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[More employment hoops to jump through]

More employment hoops to jump through

Question I recently applied for a Senior Sales position for a medical device supplier, having 15 years of national experience in health industry sales across Australia and New Zealand. The employment hoops they expect me to jump through are bizarre. The employer requires all applicants to pass an outsourced online "assessment test." This is completed in the local office or remotely with a junior HR person monitoring to ensure the applicant is not cheating. I found this approach rather bizarre for 3 reasons. 50 questions in 15 minutes means 20 seconds per question. Some can be answered in seconds, others

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Question

I recently applied for a Senior Sales position for a medical device supplier, having 15 years of national experience in health industry sales across Australia and New Zealand. The employment hoops they expect me to jump through are bizarre. The employer requires all applicants to pass an outsourced online "assessment test." This is completed in the local office or remotely with a junior HR person monitoring to ensure the applicant is not cheating.

I found this approach rather bizarre for 3 reasons.

• 50 questions in 15 minutes means 20 seconds per question. Some can be answered in seconds, others not. The candidate is told to guess rather than waste time on solving the question – not real-world since in business guesses ultimately don't pay.


• Mathematical reasoning questions (no calculators allowed) take quite some time to gather the facts and determine an answer – maybe easy for a Master of Mathematics.


• The expectation to have a vocabulary way outside the normal range is unreasonable. I do not know how the junior HR lady passed the test as her native language is Mandarin. When we chatted some of her sentence structures were not correct. She too admitted having difficulty with the US phraseology used in the questions.

I don't understand how a U.S. company recruiting for a sales job in Australia is using an assessment test where examples are U.S.-centric and not international (e.g., Outside the U.S. all measurements are metric, not miles, yards and inches). And how does the company expect applicants where English is not their first language to score a passing result?

I would be interested to read your comments on this recruitment approach.

Nick’s Reply

This isn't recruiting. It's trolling for meek job seekers. They're not assessing how good a match you are to do this job. They want to see how submissive you are.

More employment hoops

This falls under the category "jumping through hoops for a job," a troubling topic we've discussed before.

The details you provided suggest these issues:

• By definition, these tests are "canned" — one size fits all. While the employer may use testing judiciously, the reality is that HR is often seduced into letting someone else do the hard work of judging a job candidate; in this case, the test vendor. Tests conveniently become the determining factor in candidate selection. That can be a big mistake, especially in an economy where jobs go begging.


• The instruction to not guess suggests the test is scored on a curve. It is designed to make takers fail on many items. So, it's not really about what you know or what skills you possess. It's about how you compare statistically to other test takers. That's not an assessment. It's a comparison. In other words, they're looking for the candidate with the smallest number of "incorrect" answers, more than they're looking for skills and knowledge.


• Using U.S. standards to assess candidates who live — and who will work — in a different country and culture is, well, the wrong answer. In testing, we talk about validity and reliability. A test is valid if it actually measures what it is supposed to measure. How can an Australian be judged on their communication skills when the test items are written using U.S. vernacular? (A test is reliable if you take the test again and again and score the same each time.)

Subjecting yourself to any canned assessment tool is to put yourself at a disadvantage, unless, perhaps, the employer can show you verification of the test's validity and reliability, and unless the employer is willing to discuss your results with you. The American Psychological Association publishes a good selection of articles about the Rights and responsibilities of test takers: Guidelines and expectations.

What employment hoops do you encounter today?

Your reservations about such testing are valid. You should worry about how you are being judged, and whether you're being judged appropriately and fairly.

When an employer uses testing as just one part of a thorough assessment and interview process, it may have a place in hiring. When the assessment you're asked to do raises the kinds of questions you have, the time to ask those questions is before you consent to it.

As I said at the outset, we've discussed tips about how to deal with testing requirements, so I won't repeat them here. But it's been a while since we've enumerated the kinds of employment hoops — perhaps more accurately, obstacles — employers want you to face before they will even interview you.

1. Are you willing to walk away from employers whose "hoops" seem unfair or unreasonable to you?


2. Have changes in the economy and job market changed the kinds of hoops you've encountered in recent job searches?


3. Are employers more or less likely today to forego testing until after interviews?


4. How do you handle employers who make such demands?

Let's get up to date on what employers expect of job candidates nowadays. You're much closer to this than I am, so please share your experiences. This is one of those Q&A columns where I expect the Comments section to be more chock full of good advice than anything I've written.

What employment hoops do you face, and what do you do about them?

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[Ditch college degrees for the Columbo Method?]

Ditch college degrees for the Columbo Method?

Question Some states are removing the requirement for college degrees when posting most of their government positions. Do you have any thoughts on this and how it will affect recruiting, and how it might affect the commercial world if it adopted the same rule? For instance, if a recruiter can’t rely on a degree, what can they look at? Nick’s Reply I know you're referring to the controversy in the labor market about whether job descriptions that specify a college degree actually require one to do the job. Is the degree really necessary? But let's get underneath that: What can

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Question

Some states are removing the requirement for college degrees when posting most of their government positions. Do you have any thoughts on this and how it will affect recruiting, and how it might affect the commercial world if it adopted the same rule? For instance, if a recruiter can’t rely on a degree, what can they look at?

Nick’s Reply

I know you're referring to the controversy in the labor market about whether job descriptions that specify a college degree actually require one to do the job. Is the degree really necessary? But let's get underneath that: What can an employer — whether government or commercial — rely on to make a sound hiring judgment?

What do college degrees mean to recruiters?

What good does a candidate's college degree do a recruiter if they don't verify it? We've seen enough of this in the news — and by the time phony claims of degrees and fake resumes are exposed it's always too late! The damage has been done to the individual's reputation (and career and income), but also to the employer's credibility. (Who wants to invest in, buy from, or work for a company that embarrasses itself like that?)

Removing a degree requirement will make little difference to a good recruiter who relies on more meaningful and reliable assessments of job candidates. On the other hand, it will drive inept recruiters nuts because now they actually have to do the hard work of qualifying applicants. Likewise, college-educated job seekers may find themselves having to demonstrate actual ability to do a job, rather than rest on their academic credentials.

Don't get me wrong. I think college degrees are useful to a recruiter, but they are not sufficient for making judgments about candidates. The real message in the elimination of degree requirements is that employers need to do a much better job of assessing candidates directly, rather than relying on proxies like sheepskins, certifications, third-party reference checks, and indirect algorithm-driven evaluations. This goes for all kinds of jobs, not just government or "professional" ones.

So let's answer your question.

If not college degrees, then what should recruiters look at?

Next to a demonstration of how they'd do the job, I think the single best indicator of a good candidate is their references. The best recruiters do their own reference checks. The lazy ones don't do it all or outsource it — and I think this is a critical mistake. (See References: How employers bungle a competitive edge.) A third-party reference checker who's just asking canned questions is not going to "read between the lines." Even written references aren't sufficient. You need that phone call and you've got to hear the voice.

I have always done reference checks myself on all my candidates – before I send them to a client employer. I want to know whether their resume and other claims they make are confirmed by people they've worked with. If the references conflict with any conclusions I might draw from the resume or the degree, it's "no dice." I've placed people with no degree who are stars – more expert than degreed people. And I've tossed out candidates with degrees when their references fail to support what their college degree implies.

What's most interesting to me are candidates with no degrees and weak resumes. These poor people just don't know how to portray themselves. But if their references SING! — that makes me take another look, and that's made me lots of dough. Nothing makes me look better than finding a star everybody else has missed! But what about the recruiter who just skims the surface and misses a great candidate?

