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DOWNLOAD: Seven signs that a job candidate won't work out

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Take out number seven. Reference checking is a waste of time...candidates always give you contacts who will tell you how they've walked on water and didn't get wet. Not to mention, the more litigious our society becomes the less likely it is you're going to find out ANYTHING from a reference (not that whatever information we've ever gotten from references is useful).

I'd add a few:

1. The candidate only talks in generalities about his/her technical skills. Worse yet, when subjecting the candidate to a technical interview he/she displays little knowledge of a listed skill. I can't tell you how many people I've interviewed who've claimed knowledge of a particular technology, then I find out through some simple questions that the reality is they merely tripped over a book on the subject on the way out the library.

2. This is a corollary to number four...the candidate can't articulate or quantify the value of his/her work. Not knowing where your job fits into the strategic whole nor why you're doing what you're doing is usually the sign of someone who is content to just phone it in.

3. The candidate merely responds to questions and asks none of his/her own. You don't want to know anything about me, my department, your potential colleagues, your possible customers, how we do things, what the daily workload would be like? The door works the same way on the way out as it did on the way in, only backwards.

4. The candidate displays personality traits, idiosyncracies, or eccentricities that make you as an interviewer nervous he/she will not fit into the group interpersonal dynamic. You can teach anyone anything...knowledge and skills, that is. You can't teach someone how not to be a jerk. Never hire anyone who'll upset the apple cart to the detriment of all.

Your advice (especially #3 below) is an excellent addition to the initial suggestions. While an interviewee should have researched a company, the market and it's competitors, there are some things that one usually can't find 'from the outside'.

A valuable potential employee is always seeking to learn more about his/her company and all that pertains to it. An inquisitive interviewee shows this desire to gain knowledge by asking about the company and the position in the interview.

Excellent post!



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"3. The candidate merely responds to questions and asks none of his/her own. You don't want to know anything about me, my department, your potential colleagues, your possible customers, how we do things, what the daily workload would be like? The door works the same way on the way out as it did on the way in, only backwards."

The person who has 'been unemployed for a while' doesn't show up on time for job interview. He's unemployed! There's nowhere else he has to go.

Oddly we gave him a second chance, hired him and he flaked out.

Another fellow's answer to hiding his lack of knowledge was that he was 'old school', and tried to use dos editing commands editting the hosts table in vi. Maybe when our network crashed we would have figured he wasn't working out.

Also said he had 4 cars, all of which he worked on himself. Then didn't show up to work one day, claiming he had 'car problems' - well what happened to the other 3 cars?

His boast that impressed HR? he had setup by himself a 'server' at his previous job. Imagine, a guy that could put together one of them 'newfangled thangs'!

Gawd knows I have hired an engineer or two over my years. And
yes, I have been the boss so by the time they go to me my
engineering staff had wrung them out pretty hard. I always
looked for 3 things: Smarts, friendlyness, team player.

For many years I headed some very technical, leading edge
engineering and the chances that you knew what we were doing
were slim. But it was a fast moving train and you had to be
willing to learn, fast. Due to the technical requirements, not
likely you would apply if you didn't meet them, because you
couldn't BS your way through.

I almost always made an offer in the intervew. If I didn't,
chances are you wouldn't be called back.

Bottom line: Trust your guts!

As a professional IT Manager/Consultant for almost 30 years and now an independent IT Recruiter, Reference check are good. BUT ask the reference for someone else that worked with them, or their old managers name. It is the reference's reference that gives the best picture.

If you get a good reference you don't believe it and if you get a bad one you don't know whether you should believe it.

Look the fella in the eye, and ask a few questions, your impression is far more valuable.

And yes I've got good referees and they are my previous managers, and my current one.

Do any of these guys get annoyed when you doubt their word ?

I had a problem with 2, 5 & 7
The fact that someone can be surprised is n't a problem, that they can't cope with being surprised maybe.
Looking for a new position because they outgrew the last one. You want the candidate to be candid, but not about their motives. What are they meant to say then. They are sacking me because I'm crap, or you are such a wonderful company, I threw away a promising career just to work for you.
If someonce came out with either they be binned by me, I want to earn more money is a good reason for moving. If you don't want to pay what he wants then he priced himself right out of the market.

References utter waste of time, unless you know the referee and have a good knowledge of their relationship with the candidate.

I'm in what I call "hard target search" mode right now (a.k.a. "get me the hell out of here"). This will help me make sure I don't show one of the 7 signs in interviews.

Fortunately, I really don't have to change anything about how I interview.

