruiter who connected me with a job I’m really excited about. The recruiter (who is quite young; I’m 34) told me to “ditch the suit jacket” and to just wear flats, a blouse, and jeans. They’re the exception, not the norm , but it sounds like your recruiter is telling you because you need to know. If she’s an internal recruiter (on staff at the company), I’d take her word for it. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Any thoughts?
how can I avoid talking about my wedding at work, asking employers to speed up their hiring process, and more
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JULY 17, 2016
really need a job like yesterday and would like to tell the recruiter or hiring manager my situation and ask whether or not they’d like to bring me in for an in-person interview, in order to speed up the process since maybe the hiring manager will be sympathetic towards my situation. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Can I ask employers to interview me faster because of my money situation? Is this appropriate? know it sounds crazy but the longer the hiring process, the further behind I’m getting in paying my bills. No, definitely don’t do that.
I was offered my boss’s job but now she’s not leaving, negotiating salary through a recruiter, and more
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FEBRUARY 28, 2016
Recruiter is making it hard for me to negotiate salary. About five weeks ago, I was contacted by an outside recruiter regarding a position across the country, in my current field but at a much larger organization and in a narrower (probably less stressful) role. There were phone interviews with the outside recruiter, the internal HR guy, and the hiring manager, and then a day on-site of serial interviews with eight different people. In later conversations, I let the recruiter know that the top of my initial range was where I would need to start in order to break even.
my work friends are being weird about me resigning, pushy recruiters want “salary confirmation,” and more
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AUGUST 9, 2016
Recruiters being pushy about “salary confirmation” I have been dealing with IT recruiters lately, and they have mostly started conversations with “what are your salary requirements?” Recently during this conversation, the recruiter asked if I would be interested in a $10 less per hour figure than I had thrown out — much to my surprise. Several other recruiters have also sent, or wanted to send similar emails — “So, are you saying for $x/hour you are interested? That is a huge danger sign, and those are not recruiters you want to work with. 3.
how can I ask my coworkers to stop talking about politics, interview shoes when it’s snowy, and more
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JANUARY 19, 2016
Is this something I should tell the recruiter? You could bring it up either ahead of the interview (if you don’t want to waste your time if their response is a clear no) or after the interview if you’re still interested at that point. I’d say something like this to the recruiter: “I want to let you know that since we talked about salary, I’ve received a raise at my current job and am now making $__. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. How can I ask my manager and coworkers to stop talking about politics at work? So it’s pretty damn tricky. just gave my notice.
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I turned down a job offer and now the recruiter is invoicing me
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NOVEMBER 17, 2014
A reader writes: I was in the awesome position of interviewing for two roles through recruitment agencies and receiving offers for both. Within a few days, I made my decision and I outlined my choice in an email to the recruiter of the role I was turning down. The recruiter wanted to discuss the matter further and I declined. month later, I received an invoice from the accounting team of the recruitment team – no other communication – just an invoice made out to me for $50 for a background check they had completed. So am I obliged to pay this?
should recruiters disclose salary range when they reach out to you, “seeking new opportunities” on LinkedIn, and more
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SEPTEMBER 18, 2015
Should recruiters disclose salary range when they reach out to you? How common is it for recruiters to disclose salary range for positions when they reach out to you? I’ve heard colleagues who have professions that are highly technical and in demand talk about how recruiters have disclosed salary ranges to them for the openings they are recruiting for. One even told his boss, “I have recruiters on LinkedIn offering me $XX more.” But in general, when a recruiter is approaching you (as opposed to you applying for a job), they should be prepared to talk salary.
can I ask for a second chance to interview if I feel like I didn’t get a fair shot?
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MAY 3, 2016
applied for a position that I seem well-qualified for as a well-rounded potential employee. I was asked to set up a short 10-minute phone interview with a recruiter, and it went okay. Now, did the recruiter lie to you when he said that he’d send your information to the hiring manager in 24-48 hours? A reader writes: I have a question about an interview I had recently. Nothing good, nothing bad, the guy conducting it basically seemed to tell me details of the job more than asking questions about me. feel that I am a really good candidate for the job. The job is still open.
boss asked me to be “brutally honest,” manager ignores my emails, and more
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JUNE 20, 2016
Is this recruiting process a common practice? It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Boss asked me to be “brutally honest” during an exit interview. resigned earlier this week with my department head. would have liked to have done so with her assistant, who more closely manages me, but she is on vacation. This assistant is a difficult person to work for, and is quite a micromanager. came to this organization brimming with excitement on making improvements and showing off my skill set. At this point, I am happy to just move on and chalk it up. feel ignored and disrespected.