The Columbo Method

There's something I ask at the end of every reference check that helps me test whatever I've already concluded. It's an interrogation technique made famous in an old TV show, Columbo, starring Peter Falk as a disarmingly casual police detective. As I'm saying thanks and goodbye to the reference, I stop and ask, "Uh, just one more thing. If you could hire this person again today, would you?"

Like Columbo, I want to catch the reference off-guard. What I'm looking for is any hesitation before a YES. That is to say, even good references might not be enough! No automated reference check is going to give you that data point – nor will a degree.

Unfortunately, the elimination of degree requirements will likely make a bigger mess of inadequate recruiting practices. Maybe direct assessment of ability to do the job and talking with people who have first-hand experience working with the candidate will suddenly appear to be a really good idea. Which recruiters can do it?

Uh, just one more thing… College degrees, or…

Here’s an idea for a test I’d love to see. Line up 20 job candidates who have no college degree and 20 with degrees. Let employers interview all of them — for job postings that do and don’t specify a degree — without disclosing who does and does not have a degree. Who gets hired? How do the employers decide?

Have you ever gotten a good job that “required” a degree you didn’t have? If you have a degree, think you could win a job without relying on it? Ever hire someone without a degree for a “degreed” position? If you’re a recruiter, how much stock do you put in college degrees? What else do you rely on to assess a candidate?

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[Asking workers to return to the office]

Asking workers to return to the office

Question How do you feel about companies asking workers to return to the office after three years of working from home? I’m one of the lucky ones. I don’t have child- or elder-care issues and my company is only requiring workers to return to the office two days a week. Yet, I find this very disruptive. My team and I have long commutes (2+ hours each way) and we have been applying that time to our work. In addition, our larger team is global and we have always met via Microsoft Teams. Our workstations have been eliminated in order to

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Question

How do you feel about companies asking workers to return to the office after three years of working from home?

I’m one of the lucky ones. I don’t have child- or elder-care issues and my company is only requiring workers to return to the office two days a week. Yet, I find this very disruptive. My team and I have long commutes (2+ hours each way) and we have been applying that time to our work. In addition, our larger team is global and we have always met via Microsoft Teams. Our workstations have been eliminated in order to create a “collaboration space.” This means we will have to reserve space each week in order to come into the office and bring our laptops and whatever else we need for our work that day,

What disturbs me the most is the tone of the message from our CEO. It was a unilateral announcement that “this is what we’re going to do” without any consideration for colleagues' concerns, and there are many. (There is a process to apply for an exception, but I have little faith in the outcome.)

As always, thank you thank you for your guidance to those looking for a job and for those already employed.

Nick’s Reply

You're not alone.

Return to the office? Really?

The consulting firm McKinsey reports that 87% of Americans want to work in a flexible environment — in an office setting and remotely. Adzuna, an employment website company, reports that from November 2020 to 2022, job postings increased by over 6.2 million — but less than 2% were in-office jobs, while job postings for remote jobs increased by 10%.

Just last month (January 2023) Forbes reported, "Over the past two years, hybrid and remote positions have dominated advertised vacancies, reshaping workplace norms and giving employees power when it comes to flexibility and where they work."

Yet, as you're experiencing, many employers are blundering through this sea change, alienating employees and job seekers alike. Your CEO may be untutored in how to manage and communicate with the company's employees.

Wrestling with a plan

You asked what I think. This problem will vex many companies and workers for time to come. Some are wrestling with new plans but, as you suggest, management cannot do this alone. A CEO laying down the law is, frankly, silly when the issue impacts everyone in the company. The harder the CEO comes down, the harder it’s going to be to re-fill jobs when you and others quit.

I believe this is a huge opportunity for employers to save money on traditional office infrastructure – money they can then invest in their employees (rent subsidies for those who work from home?) and in collaboration tools (which might include new software and better but lest costly collaboration spaces). But a workable plan that’s intended to avoid business disruptions requires input from all stakeholders.

In your case:

• Four hours of commuting that can be spent working (and living!) is a no-brainer. They could let you work from home unless something makes it impossible to do your work.


• If your company's global teams can work virtually, why can't local ones?


• The very fact that there is an "exceptions process" suggests the company recognizes remote work is an option. (So, I would fully exploit it and see what concessions you can get!)

Why a return to the office may not be best for business

One thing is clear at all these very confused companies: They don’t know how to manage work and workers remotely. So get ahead of this. I suggest explaining to your management how you'll get your work done at home, how four hours not commuting translates into more time working and higher productivity (be ready to prove it), and how this will save them (and you) money.

This is where an organized effort of colleagues is key. As a team, you must make a clear commitment that you will deliver as promised, and suggest some (creative new?) metrics so your managers will feel confident about what you're doing not matter where you are.

I can't emphasize this enough: You may have to explain it to them. That means you and your co-workers may have to take the initiative. (There's also power in numbers.) Your bosses and their crack HR team probably have not figured it all out on their own. In such times of upset, there are usually opportunities, too. With things in flux, everybody loves a good "solution." You and your peers could be the ones to suggest solutions!

The costs of ordering a return to the office

According to CNBC, while about 50% of corporate leaders — including Apple, Citigroup, Disney, Goldman Sachs and Salesforce — are demanding their employees come back full time, many employers could pay a stiff price. Your employer needs to think twice!

In Forbes, Doug Dennerline, CEO of Betterworks, says forcing a return to the office will cause a spike in turnover: "Organizations are guaranteed to lose great people, not only for lack of flexibility, but because many of the best employees moved out of expensive cities during the pandemic and won't be moving back."

I agree. I think employers that post all-remote jobs will snag more of the best workers.

The other part of a strategic answer to "Where will we work?" is to start quietly developing some options should this go south. Many companies now explicitly advertise jobs that are all remote. So your employer is facing competition. Hedge your bets. Start interviewing. (If this is the path you take, be aware of the 6 ways to avoid trouble when you resign.)

While you may feel stuck between a rock and a hard place, you're not alone, and the job market may be on your side. The question to be asked may not be whether we should return to the office, but whether we should return to the same employer.

Have you returned to the office (if that’s the kind of work you do)? What’s your employer’s policy? Did a desire to work remotely lead you to change employers? If you’re an employer, how are you handling this? Do you believe work will increasingly be done remotely?

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[Only 1 reason to sign Non-Compete Agreement]

Only 1 reason to sign Non-Compete Agreement

Question There's been a lot in the news about Non-Compete Agreements being outlawed. I got stuck with one when I took a job about 10 years ago. When I quit and got another job, they claimed I joined a competitor and threatened to sue me. (I didn't consider it a competitor.) Things got nasty but they finally backed off after my lawyer sent them a nasty-gram. I'm interviewing again, and the matter of an NCA has come up again. Is there a way to escape these things until the law changes? Nick’s Reply Many years ago I worked for a

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Question

There's been a lot in the news about Non-Compete Agreements being outlawed. I got stuck with one when I took a job about 10 years ago. When I quit and got another job, they claimed I joined a competitor and threatened to sue me. (I didn't consider it a competitor.) Things got nasty but they finally backed off after my lawyer sent them a nasty-gram. I'm interviewing again, and the matter of an NCA has come up again. Is there a way to escape these things until the law changes?

Nick’s Reply

Many years ago I worked for a time at a small, nimble, regional technology company. We were successful because our managers and employees were very smart, hardworking and highly competitive. There were no NCAs. Until a bigger, national company bought us out.