Nor would I answer them.

What is your greatest strength? Who cares, everyone expects this and practices an answer, it is hardly an accurate way to qualify an employee.

I WOULD ask;

What unique skills do you think you will bring to the table that you feel sets you apart from other applicants?

This is FAR more beneficial information to the company AND the person hiring. Anyone can download the 5 greatest strengths BS, as per your second example, but the 5 greatest strenghts crap is like asking someone WILL YOU TURN UP FOR WORK? It's canned garbage.
How about,

What 5 abilities will you bring to the company that you think we could benefit from and why?

References for the most part are a complete waste of time other than to find out if the person showed up daily and worked hard. Other than that, it is useless. I have seen very good employees get GARBAGE references due to personal conflicts or vendetta's from past employers. I worked for one company that would tell all reference inquiries that the people were constantly drunk or stoned on the job, then laugh about it to other admins. There were others who just COULDN'T tell you what people did because they were crappy managers that didn't have a clue what the person did all day anyway, but most just want off of the phone if they have been used repeatedly by a former employer, they just tire of it. Which is another reason to only offer a reference upon specific request during an interview and not with all applications. I find most employers don't bother calling references anymore anyway, too many applicants. Thus only provide references when asked and while shortlisted, otherwise you burn your own bridges.

How about offering tips for people who have no job finding skills? How about a download on how to source out and cold call potential employers? Stop emailing resume's and start arranging MEETINGS by phone and offering proposals instead of resumes? How about how people should use social networking skills to move forward in a career and not rely on certifications to do it for them?

We have hundreds of peers here that have NO job finding skills, others that actually feel you CAN'T cold call an employer and present your skills (that one still make me chuckle) and others who can't stop going to school for more courses, only to find that they have a masters in computer science and can't get a job at MacPukes. Some even believe that you MUST have certs to find a good paying IT job, it just doesn't end, people THINK so many negatives about a market, it's no wonder they remain unemployed or stuck unhappy with their present job.

As for the hiring process, HR departments don't have a clue and are the wrong people to be talking with anyway, a good meeting with the right person, (CEO or President) will never see you answering such questions to begin with. But it will get you more positive results, more money and a better job almost every time.

This would be great as no-one knows it all.

Some people dispair in the face of continual negativity and begin to believe that all companies are poor employers. Easily done.

Networking skills are the most poorly invested in. How can business managers keep a straight face when they say their techies can't communicate and then only invest in techie courses? Lets all have a laugh at that.:-(

Your comment:

"Stop emailing resume's and start arranging MEETINGS by phone and offering proposals instead of resumes?"

is so important in today's job market. A person who is changing jobs or professions after working in one for 10 years or more usually has no clue of how to even get their CV's / resumes read since the emergence of the Internet has changed all of the rules.

A good article on "How to get your CV / Resume Read" would be beneficial.

Although I have owned my own business and have hired and fired in administrative positions before, I am now seeking a new position.

This article helped me to look at the job interview from both perspectives (the interviewer and the interviewee) and gave me some useful tips.

Thanks!

I've been helping a friend job hunt, for her I have the perspective from both sides - I recently went through the job change process and then at my new job was placed on a hiring committee. So I've been compiling tips like these because it's hard to verbalize the things that seem to work. Here are some of my observations, hopefully useful.

1st - Best way to get your resume read? Customize it. Look for keywords in the ad, and put them in your resume, it is really as simple as that. That way, no matter if it's a person or a machine that scans you in, your resume stands out. To get past the 1st weed-out stage, state your years of experience clearly, don't make someone guess because they won't guess in your favor. If you have Windows NT Support experience and the job says "4 or more years", state that you supported a Windows NT environment in your professional experience where you worked at Company Z for 5 years. The summaries that are popular now on the top of resumes are great for the 1st cull where it's skimmed, but you have to back it up later in the resume or you'll be dumped. After that, it's your resume vs people that got to the same stage so it gets down to details. Also, cover letters are a must, even if doesn't get read you show that you're willing to make that extra effort - everybody hates writing those things, and employers know that.

And if you're applying for a Federal job and have to do the KSA's - be overly detailed. There really is an HR clerk somewhere sitting in a cube reading each line, after about the 20th KSA detailing how fabulous you are that clerk is going to pass you straight to the interview pool.

2nd - Read job postings carefully, the parts that say "required" really are, but the parts that say "would prefer" are negotiable. If you don't meet a negotiable point, then put in your cover letter what skills you have that makes up for it. And don't apply for everything just because it's under a familiar heading...if you're not qualified, don't waste your time and more importantly don't waste their time because they will remember you, and it won't be for a good reason.

