08/31/2015
HEADLINE: THE DEATH OF CORPORATE COURTESY
Over the past few years, I have noticed a substantial rise in complaints from clients who bemoan the passing of corporate courtesy as they go through the long and gruesome interview process for a position. In fact, last week alone, three clients called to ask why potential employers don’t return calls, emails, or provide any update to them on the interview process. Most importantly, they fail to tell them when a decision to fill the role has been made. Sometimes they are fortunate enough to receive some type of written correspondence telling them of a decision, but rarely a personal phone call.
WE NEED SOMEONE IN THAT JOB TOMORROW!!!!
Meg called me quite frustrated a month ago reminding me that a particular potential employer had approached her about an opening. She had an initial phone screen and been invited to go through a series of in-person interviews. In her opinion, the process had gone very well. Each interviewer reiterated that “this job has to be filled immediately based on our work load”. She wrote her mandatory thank you notes to each interviewer.
After two weeks had passed, she had heard nothing. She then called the hiring manager. Silence! She then emailed the hiring manager. Silence! She then asked friends in the company to follow up for her. Silence!
Meg’s frustration had reached an all-time high. She was threatening to go to the hiring manager’s office in person. It helped that I explained to Meg that her situation was typical of corporate behavior today, and it was not something that she had done or not done. She came to understand that in the interview process, the hiring party holds all the power, and the decision to communicate or not communicate rests with them.
COUNSEL FROM THE COACH
It helps when clients have some insight into what is going on in the marketplace and what others are going through in their career searches as well.
I always suggest that you keep in mind:
1. Hiring parties are busy people. Keep in mind that interviewing is only one task that that they must perform among many others. In fact, interviewing candidates for an opening is seen as a “pain” by many corporate employers. Rarely are they evaluated on how well they interview individuals. In addition, many companies have reduced HR staffs significantly or even outsourced them to another company.
2. The candidate may have already been selected even before the interview process starts. Oftentimes, the interview process becomes a perfunctory process since the company may have a candidate, internal or external, in mind, and they are simply checking the necessary legal boxes to demonstrate that they looked at all candidates.
3. In some cases, your view of your performance in the interview process can differ greatly from the hiring parties involved. Companies are notorious for sending false “buying signals” when, in fact, they have already determined that the candidate is not a fit for the role.
4. Human beings, by nature, detest confrontation. Nothing could be worse than having to give the bad news in person or by telephone; hence, many individuals default to silence.
Above all, keep in mind that the impact of silence from the hiring party can be lessened considerably by having many opportunities in play at the same time. If a client laser focuses on one, and only one, company, he or she is likely to be quite disappointed when they don’t get the response that they expect. Diversifying one’s targets is a critical part of success in the search process. Rather than becoming angry by a lack of response, be too busy with multiple opportunities to have noticed!
Let Business Mentors help you find that diversified playing field for your next career conquest!
Invest in Yourself,
Al Stewart
President/Owner