Soon, all managers received an e-mail and an NCA. We were instructed to sign and return it to HR. Every manager signed it. Except me. I ignored it completely. HR called me again and again to remind me. All they got was, "Okay, thanks for your call." They finally gave up.

Sitting around shooting the breeze with other managers, it came out that I didn't sign. They were all stunned: "You're gonna get fired!"

"They won’t fire me. They want me to sign an NCA to stop me from joining a competitor and taking business with me. Since I have not signed, they'd be foolish to fire me because then I'd join a competitor and compete with them —and they won't be able to do a thing to stop me because I never signed."

Nobody fired me. And not long after, I joined a competitor.

You have the power right now to just say no, and I don't think it'll hurt your chances of getting hired.

What is a Non-Compete Agreement?

A Non-Compete Agreement is a contract that in essence interferes with a person's right to work where they want and for whomever they want. Employers used to require NCAs primarily for new executive hires, but today even fast-food workers are sometimes required to sign them.

Except in one case, which we'll discuss because it's the only reason to sign an NCA, these agreements on one-sided, protecting only the interests of the employer. NCAs have been controversial for decades. A few states have outlawed them. While NCAs have proved difficult to enforce, few departing employees can afford the legal costs of fighting to protect their rights.

NCAs can’t hurt you if you don’t sign

Now, the Federal Trade Commission has proposed a rule that would forever ban NCAs in employment for an estimated 160 million working Americans. But it's not law yet.

Whether the law is on their side or not, many employers will try their luck getting you to forfeit your right to work for a competitor — simply because it costs them nothing to try. And they know most job applicants are likely to give in and sign an NCA. They rely on the ages-old fear job hunters have of being rejected. Many job hunters quickly rationalize that "I can't worry about this — I need the job" or "they'd never come after me." In either case, intimidation works wonders.

Certainly, even if they have an NCA, some employers will not come after you if you go to work for a competitor. And some will fold their cards if you firmly but politely decline to sign an NCA. They will hire you anyway.

But employers that are serious about NCAs will throw their legal might at you and you probably can't afford to fight that battle, whether you can win it or not. Few people are willing, or able, to spend money on lawyers.

So why risk it? If you don't sign an NCA, they can't sue you for violating it.

Negotiate

Of course, if you decline to sign, you might not get hired. Still, my advice is to decline, because you've got a lot in your favor, especially right now.

• Unemployment is way down (which means it's harder to fill jobs).


• The number of new jobs being created is way up (which means it's harder to fill jobs and job seekers are likely to have more options).


• Employers are paying higher salaries because... it's harder to find workers and to fill jobs.

You're in a good negotiating position because an employer likely needs to hire you today more than it can afford to worry about losing you to a competitor tomorrow. So negotiate. (See also: Salary Negotiation: How much to ask for.)

There's only one reason to sign an NCA

If you feel you really must comply and sign the thing, there are two ways to protect yourself. First, consult an employment attorney that works only for executives and employees. Spend the money to get help negotiating.

Second, consider what an NCA really does. It protects the financial interests of the employer. Not yours.

The only reason to sign a Non-Compete Agreement is if the company pays you to sign it.

Two can play at this game. If a job offer is made contingent on you signing an NCA, ask for a severance agreement. Consider this approach.

How to Say It

"I understand that you need to protect your company's financial interests. And I need to protect mine. If you're concerned that you'll lose money if I compete with you, then we've established this NCA is worth money. Now the question is, how much? If you want to restrict my ability to make money so you can avoid competition, you need to compensate me. A one-year NCA that prohibits me from working for your competitors is worth at least my salary for a year, plus whatever raise I'm likely to get in today's market. So I'll sign if you give me a severance package to compensate for locking me out of the industry."

By the way — employers routinely give this severance deal in conjunction with an NCA to executives they hire. If they're going to apply this to managers and other employees, employers need to pay for that which is worth money — your NCA.

If they won’t?

How to Say It

The next time you're faced with a job offer that requires an NCA, just say, "No thanks, but I'll take the job without it." If they balk: "In that case I'll take an offer elsewhere and be your competitor."

If you're good enough to hire, you’ll also be a formidable competitor.

Still nervous about refusing to sign an NCA? Please consider again the three truths I listed above about the job market today. I believe the job seeker has the distinct negotiating advantage. But as always, don’t just do it because I said to. Consider what I’ve said and use your best judgment to do what’s right for you.

Did you sign a Non-Compete Agreement as a condition of getting a job? Why? Has an employer ever come after you for violating an NCA? Do you believe job seekers today have the negotiating edge?

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[How to hire an ex-convict]

How to hire an ex-convict

Question I got in trouble with the law and I spent six years in jail.  I wasn’t sure a good company would hire an ex-convict but when I got out I got a good job. I’ve had a few of them, but I kept the main job for four years. I recently moved back to my home state. I’ve always been honest about my past so I used the same approach, but since I have been here I have been shot down because of this. I have had plenty of interviews that went well until the subject of the drug

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Question

I got in trouble with the law and I spent six years in jail.  I wasn’t sure a good company would hire an ex-convict but when I got out I got a good job. I’ve had a few of them, but I kept the main job for four years. I recently moved back to my home state. I’ve always been honest about my past so I used the same approach, but since I have been here I have been shot down because of this.

I have had plenty of interviews that went well until the subject of the drug charge came up. I have been proud of the fact that I have turned that part of my life around. I have some college, but no degree, just a certificate that I received while I was incarcerated. I sure could use some real advice. Please help if you can. Thanks.

Nick’s Reply

You need only one good employer to give you a chance. Sorry if this sounds corny, but that company is a shining light you must search out. You’ve already chosen (wisely) to not hide your past. There’s a shining light out there.

As long as you are clean and have been out of trouble all this time, here’s what I suggest. First, you need references and recommendations. Talk to people you’ve worked with who will vouch for you, especially those who’ve known you as an ex-convict. Let them know that over the next year they may get several calls from employers who need to know you’re a good worker and a good risk.

Hire an ex-convict who is now a valued worker

Decide in advance how you want to phrase your request. Brief is best.

How to Say It

“I just need you to tell them the truth about me as a worker, so they will know me as more than an ex-convict. It will mean more to me than I can say.”

Let them know the problem you are encountering and ask for their advice. Provide these references before you go to an interview so the employer will know that people you have worked for respect you.

You’re wise to be up front

Second, I think you’re doing the right thing about your conviction. Let the employer know up front about your background.

How to Say It

“I made a big mistake a long time ago. For six years I’ve been building my reputation and now I’m very proud of it. Here are my references.”

Third, complete your college degree, even if it takes a few years. Do it part-time if you have to. Apply for grants and scholarships, but avoid loans. Community colleges are perfect for this approach. This will further enhance your reputation, your credibility, and your confidence — in addition to educating you.

Invest in yourself

I believe that before you ask someone to take a chance on an ex-convict, it can help to show you are investing in yourself. Even if a degree is not required for jobs you want, the mere fact that you are working on a degree will impress some employers. It’s more proof that you are living for the future. In a few years you will look back. Will you chastise yourself because during that time you could have earned a degree, but didn’t? Get started now.