my new coworker is my childhood bully, getting people stop with replying-all, and more
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SEPTEMBER 19, 2016
immediately contacted the (external) recruiter for Company A to apologize and cancel the interview. The recruiter informed me that because the plane ticket was “mine” and I could use it elsewhere by paying a fee to change it, I’d likely need to reimburse Company A for the cost of the ticket (minus whatever fee changing it would cost). It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. My new coworker is my childhood bully. recently started a new job. colleague, who has an unusual name, was a childhood playmate turned middle school bully of mine. So am I.
my friend was horrified that I asked an interviewer what the job pays
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AUGUST 11, 2016
That said, even people who bristle at it are generally more accepting of asking about salary early on if you’d need to travel a long distance for the interview or take significant time off work, or if a recruiter has approached you rather than the other way around. A reader writes: I work in media. About a year ago, I saw a job listing for a position at a prestigious company that looked like it would be a good fit, so I reached out to a contact who worked at the company, she passed on my resume to the hiring manager, and they invited me in for an interview. salary
my son sent my boss an embarrassing photo of me, employer wants job candidate to “show loyalty,” and more
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JULY 20, 2016
The feedback was good, and he has now heard from his recruiter that they are going to make an offer. However, the recruiter also said that the employer asked that my partner “show loyalty” and stop interviewing for other roles while they put the offer package together. asked if perhaps this was coming from the recruiter who could be protecting his cut, but apparently the employer mentioned it in the interview as well. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Employer wants job candidate to “show loyalty” by not interviewing for other jobs. ” 3.
is it ok to be Facebook friends with people I manage, returning from vacation early, and more
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JUNE 19, 2016
found another job two weeks later, a remote position, through a recruiter. turned in all my new hire paperwork, and then got a call from the recruiter apologizing because there would be a delay. The recruiter didn’t have any information on how long this would take, because the person who takes care of registering was on vacation. The recruiter (the only contact I have) was very short with me, and said, ‘I told you I would call with any updates.” It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Unfriend him and explain why. on a Friday.
I lost an offer over salary, and I’m regretting holding firm during negotiations
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JUNE 16, 2016
Since I didn’t accept their second offer, they decided to move on. I’m still at my current job that I’m not happy at, while going on interviews and fielding calls from recruiters. I can’t but help feel like I screwed this one up. But that’s how much I fell in love with the job and the career opportunities it could open for me. When I got the offer, it was at the bottom of the advertised range, which would mean $10k less than my current pay (not even including my bonus). I of course countered. You almost certainly made the right decision. That’s nothing.
do job-seekers really need an elevator pitch?
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OCTOBER 14, 2015
A reader writes: I recently visited my grad school on behalf of my employer as part of their college recruiting team. Colleagues who help with college recruiting at other institutions are reporting similar experiences. My objective was to collect resumes and speak with students regarding our summer internship program. I’ve worked the career fairs before but have not done so in a couple of years, and at this one I noticed some students doing something that I found off-putting. They’re making an “elevator pitch” for themselves. It’s nearly always the case though.
job candidate called me four times in one day, coworker might be deliberately undermining my work, and more
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MAY 12, 2016
My recruiting messages on LinkedIn aren’t getting any responses. have recently joined the corporate world and am working as a recruiter with one of the biggest IT providers in the U.S. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Job candidate called me four times in one day. I am in the process of scheduling interviews for a new opening in our department. called a batch of candidates this morning and left messages for a few of them. then had a meeting with my boss and he gave me a task to prioritize over everything else. Fast forward to this afternoon. Thank you!”.
how can I get my team to have real discussions at our meetings, instead of just delivering updates?
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MAY 24, 2016
Of course, I try my best at recruiting people who are really team players and enjoy sharing information, comparing tasks, like to see the bigger picture, and so on. A reader writes: I manage a department of 20 people, who are devided in smaller teams of two to three people each. Each small team is in charge of exactly the same tasks but concerning a different geographical area. Some of the challenges/problems they face on a daily basis are part of bigger issues that concern the whole country, so therefore communication between them is really essential. have run out of ideas!
boss told me not to check messages on vacation but tried to reach me anyway, company claims they don’t have a pay range, and more
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AUGUST 2, 2016
Company claims they don’t have a pay range for a job they’re recruiting me for. I’m currently employed. I was contacted by a company who had received my resume from a previous supervisor of mine. guessed at a salary range for a job, overshot, and got rejected when a recruiter approaches you about a job but plays games on salary boss told me not to check messages on vacation but tried to reach me anyway, company claims they don’t have a pay range, and more was originally published by Alison Green on Ask a Manager. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Silly me.
how do people take phone interviews during the work day?