3rd, I've read many of Oz's posts (rather difficult not to actually ) but I disagree with him here. From an employer perspective, if you can't articulate your strengths AND your weaknesses in a productive light then you don't belong with us. I seriously, absolutely no kidding, sat in an interview while someone listed 3 separate awful "weaknesses", and somehow managed to forget they had any strengths. Yes, this question is a standard that every interviewee should be prepared for - which is what makes it such a problem for those that didn't prepare. I used to have the mindset that it was pointless to have those questions in interviews, until I saw the reality of how unprepared so many people are willing to be.

4th, The best lesson I learned from my 1st interview on my job hunt is that I don't have to take the job just because they offer it! That interview was awful. They were disorganized, had set answers they wanted and had no interest in a unique perspective, and they were late - one of them showed up 1/2 way through the interview. By the time it was done I had won them over, but I walked out with an epiphany - it's a 2-way street, and I was never ever going to work there. I turned down their job offer, one of them actually spit on the table at me while he was shouting exactly what process of his I'd be following when I worked for him. But every interview thereafter I would constantly think "I don't have to work here. What makes HERE special?" It shows when people walk into an interview and know they have something the company wants, and it gives you a head start - the rest of the interview is where you prove it to them by being prepared for the stock questions and honest on the details!

BTW, I don't want to offend but I do want to point out - honesty is a big deal. If you lie, it will show. Even if you're good enough to get hired, it will show later and if getting a job and KEEPING it is important to you, don't lie. If you're lacking something be prepared! Talk about how you're going to fix it, #3 on the "7" list is really a sticking point for a lot of people.

5th, Stock question part II, "What makes you different?" The bad part about this question is that there is no real stock answer. Interviewers are sometimes looking for something here, and you usually don't know what it is yet because the question may come early on in the interview. Be honest, and if they egg you on in a particular direction follow their lead. But good ways to prepare for this? Take the question in context of the company. For example I worked at a university and was interviewing at a college, I told them what made me unique was no one would have to explain to me what a Provost was or that a Dean got special consideration. Another approach you can try, if you have the panache to pull it off, is to be creative - tell them you're the only one that would cater lunch in if they hired you . Be warned - you might actually get stuck doing it though! You could say you're an excellent baker and if they had ever tried your savory cheese filled braid they'd hire you without the interview, stuff like that...

Also, if you mess this one up? Or even any question. Don't be afraid to return to it. At the end of the interview say something like "Earlier you asked what made me unique and I'm not satisfied that the answer I gave really represents what I wanted to say" - it's a two-for... You get to revamp your answer AND show them that when you told them you worked at things until they were perfect (as a strength), you were serious.

6th and last, watch out for the "surprise" question and know what it's there for. I think it was Microsoft that made headlines because they would ask "Why are manhole covers round" to their prospective employees. They don't care why they're round, or if you get the "right" answer, all they want to know is how you react to the question and what skills you bring into play to get to your answer. How creative are you? How do you deal with unorthodox problems? Plus, toss it back if the opportunity arises, it's always fun to put the employers on their toes and more importantly it wakes up the sleepy ones -

"Manhole covers are round so the lid doesn't fall in, I made it a priority several years ago to find out the answer to that question. My nature tends toward being prepared, and I understand that you're looking for something by asking this question so maybe there is some other way I can put forth my best qualities, can we discuss what it is you'd like to see?"

This ties back to being confident in how you present yourself, overconfident is bad but try to show them that you're the one they want, and they need to listen to see why.



Anyway, sorry for being so long winded, I tried to give real examples, hope this was helpful.

Oh, PS - if they ask how soon you can be a contributing member avoid the cheesy cliche's and give a real answer "maybe a month to become familiar with your LAN layout, and the physical layout of your complex, so I would estimate 4 to 6 weeks", or something like that.

"if you can't articulate your strengths AND your weaknesses in a productive light then you don't belong with us."

I HAVE said that the 5 strengths question is just plain stupid. How about "WHAT skills do YOU have that YOU will provide to benefit the company that others may not."

I've NEVER implied that if you can't sell yourself you can find work, in fact I have been VERY ADAMANT that you MUST be able to sell yourself.


You made two assertions that really tell me that while you have seen a change in the market, you as most people also do, do not look in the right places for employment.

"That way, no matter if it's a person or a machine that scans you in, your resume stands out."