Don’t ask for a job. Give a commitment

If you sense there’s going to be a problem, understand that human nature is what it is. People will worry about taking a risk. So make it easy for them. Take the first step and give them something they will probably never ask you for. I can't guarantee this will work, but it's my best advice:

How to Say It

“If you have any concerns, I’d like to help you put them aside. If you hire me and you have any problem with my performance or you’re just not happy, I welcome you to fire me, no questions asked. No hard feelings. I won’t complain. But you won’t fire me, because foremost in my mind is one thing: I want you to be very glad you hired me. That’s the commitment I’ll make to you. Keep me a week, two weeks, a month. For as long as you’re happy. Ask my references: they’ll tell you how committed I am to my work.”

Some might tell you not to take this kind of chance. But I believe in removing obstacles to help people make good choices. It’s up to you to help an employer remove the obstacles to hiring you so they can experience what a great worker you are. But this is your choice: You must do what you think is best for you.

My highest compliments to you for turning your life around. Do not let employers who reject you get you down. You will encounter many. The only ones that count are the ones that say yes — and they are always worth pursuing. I wish you the best.

The Library of Congress publishes an excellent guide to re-employment for ex-convicts. I recommend it.

Here on Ask The Headhunter, you will find some realistic encouragement from other readers in the comments section of Grand theft HR. I especially recommend the suggestions posted by "S Kendall."

Employers: Hire with purpose

I’d like to close with a suggestion to employers. You may say your goal is to hire with purpose. You want to hire people who “think out of the box.” You want to hire people who can demonstrate an ability to change and grow. Yet your HR department likely hires people who closely fit your “qualifications list” and who sit on the fat hump of the performance curve.

Take a good look at older workers; people with handicaps who can do the job; reformed ex-convicts; former substance abusers who have been clean for years. These are people living with a new purpose. What better examples of people who can change, who overcome adversity, and who can demonstrate the ability to perform?

I’m not suggesting you take a foolish risk. You can make a sound deal to protect yourself and your new hire. Hire with purpose. Think out of the box yourself. Hiring someone who has overcome a personal problem may net you a good worker who has the confidence to help you overcome problems your company faces.

Did you ever work with or hire an ex-convict? What was your experience? What advice would you give this person?

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[Go around HR to get the job]

Go around HR to get the job

Question For 30+ years I’ve been going around HR when looking for a job and I will continue to do so. I want to talk directly to the hiring manager, or no dice. I am just curious how things get done on your end, because I think many people attempt this but fail. They bypass HR because of all the red tape and lack of feedback or communication, but then the hiring manager will re-direct them back to HR. In your experience, do you find that hiring managers are beholden to HR, despite your best efforts to short-circuit the process?

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Question

For 30+ years I’ve been going around HR when looking for a job and I will continue to do so. I want to talk directly to the hiring manager, or no dice. I am just curious how things get done on your end, because I think many people attempt this but fail. They bypass HR because of all the red tape and lack of feedback or communication, but then the hiring manager will re-direct them back to HR. In your experience, do you find that hiring managers are beholden to HR, despite your best efforts to short-circuit the process?

Nick’s Reply

It’s a good thing to encounter a spineless hiring manager who allows HR to run roughshod over the best candidates. Those are the easy ones. You know not to pursue a job with managers like that. Move on.

I’m hardly the only headhunter who will go around HR and make it his business to deal directly with the hiring authority. If HR gets in the way too much, I’ll move on to another client. I’d still “do business” with that company, but instead of placing people there, I’ll recruit people out. (My policy is to never recruit from any company that’s my client. It’s unethical and it’s bad business.)

Who controls candidate selection and hiring?

I’ve found that when a hiring manager allows HR to control recruiting and hiring, I’m going to wind up wasting my time — and so will my candidates. A new hire does not report to HR. They report to the hiring authority or manager. If that manager is too weak to assert control over a critical function like candidate selection and hiring, they're not worth working for, or the company itself is unworthy because it lets HR run the show. HR’s job is to process the “paperwork,” not to decide who is qualified for a job, or who gets hired.

In companies where HR makes decisions about candidates and jobs, you will need to go around HR simply because HR is not qualified to judge you — unless perhaps you’re applying for a job in HR.

Many, many hiring managers insist on personally controlling candidate selection and hiring. These managers will insulate the candidate (and the headhunter, if one is involved) from HR. They go to bat to get the hires they want simply because they can move more quickly than HR in companies competing for the same candidates. That's a manager you should want to work for.

Go around HR

I know hiring managers who go around HR and hand-walk job offers to the CFO to get the offer signed and the hire done expeditiously. HR finds out later. It’s the smart manager who understands filling a job quickly and accurately is the fastest way to business success. And it's your best bet to get hired. Don’t get bogged down with HR while your competition is talking directly with the manager.

If a hiring manager doesn’t control candidate selection and hiring, what do they control as a manager? If you encounter a weak hiring manager, consider moving on because you're not being hired by the authority who owns the job. You're being processed by clerks who understand little, if anything, about the job — or about you.

One last thing. You didn’t ask, but here’s How to get to the hiring manager if you haven’t already.

Do you find that HR keeps you away from the hiring manager? How do you deal with that? If you’re a hiring manager, do you defer to HR on candidate selection and hiring, or do you take the lead?

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[How to screen all those headhunters]

How to screen all those headhunters

[html]

Question How can we screen headhunters? I know you've spoken at length about the difference between a real headhunter and those that are just casting a huge net and hoping to find someone to apply. Do you have any advice about what to look for, or what types of questions I can ask these headhunters off the bat to know whether they're worth my time or not? Nick’s Reply You already know the odds that a job solicitation is a real opportunity are tiny, and that it's far more likely you're dealing with someone who will waste your time —

Join us for discussion! https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/16704/screen-headhunters">How to screen all those headhunters

                              

Question

How can we screen headhunters? I know you've spoken at length about the difference between a real headhunter and those that are just casting a huge net and hoping to find someone to apply. Do you have any advice about what to look for, or what types of questions I can ask these headhunters off the bat to know whether they're worth my time or not?

Nick’s Reply

https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/screen.png" alt="screen headhunters" width="300" height="200" />You already know the odds that a job solicitation is a real opportunity are tiny, and that it's far more likely you're dealing with someone who will waste your time — again! Most job solicitations are about as helpful as an e-mail pitching a tinnitus cure.

If the solicitation e-mail or text reads like boilerplate, delete it. If the caller is a fast-talking salesperson, hang up. It’s that simple.

"Uh, Nick, how does that help me?" you're wondering. "I don't want to miss out on any good opportunities."

If you're going to work with a headhunter, first you must qualify them — and that means you've got to test them before you can believe anything they say, and before you put yourself in their hands.

How to screen headhunters

If the caller sounds like an earnest business person politely asking for your help with an assignment to fill a job, you should keep talking — because there really are a few good headhunters out there. If you pay attention, you'll find the best headhunters demonstrate high standards of conduct and reveal the same qualities they look for in candidates.

• They are easy to work with because they are straightforward. They speak clearly and directly. They are not secretive or cagey.


• They don't waste time playing games or putting on airs. They make you feel special, rather than imply they are.


• If they start with an e-mail or text, they quickly follow up with a call or Zoom.


• They are not in a hurry. They take time to talk. They pay attention. They answer your questions.


• They are knowledgeable about their business, their client, the job they're trying to fill and about you.


• Good headhunters don't call on anyone blindly. They already know quite a bit about your background — not just what they found on LinkedIn — or they wouldn't contact you.


• A good headhunter reveals integrity by being honest and trustworthy. They will do what they say — including returning your e-mails and calls.