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JUNE 25, 2015
Recruiters and HR people don’t understand why I can’t just pick up their calls in the middle of the office, why I need notice to set up a phoner, or why there is background noise when the only time a hiring manager can speak to me is at 1:30pm. A reader writes: I work in New York City. I do not drive to work. Every time I start interviewing, I run into an issue with the dreaded phone interview. My solution to this has been to head to a Starbucks, a pocket park when it’s warm enough, or a hotel lobby (when I worked in midtown). Maybe your readers have some ideas?
how to negotiate a 50% increase in salary
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NOVEMBER 23, 2015
wrote some notes down for someone else, and I thought I’d send them in case they’re useful for your readers too. I had a “salary expectations” chat in a phone interview with an internal recruiter, without them naming a figure. – I used the mention of my role changing as an opportunity to tell the recruiter about the cool stuff I’d done and how it had directly grown the business, with examples: due to X we were able to take on 4 new people in [position], I hired and trained two direct reports, etc. Thanks for all the great advice! Thanks, AAM!
we hire people to work in a really tough location — and they keep dropping out before their start date
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NOVEMBER 19, 2015
Our program manager, recruiters, and deployment staff will spend weeks working with new hires to ensure that they have all their documents prepared and book travel to this location. We’ve tried bonuses for 3 months+ service; daily, friendly calls from the recruiter, waiting to book travel until 2-3 days before departure, raising the salary… but nothing seems to help. Also, I would drop those friendly, daily calls from the recruiter, unless you’re finding that people genuinely like them. Alison, if you were in our shoes, what would you be looking at? sort of way.
how to respond to a volatile rejected job applicant
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JUNE 20, 2016
The first time she was interviewed was two years ago by our previous recruitment coordinator, and a second time by me a few months ago. A reader writes: I have a question regarding applicants who, after being interviewed and rejected more than once, apply over and over again. have one applicant who has been interviewed twice, rejected twice, and keeps sending new applications. This applicant seems emotionally unstable, and the position I am hiring for is home care for vulnerable adults. When I rejected this applicant a few months ago, I sent her the standard form rejection letter email.
how quickly should you return calls and emails about interviewing?
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OCTOBER 28, 2015
You can always find some random ridiculous recruiter who thinks it’s an outrage that you didn’t respond immediately to her email, but those are outliers, and you shouldn’t peg your behavior to outlier expectations. A reader writes: I am currently looking for internships and have submitted my resume and cover letter via email. asked my mom for advice, and she says to reply back as fast as possible when they email me back — that I should email them back within a few hours to show how eager I am. She also thinks replying within hours is part of working life. job searching
my recruiter told me to wear “something feminine” to an interview
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JUNE 15, 2015
A reader writes: I was contacted yesterday by a recruitment agency that was looking to fill a position at a company I like, and it seems as if it would be a great fit for me. The recruiter just called me back asking what I’ll be wearing to the interview, so I told her I’d normally wear a suit and a smart blouse. And also, should I bring this up when the recruitment agency request feedback? Whenever you’re confused about guidance a recruiter (or anyone in the hiring process) gives you, it’s totally okay to ask for their reasoning. interviewin
can I make getting to the final round of interviews – and not getting the job – count for something?
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MAY 27, 2016
My work history can appear hard to grasp to some, but then I have had companies and recruitment agencies praise my CV and think it sounds interesting. A reader writes: How can I make getting to the final round of interviews – and not getting the job – count for something? Yesterday I received the news that I did not get the job at a great charity. It was a role that I have not come across before, and it would have been an exciting career change into a new sector. I was told I was a “fantastic” candidate and I had gotten to the final two out of 200 candidates. rejections
where’s the line between pretty clothes and professional clothes?