How and WHY would you NOT know who is reading your resume? Because it has been emailed into a POOL of thousands? Ineffective.

You also mentioned about reading ads. Newspaper ADS represent less than 4% of available jobs. THe Internet a few more, company website ads a few more. All in all only 20% of jobs are ever advertised.

The trick is to seek out the pther 80%, you find BETTER jobs, at MUCH higher salaries, and without competition.

Target an industry, field that you wish to work in. Write a proposal, not a resume, call and get the OWNERS name, NOT HR!! (that's the biggest and most common mistake) and PITCH yourself and what YOU want to offer the company. Get the BOSS or owner out for a meeting over lunch or coffee, pitch yourself and present your "proposal", AGAIN...NOT A RESUME, THEN ask for help. If he/she CAN'T give you work, they are usually more than happy to help you by passing on a name of a friend who also runs a business that COULD use you.

It's AMAZING the results you get this way, people are imply SHOCKED when they try it at just how easy it really is. The first few cold calls will have you pretty confused and nervous, but call some TEST companies first, when you have made 15-20 calls go on to the bigger fish, you WILL get meetings, you WILL get listened to and given leads you WILL get a job at a FAR higher salary than others in your field who applied for an advertised position.

YES IT WORKLS FLAWLESSLY EVERYTIME, regardless of industry, profession, education or skillset, some need a little mroe practive than others but it is a learned skill just like anything else. I know SO many big business owners worth millions who themselves have no college courses or certs to speak of, many don't even have grade 12, they definitely DON'T look for it in Employees, HR does THAT part and again if you AVOID HR, you AVOID the certs BS. It's the entrepenueral spirit that makes them successful, not school or applications.

These signs are not realistic. You're looking for
a business analyst here or consultant, not a technical person. I wasn't quite sure what this is tailored to. Can you perhaps be more specific or actually develop several different charts for several different type of job candidates. Maybe have 7 signs for architects, developers, consultants, IT managers, executives etc... Don't see a really good fit here withthis.

then we can have an interview so HR can figure out how to interviews us.

Having been at both sides of the table, I have found that recent jobhunters are less capable of performing well in an interview than those that have been unemployed for longer periods of time. The later have sharpened their interviewing skills and are not necessarily better qualified for a position. My personal approach is to be very clear and foucused on my need, look closely at the resume, determine its relation to my present and future requirements and then ask very specific questions. Those who are in the know will come out with flying colors and while the candidate is answering the questions you will get a better perception of his/her personality.
My $.02 cents.

Like most similar advice, this article describes what a great salesman you should be looking for in a new hire. I've been in electronics and computers my entire adult life (since the mid '70s). I've seen more than my fair share of applicants that sell themselves very well and can't tell the difference between a computer and an earth latrine. This article was written by an HR specialist who couldn't write code if his life depended on it. There is no substitute for knowing your stuff and knowing how to tell if an applicant knows his stuff and that is something that comes only by experience. Reading all the HR advice in the world won't help.

I agree. This article was written for sales people. Not technical people. No lowly paid bug fixer is going to respond with,

?Client satisfaction is crucial to our success in the market. There are dozens of companies that make similar products. If ours doesn?t meet client needs and perform flawlessly, we?ll lose market share. By identifying bugs and overseeing repairs before clients are affected, I help the company retain its competitive edge?

I expect the management team to answer like that. If I were hiring a person to fix bugs, this one would raise red flags.

While it was weighted towards HR principles, and I personally steer well clear of sounding like some sort of door to door salesman. I do have to sell myself. There can't be any hard and fast rules.
Interview techniques guaranteed to get you this or that, usually have a price tag after them and should have a scam warning. As an applicant though a few pointers are always welcome. Something I've noticed is the are far fewer experienced interviewers than interviewees, so maybe they've all downloaded these tips.

I agree but more mildly. :=)

Many of the questions seem to be more aimed at how well someone can present himself than whether he'd be useful in the job. Q2 is very common, but the results are almost always indicative, not conclusive. Engineers and software folks are commonly rather poor at expressing this sort of thing, particularly when it comes to blowing their own trumpets.

The skill of the interviewers, follow-on questions, and interpreting the answers is key.

I suspect that the advice given will mainly get you a slick talker, and then you trust to luck whether he can *really* do the job or not.

I remember after an interview thinking that the previous candidate was perfect, and the rest of the panel agreed. When we sat down and really looked at what he'd said and his proven experience, he really didn't have the right stuff at all. We learnt a lot from that one.

Later we found that some of the best candidates were those who argued with us about the best way to do something.