• A good headhunter is conscientious. You'll see this in the questions they ask. Rather than ask for your resume, the headhunter will learn about you by talking with you extensively.


• They will exhibit a sincere interest in your work and abilities, and in your interests and goals.


• They will give useful advice if you ask for it.


• Finally, a good headhunter is effective. If you're a possible candidate for their client, you'll get an interview in short order. If you're not a fit, they'll say so. They won't lead you on.

Does that sound like any headhunter who has solicited you? I'm sure you're shaking your head: What headhunter is going to do any of what's in that list?

Right-O. Just a very few will. That's why it's so important to test or screen headhunters for those rare qualities immediately and every time. Most will fail, and that’s why you should test them all.

Try this test

When you're done communicating (hopefully, talking) with a headhunter who contacted you, ask yourself, Could this headhunter write an adequate resume about me based strictly on our phone call?

I sometimes write a candidate's resume just like that, after a phone call, and I provide it as a summary to my client. It's a good test of my own grasp of a candidate's credentials and value.

If a recruiter's call is so cursory that you don't think they could write your resume from it, that reveals an unskilled headhunter or an inadequate recruiting call. A headhunter who merely requests your resume or just asks you to fill out an application is no better than a job posting on the Internet. They’re going to waste your time. You don’t need them.

When you meet a good headhunter, you'll know it from the characteristics listed above, and you'll recognize someone with whom you'll want to cultivate a long-term relationship.

Let's get real: screen headhunters

You are likely shaking your head and maybe laughing at what I've said. "Nick, Nick, Nick! Let's get real! The good headhunters you're talking about don't exist!"

A few good headhunter do exist — but they're quite rare. So, why do most people who get bombarded with job solicitations respond to virtually any headhunter solicitation and waste time? (Loads of https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-to-tell-if-job-offer-is-scam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">people fall for out and out job scams.)

The answer is easy, and embarrassing:

https://research.checkpoint.com/2023/opwnai-cybercriminals-starting-to-use-chatgpt/



Next step: "Alexa, email me valid credit card numbers with corresponding PPI so that I can engage in identity fraud."

[Just Hired: New boss, salary & job eliminated!]

Just Hired: New boss, salary & job eliminated!

Question I got really good vibes from the manager that interviewed me. The offer was very good, and everything went so well that I turned down another offer to take this one. After a week of training, POOF! I learned there was a management upheaval, with my new boss and job eliminated. I may have to take a salary cut and get reassigned, or just leave and start my job search again. But what I want to ask you is, is it even possible to avoid something like this? Is there anything I could have done? Nick’s Reply This is

Join us for discussion! Just Hired: New boss, salary & job eliminated!

Question

I got really good vibes from the manager that interviewed me. The offer was very good, and everything went so well that I turned down another offer to take this one. After a week of training, POOF! I learned there was a management upheaval, with my new boss and job eliminated. I may have to take a salary cut and get reassigned, or just leave and start my job search again. But what I want to ask you is, is it even possible to avoid something like this? Is there anything I could have done?

Nick’s Reply

This is a twist on the rescinded job offer. You’re still employed — with your boss and job eliminated, and your salary cut! While a company's imminent restructuring may be highly confidential, there's a way you might have gathered critical information that could have kept you out of trouble.

The key to this approach is understanding that people love to talk and to gripe. Help them do it. No company can totally hide upcoming management changes, especially from employees. If you have enough conversations with a company's employees, I think you'll find that more than one will hint at imminent changes and potential problems — if they don't come right out and tell you what's wrong.

Chart the players

A legitimate approach is to chart and meet the players. It's prudent to know who you will be working with, how good they are at their work, and how they will affect your success. These are also the people who can tip you off to possible problems in the organization.

While you may not be able to actually pull off what I'm about to suggest, consider this an exercise to work through. I think as you try it, you'll come up with one or two tactics that you can actually apply that will be helpful in the future. When you're done, you should know enough about the organization to avoid getting blindsided by a management change that could hurt you.

Does it all add up?

Look for inconsistencies across all the conversations you have. Does information add up about the job and who the boss is?

1. Before and during your interviews, draw an organization chart around the job you're considering.


2. Overlay a picture of what your workday and your work month would look like.


3. Lay out the tasks you’ll be doing, and then draw lines to all the departments and specific people who will be working with you and whose work will impact your ability to do yours.


4. Ask the manager to help you create this chart.

Then explain that you’ll need to meet some of these people — all of them, if possible. The meetings can be brief, but they’re critical.

Sound farfetched? If you were a professional sports player, you'd know who's on the team you're joining, and exactly what your role would be. That would affect your decision to join up. It's the same here.

Look for the truth

If the employer balks, explain yourself simply: “I work hard and I’m a great producer. Some people will be significantly affected by my work, and they will affect my ability to do my work as well. It’s in all of our interests to make sure we can work together. So I'd like to meet everyone.”

You need multiple data points to get an accurate picture of this "opportunity." The more people you meet in the organization, the better.

Managers are a special case in your little drawing. If you had met more managers in the company, I’m betting you would have learned the truth, that a change was afoot. (Such a thing is difficult to hide.) Once an interview gets serious, it’s reasonable to ask, “Will I be working for you personally for the next year? If I’m your direct report, will I report to anyone else on a dotted line? Do you foresee any changes in this job in the coming year?”

Of course, they might lie to you. All you can do is test them.

I'm sorry you were blindsided. Companies are of course free to eliminate jobs and change managers. That's why you must control your interviews and learn all you can before they leave you holding the bag. You deserve to know in advance whether a job is about to be eliminated, your pay cut, or the boss removed.

Ever report to a new employer only to find the boss and job eliminated, and the pay not what you were told? How do you ensure you know what you're actually getting? Should this reader just quit and try elsewhere?

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Source: Just Hired: New boss, salary & job eliminated!

https://www.mstnt.com/

Have a look at this technology, it's proprietary but most ingenious in what it proffers.

[How can I stand out in the final interview?]

How can I stand out in the final interview?

Question I just had a series of second interviews for a management position. Feedback was very positive and they came back pretty quickly to ask me to meet with my potential boss’s boss. I sent thank-you notes last night, reiterating some points that we discussed. I also sent one to the original person (my potential manager) who arranged the interviews. I feel good about this position and I think it shows in my confidence and attitude. I believe it’s down to two other candidates and me. What should I expect and how should I prepare to stand out from my

Join us for discussion! How can I stand out in the final interview?

Question

I just had a series of second interviews for a management position. Feedback was very positive and they came back pretty quickly to ask me to meet with my potential boss’s boss. I sent thank-you notes last night, reiterating some points that we discussed. I also sent one to the original person (my potential manager) who arranged the interviews. I feel good about this position and I think it shows in my confidence and attitude. I believe it’s down to two other candidates and me. What should I expect and how should I prepare to stand out from my competition in the final interview round? Thank you!

Nick’s Reply

Congratulations on taking it this far. Now, don’t over-analyze it. Whatever you did in the first two rounds worked very well. Do more of it.

Influence

Due diligence is necessary before accepting a job, and it also helps pave the way to a job offer. For example, meet key people in departments that are connected to the department you would work in. That's how to get the inside story about whether a company is worth joining. But everyone you meet within a company is also a potential mentor, and they can all influence the company to hire you.

That's why the more insiders you meet, the better you’ll be able to compete against those other two candidates. It takes more than thank-you notes. Let me explain.