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JUNE 7, 2016
knee-high boots and business casual attire my recruiter told me to wear “something feminine” to an interview where’s the line between pretty clothes and professional clothes? A reader writes: What is the line (if there even is one) between pretty and professional? I’m not quite a grad, but I’m trying to get part-time or temp work, and that’s included a few interviews. While I’ve felt professional enough, I’ve always wondered if it came off that way to others. Something like this ? O r this ? O r even a foofy skirt like this one.
my manager doesn’t respect my personal space, telling applicants that a job is volunteer, and more
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JANUARY 25, 2016
When I was given the verbal offer, the recruiter didn’t mention anything about the title being different from the job ad or what I interviewed for. Obviously this is on me that I didn’t bring it up *before* formally accepting, but I had already discussed the offer extensively with the recruiter and the formal acceptance seemed just that–a formality. I’ve emailed the recruiter on Monday morning and asked if it was an intentional change or an oversight and whether the title could be changed back to “program manager”…but did I really mess up here?
boss left my performance evaluation on the office printer, intern just got hired by the team I’m interviewing with, and more
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APRIL 24, 2016
Recently they took on another worker through the same recruitment company. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. My boss left my performance evaluation on the office printer. My boss was working on my annual performance evaluation and printed a copy for her records to a community printer. The problem is, she didn’t go pick it up. She printed it late Friday afternoon and it sat there all weekend until Monday morning when a fellow coworker brought it to me, thinking I had printed it. When my boss arrived at around 10:30 a.m., replied, “You mean my evaluation?”
did I get too drunk at a work party, how to get out of a work obligation, and more
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NOVEMBER 3, 2016
coworker and I were told by my boss that we would be co-leaders of a monthly presentation in which we must recruit a staff member to present something inspiring to the rest of the group. It requires about 1-3 hours of additional work for the presenter, so we often succeed in recruiting staff members to participate but then they often back out at the last minute. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…. 1. Did I get too drunk at a work party? recently attended a work party. ” In retrospect, this must have looked bizarre.). Should I bring this up with someone? hours.
when can I ask about salary if the job posting doesn’t list it?
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MARCH 16, 2016
Talk with recruiters, check with professional organizations in your industry, and bounce figures off of other people in your field. A reader writes: I’m graduating from grad school in May, and am looking for a new job. I’ve come across a handful of ads that say that their salary and benefits standards are “competitive and depend on qualifications and experience.”. My question is: When do I ask about range if the salary is unlisted? Do I ask before I spend time tailoring my resume and cover letter? Do I ask after they respond, but before the interview? After the interview? salary
a hiring manager isn’t what you think, and other vocabulary lessons
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NOVEMBER 2, 2015
Recruiter vs. hiring manager vs. HR. Internal recruiter: This is an employee of the company who focuses on filling jobs there. External recruiter: This is someone outside the company who has multiple clients that they fill jobs for. It’s been a while since I’ve talked about this and I see these words confused all the time, so let’s straighten out some vocabulary issues. 1. Fired vs. laid off vs. terminated. Fired: If someone is fired, they are being let go for cause. Terminated: Covers all possible scenarios. But Hostile workplace. In the U.S.,
company told me their job offer is “take it or leave it”
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SEPTEMBER 30, 2016
On my latest call with the company’s internal recruiter, he told me it was “take it or leave it.” ” Negotiating salary is completely normal in the country where this job is located, so I’m surprised by their lack of flexibility, particularly after such a long recruitment process. I am currently employed, so I only want to move for the right opportunity. A reader writes: I’m in an unusual negotiating situation that I’d appreciate your advice on. received an offer from a company that I had been interviewing with over the course of almost four months. salary
I’m not allowed to buy my own office chair, did I accept an offer the company meant to withdraw, and more
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OCTOBER 31, 2016
According to Jessica, he was so enraged at this comment that he instructed the recruiter to withdraw my offer! • But the recruiter failed to do so in time before I accepted it, and I effectively ended up accepting an offer that, according to Jessica, the head of Smaller Company intended to withdraw. It all seems so far-fetched and based on what Alice and Jessica heard through the grapevine, but it is weird that Jessica, who I have never met, knows pertinent details about what went on during the recruiting period. Call the recruiter. Your manager is being ridiculous.
how to answer the interview question “how does this job fit with your career path?”
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DECEMBER 28, 2015
To me this seems like the wrong answer, but I also don’t have a dream job or path anymore. I can see a lot of possibilities. I’m fine with that, but what do I say to recruiters or interviewers? A reader writes: All through high school and college, I wanted to be a journalist. I got my degree and spent four years in newspapers. And then I got fired. realized the industry was dying and changing and perhaps it was all for the best. honestly don’t know. take life as it comes, and try to take advantage of opportunities if that arise. Why do they care? interviewing
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