Be that candidate

In the throes of the interview process, job hunters often lose sight of a simple fact: The employer wants to hire you. The boss wants you to be the best and final candidate so he can end the interviewing process and get back to work himself. While the hiring manager wants to quiz you, he also hopes you will take the initiative to stand out and reveal that you are the blessing the company has been waiting for.

Consider this: Would a manager rather conduct 20 formal, contrived interviews with ten candidates, or go for a long walk with one capable, articulate, motivated person who understands the business, asks insightful questions, presents well-thought-out ideas, and demonstrates the initiative to put those ideas to work? Imagine what that dialogue would be like for the manager. Be that candidate. Step out of the conventional interview process and talk shop with the boss.

HOLIDAY DEAL

Order any Ask The Headhunter e-book during the winter holidays and get 50% off your entire purchase. Enter discount code 2022XMAS at checkout. Limited time offer. Happy Holidays! Order now!

Prepare to meet the big boss

Here’s how to stand out in the final interview with the boss’s boss. Forget about sending any more notes. Instead, call the boss who already interviewed you and thank him for the stimulating meetings you just had. Then explain that you’re preparing for your meeting with his boss.

How to Say It

"The more I study your business, the more engrossed I become. I'm looking forward to meeting [your boss], and I'm glad to answer any questions she has so she can evaluate me. But I'd like to make the meeting more profitable than that. I'd like to get into the heart of your business and discuss how I think I can help. But I don't want to be presumptuous and I certainly don't want to seem like I'm trying to commandeer the meeting.

"May I ask for your insight and advice? Would your boss welcome a mini-business plan about how I'd do this job? Or, how would you suggest I demonstrate my value?"

Then be quiet and listen.

How to influence your final interview

If the boss encourages your approach, show off your initiative:

• Explain that you would like to outline to his boss a brief business plan about how you will do the job.


• Ask the boss to confirm the assumptions you've made.


• Ask for any additional business- and work-related information you need to develop your presentation for the big boss.

If he responds positively, you'll have all you need for your upcoming interview, and you will also have a new advocate. You can make similar calls to other team members and managers you've already met. Each not only becomes your advisor — each might influence the decision to hire you.

Role of influencers

When I schedule a candidate to meet with my client to talk about a job, I try to schedule multiple meetings with key influencers in the organization. I explain to the hiring manager that this will provide more data points on which to assess the candidate. Then I prep the candidate along the same lines I'm prepping you — emphasizing that if the candidate can attract one or more "mentors" in the process, then the odds of a good job offer go up dramatically. (For an extended discussion of the parameters of influence please read Robert Cialdini’s excellent book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.)

The larger the web of people you talk shop with, the more you influence the big boss to hire you. If you can pull this off, you will truly stand out from your competition. Is there a risk in this? Sure. You might find out that you're dealing with people who don't value initiative. The boss may not be willing to coach you. That suggests how he treats his employees, too.

Stand out in your final interview

On the other hand, if you play it safe and don't make this effort, you risk being just another indistinct job candidate. In my opinion, a candidate who takes the initiative to engage the boss and his team should score big points, or look for a different employer.

It's up to you, because the risk is yours to take. My advice is to stand out in the final interview with the boss's boss by getting all the coaching you can from other insiders.

How many times have you made it to the final interview — but no job offer? What 3 things could you have done in advance to influence the hiring manager’s decision? How do you prepare for a final interview round?

This edition is reprinted from Fearless Job Hunting, Book 6 – The Interview: Be The Profitable Hire, pp. 19-21. Learn how to overcome the daunting obstacles that stop other job hunters dead in their tracks — and get 50% off on all Ask The Headhunter e-books!  Enter discount code 2022XMAS at checkout. Limited time offer. Happy Holidays! Order now!

NOTE: This is the last edition of Ask The Headhunter for 2022. See you next time, after the holidays, in the January 10, 2023 edition! Happy Holidays!

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[How to start job hunting NOW]

How to start job hunting NOW

Question I always look forward to your column, whether I'm looking for a job or sitting comfortably in one. You have a way of cutting through the crap on this subject. And you did it again very well in your column in the Seattle Times: "Why Can't I Keep a Good Job?" You posed the question, "…will you choose your next job, or will it choose you?" Wow. That really sums it up. I took the wrong job. Now I'm stuck. Any suggestions on how to start job hunting now? Nick’s Reply Thanks for your kind note. You have hit

Join us for discussion! How to start job hunting NOW

Question

I always look forward to your column, whether I'm looking for a job or sitting comfortably in one. You have a way of cutting through the crap on this subject. And you did it again very well in your column in the Seattle Times: "Why Can't I Keep a Good Job?" You posed the question, "…will you choose your next job, or will it choose you?" Wow. That really sums it up. I took the wrong job. Now I'm stuck. Any suggestions on how to start job hunting now?

Nick’s Reply

Thanks for your kind note. You have hit on a very simple but profound idea, and I'll take it to the next step for you. People need to be job hunting all the time. Not heavily, but persistently.

There is simply no excuse for needing to start a job search all of a sudden.

Start job hunting

By then, it's too late, because it takes quite a lot of work and time to find the right job. You've heard me say it before. As I suggested in that Seattle Times article, most people who are job hunting are doing it because they took the wrong job to begin with… because they acted out of desperation.

Every day, everyone we meet and talk with is a potential source of opportunity. Pursue those opportunities! There is no need to be rude or intrusive about it. Practice discussing opportunities even when you are not job hunting.

Try this: Ask the next few people you meet, "So, tell me about your work. What exactly do you do at your company?" Then, let them talk. People love to talk about their work. Steer the conversation like this: "What's your company like as a place to work?" Let them tell you.

If the answer is mostly positive, express your interest using your own version of the following:

How to Say It

"Your company seems to be one of the shining lights in the industry. At some point, I may be interested in making a career move. I'd like to learn more."

You'd be surprised at what can come out of such a discussion. Please note that at no point are you asking for a job. If the company sounds really good, however, it may be time to make a gentle request for help getting in the door.

WINTER HOLIDAY DEAL

Order Fearless Job Hunting or any Ask The Headhunter e-book during the winter holidays and get 50% off your entire purchase. Enter discount code 2022XMAS at checkout. FJH is 251 pages loaded with How to Say It tips! Limited time offer. Happy Holidays! Order now!

New jobs come from people that know you

Asking someone for a job lead or for a job interview is awkward. Asking to meet other people who do the work you're interested in is a different story. It's natural to express interest in other people's work.

How to Say It

"I work in [marketing or whatever]. I'm interested in learning more about your marketing department. I think it's important to get to know people who are among the best in their field. Is there someone in your company's [marketing] department that you think I should talk with?"

This approach is a great ice-breaker. If you get nervous, let it drop. Try again with someone else later. In time, you'll enjoy talking with people about their work and their employers. When you need a referral, you'll have a list "this long" of people who already know you are interested in their companies.

Start your job search now. Learn to hang out with people who do the work you want to do. That's where good new jobs come from.

Are you always job hunting, or do you start job hunting at the last minute? When you meet people that you need to ask for help, how do you “say it?”

This edition is reprinted from Fearless Job Hunting. Learn how to overcome the daunting obstacles that stop other job hunters dead in their tracks — and get 50% off on all Ask The Headhunter e-books! Enter discount code 2022XMAS at checkout. Limited time offer. Happy Holidays! Order now!

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Zimperium has a free app, hope it helps with your mobile phone security:

[You have 1000 LinkedIn connections? No, you have a phone book]

You have 1000 LinkedIn connections? No, you have a phone book

[html]

Question Is there a trick to making LinkedIn connections pay off? I've got over 1000 LinkedIn connections, but it almost seems the more I have the less chance anyone is going to respond to my messages. I use the paid version. Nick’s Reply A while ago I commented on a LinkedIn thread about this very question. It was another round of posts from people touting their 1000+ connections. In my opinion, nobody has 1000 real connections on LinkedIn. They have a phone book. I think LinkedIn is the world’s best phone book, with pictures and resumes. Period. What is a

Join us for discussion! https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/16663/1000-linkedin-connections">You have 1000 LinkedIn connections? No, you have a phone book

                              

Question

Is there a trick to making LinkedIn connections pay off? I've got over 1000 LinkedIn connections, but it almost seems the more I have the less chance anyone is going to respond to my messages. I use the paid version.

Nick’s Reply

https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/linked-in.png" alt="1000 LinkedIn Connections" width="300" height="200" />A while ago I commented on a LinkedIn thread about this very question. It was another round of posts from people touting their 1000+ connections. In my opinion, nobody has 1000 real connections on LinkedIn. They have a phone book.

I think LinkedIn is the world’s best phone book, with pictures and resumes. Period.

What is a LinkedIn connection?

If a “connection” wouldn’t drop what they’re doing for a moment to help you out (because they know and respect you), then they’re not a real connection. You’re kidding yourself.

Meanwhile, LinkedIn's main business is selling our “connections” to recruiters who know nothing about us — and who don’t care. Then we complain those recruiters wasted our time because they don’t really know us!

Duh. That's how LinkedIn actually works. Or doesn't. A LinkedIn connection is a database record of a person and a link to your record. Nothing more.

Professional network, or phone book?

What’s a real contact (or connection)? I think it's someone with whom you’ve shared enough experiences that they will refer you to someone who trusts them. It’s someone who trusts that

[It's time to regulate the job boards]

It's time to regulate the job boards

[html]<p>Question You don't have to look far to find complaints about the job boards, including LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter and the rest. I've seen some ridiculous claims about how many jobs these websites actually fill, but nothing scientific. Has the government tried to rein these guys in? Has there been any attempt to regulate the job boards? Nick's Reply A quick search for "job board success rates" turns up nothing those boards can be proud of. At best, you'll find loads of criticism about job boards. Several years ago, for a column I was writing for PBS NewsHour, I interviewed CareerBuilder.</p>
<p>Join us for discussion! <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/16647/regulate-job-boards">It's time to regulate the job boards</a></p>

                              <h2>Question</h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="color: #008000;">You don't have to look far to find complaints about the job boards, including LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter and the rest. I've seen some ridiculous claims about how many jobs these websites actually fill, but nothing scientific. Has the government tried to rein these guys in? Has there been any attempt to regulate the job boards?</span></p></blockquote>
<h2>Nick's Reply</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-16650" src="https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/stop-sign.png" alt="regulate job boards" width="300" height="200" />A quick search for "job board success rates" turns up nothing those boards can be proud of. At best, you'll find loads of <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/premium-job-board-sued-for-promising-customers-jobs-that-dont-exist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticism about job boards</a>. Several years ago, for a column I was writing for PBS NewsHour, I interviewed CareerBuilder. A spokesperson claimed the job board filled almost half of all jobs in the U.S. but no, she could not show me any data. Around the same time <a href="https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/11363/job-boards-lmao">Indeed claimed 65% of hires.</a> I'm still laughing.</p>
<h3>What are job boards good for?</h3>
<p>One of the more pointed critiques is from employment software vendor CareerPlug. Based on pre-COVID 2019 data, <a href="https://www.careerplug.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Recruiting-Metrics-and-KPIs.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this study slams the failure of job boards</a> as the weakest source of hires:</p>
<blockquote><p>"An applicant who applied directly from a company careers page was 23 times more likely to be hired than an applicant from a job board."</p>
<p>"An applicant who applied from a referral was 85 times more likely to be hired than an applicant from a job board."</p></blockquote>
<p>When I hear that boards are helpful, it seems to be mainly freelancers and contractors (that don't want permanent jobs) that defend them.</p>
<p>What are job boards good at? Producing job applications — up to 88% of them. The "job boards produce quantity," reports CareerPlug, "but not always quality." Virtually every study I've encountered concludes other sources of hires are dramatically more productive. More applications don't yield more hires. The job boards are simply delivering more wrong candidates and more wrong job "matches."</p>
<p>So, why do the job boards dominate the employment system and suck up the bulk of recruiting dollars? I think it's simply because they are not regulated.</p>
<h3>Time to regulate the job boards?</h3>
<p>It's long past time the federal government properly investigated this database industry — because it's not a recruiting industry. It's an amalgam of database jockeys and marketers producing and hawking software that fails epically at recruiting because it does little more than keyword matching. No job board I've encountered seems to understand the rudiments of recruiting.</p>
<p>What should be regulated? I'd settle, to start, for basic disclosures.</p>
<h3>Require from all job boards:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Outcomes Analysis: Show us the success rates for job hunters and employers that use a job board.</li>
<li>Substantiate the marketing claims: Show us an audit trail for a job or resume posting.</li>
<li>Disclose the source of each job posting (employer, recruiter, another job board?).</li>
<li>Verify and certify that a job posting is real, and take down ones that are filled or canceled.</li>
<li>Publish the original job post date and fill date.</li>
<li>Disclose on each posting how many people have applied to date.</li>
<li>Publish flowcharts of processes behind every job board.</li>
<li>Disclose algorithms a board uses to make matches and rejections.</li>
<li>Disclose salaries for all posted jobs. (This is already required by law in some states.)</li>
</ul>
<p>That's just a start.</p>
<h3>Where is job board regulation?</h3>
<p>To answer your question, I don't believe government agencies have ever really attempted to regulate the job boards. Oh, there are anti-discrimination laws, truth-in-advertising laws, and more recently <a href="https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/16616/salary-range-law">salary disclosure laws</a>, but there is scant oversight and regulation of the recruitment advertising business. The <a href="https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/12779/ftc-halts-sevenfigurecareers">Federal Trade Commission has prosecuted some recruitment scammers</a>, but enforcement is too little and too rare. Chasing one-off scams does nothing to address the major players that dominate how you look for jobs and how employers try to hire.</p>
<p>I'm not a fan of regulation for its own sake, but an important purpose of government is to protect consumers from misinformation and systemic deceit in business. Interview 100 job seekers about their experiences with job boards and you'll find plenty of deceit to justify a federal investigation — and regulation.</p>
<p><strong>Do you think job boards should be regulated?</strong> What disclosures do you want to see? What regulations do you believe are necessary? What

[Is this the right company for me?]

Is this the right company for me?

Question When I consider doing an interview or accepting a job offer, I've always just picked what felt best, but how should a person decide? The money and the job itself are obvious but how do I know a place is the right company for me to work? I've made some mistakes and I'd rather not make another! Thanks! Nick’s Reply Ultimately, this is one of the biggest career questions you must face. I find that people go job hunting mainly because they joined the wrong company to begin with. As you realize, money isn't everything. And I know you'll

Join us for discussion! Is this the right company for me?

Question

When I consider doing an interview or accepting a job offer, I've always just picked what felt best, but how should a person decide? The money and the job itself are obvious but how do I know a place is the right company for me to work? I've made some mistakes and I'd rather not make another! Thanks!

Nick’s Reply

Ultimately, this is one of the biggest career questions you must face. I find that people go job hunting mainly because they joined the wrong company to begin with. As you realize, money isn't everything. And I know you'll know when the money is right.

I take five key factors into account when I try to help a job candidate decide if a company is right for them.

These are the fundamental criteria on which I think you should judge an employer. Evaluate an employer based on:

1. its people,


2. its products,


3. its finances,


4. its prospects, and


5. its reputation.

Define these anyway that makes sense in the situation. You must explore each of these factors in as much detail as you can. (If we have to pick the three most important of those, I think it's 1, 2 and 5.)

As you make your inquiries, you’ll see that some aspects of this approach are a little touchy-feely in nature, and some require objective research and analysis. This approach requires a lot of something you probably do in your work: talking with people. (See also: How can I find the truth about a company?)

You could fill a book with information about just one company. But you must decide how much is enough.

So I put it out there to everyone: Is this list sufficient? Would you skip over any item? What would you add? How would you flesh out each of the criteria?

Maybe more important, how would you get the information you need to effectively assess whether a company is the right place to work? What questions would you ask?

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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[For less job competition, avoid Fisherman's Wharf]

For less job competition, avoid Fisherman's Wharf

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Question I've been applying to job postings for which I meet all the criteria, and I mean all of them. I figure that's one way to beat my competition — to really stand out. How much job competition am I likely to have if I do that? I was one of over 70 people they screened and one of 16 they interviewed. And it happened again, I didn't get an offer. I wasn't even a finalist. There has to be a way to minimize competition from the start, I just haven't figured it out. Is it really possible that 70

Join us for discussion! https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/16633/job-competition">For less job competition, avoid Fisherman’s Wharf

                              

Question

I've been applying to job postings for which I meet all the criteria, and I mean all of them. I figure that's one way to beat my competition — to really stand out. How much job competition am I likely to have if I do that? I was one of over 70 people they screened and one of 16 they interviewed. And it happened again, I didn't get an offer. I wasn't even a finalist. There has to be a way to minimize competition from the start, I just haven't figured it out. Is it really possible that 70 other applicants met all the criteria? I doubt it, so why do companies entertain so many candidates? How do I improve my odds from the start?

Nick’s Reply

https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cattle-pen.png" alt="job competition" width="300" height="200" />Employers complain they can't find the right people to hire and I think it's because their recruiting is a herding task. They solicit too widely. This yields a preponderance of undistinguished candidates with a low probability of finding anyone that stands out.

Recruiting job applicants: More is not better

When employers post a job online, they're casting a wide net. But more is not better. And it's even worse because cattle-call "recruiting technology" makes it so easy to invite loads of marginal or even totally wrong applicants. It yields more of the same.

Look at the math. In your case 70 applicants were screened and 16 interviewed. HR will tell us "We got a lot of candidates to pick from!" This means they made 70-16=54 errors. That's a lot of wasted overhead. Imagine how often this plays out. Employers will routinely sort through thousands of applications, whether manually or via software. They believe (irrationally) that the more candidates they have to choose from, the better the hire they will eventually make. (See

[Giving notice when you resign: 6 ways to avoid trouble]

Giving notice when you resign: 6 ways to avoid trouble

Question I'm getting conflicting advice about giving notice before I resign my job after accepting a new job offer. A career coach told me I have to give notice or ruin my reputation. ("Don't' burn bridges.") A guy I used to work with got burned when he gave notice: his boss demanded he stay a month to train somebody! Another was immediately escorted to the door by company security. (He was counting on a couple of weeks' more salary.) Not all stories are bad but I don't like to take risks when I can avoid them. I'd prefer to just

Join us for discussion! Giving notice when you resign: 6 ways to avoid trouble

Question

I'm getting conflicting advice about giving notice before I resign my job after accepting a new job offer. A career coach told me I have to give notice or ruin my reputation. ("Don't' burn bridges.") A guy I used to work with got burned when he gave notice: his boss demanded he stay a month to train somebody! Another was immediately escorted to the door by company security. (He was counting on a couple of weeks' more salary.) Not all stories are bad but I don't like to take risks when I can avoid them. I'd prefer to just make a clean cut without notice. Do you have any tips to play it safe?

Nick’s Reply

I'll summarize what I think are six important considerations that should help keep you out of trouble when giving notice that you're quitting your job. I'll emphasize up front that you must do your own calculation and decide for yourself what is your best course of action.

1. Check your obligations before giving notice

It's astonishing how many people think their basic freedoms vanish when it comes to their jobs. Just as you're free to move from one state to another when you wish, without anyone's permission, you're free to change jobs anytime you wish (with or without giving notice) — unless you signed an agreement accepting limits on this choice. Check the obligations you agreed to.

Do you have an employment contract? (These are rare in the U.S. and usually involve executive positions.) If you do, read it carefully, or have an employment attorney review it. Keep in mind that the job offer you signed may be a kind of contract, and it may incorporate by reference your company's employee policy manual — which may say something about a notice requirement. It matters what you sign and agree to when you accept a job.

2. Check for "employment at will" law

In most U.S. jurisdictions employment is "at will" — your company can terminate you at any time for any or no reason, without giving you any notice. But if you work in an "at will" state, you can likewise quit. Whether you should quit without notice is usually your choice. Make sure you know the employment law in your state — and review what you have contractually agreed to.

3. Check your company's history

Nose around before you decide. Has your employer made life difficult for other employees that quit without notice? Some employers actually handle resignations with aplomb. It's worth finding out your company's actual practices because that may factor into how you calculate your risk.

4. Check your reputation risk

That career coach is correct: resigning without notice can damage your professional reputation. (Your employer may put you on a no-rehire list.) If word gets out, it might damage your rep with other employers.

However. This is a risk you must calculate. While quitting without notice can be a crappy thing to do, it might be prudent anyway. Sometimes we have to make tough choices. If giving notice might put you in serious jeopardy, avoiding the risk may be preferable to doing what's expected.

Now let's talk about potential jeopardy.

5. Check the consequences

Giving notice because "it's the right thing to do" might trigger consequences you haven't considered. Like the friend you mentioned, you may not get two weeks yourself — of additional salary or time between jobs that you expected. You may be told to leave immediately without a chance to gather your personal belongings. ("HR will mail your stuff to you.")

If you work in sales or get paid a bonus, policy might dictate that you don't get the money unless you're employed there on the date it is set to be paid — and unless you provide notice. Quitting without notice may trigger instant recovery of educational or relocation investments the company made in you. If you work on a "draw" in sales, you might actually owe the company money it advanced you against future commissions. (See The 6 Gotchas of Goodbye.)

An employer cannot withhold your pay, but you must understand what constitutes pay in your specific case. But don't run from choices like these. Depending on the financial rewards and professional opportunities provided by your new job, it may be worth resigning without notice.

6. Check the spite factor

Tendering a resignation usually elicits this question: "Where are you going to work next?" It may seem as innocent as HR's request that you sit for an "exit interview" and explain yourself. But you owe no one any explanations, or information about your future.

I've seen spiteful employers go out of their way to nuke a departing employee's new job offer. Is there any chance your old boss would contact your new employer and try to poison your well? Please think about this. That offer you accepted could be rescinded. In my experience, it's rare. But if it does happen, the consequences for you could be dire. A risk might seem small, but when the cost is potentially immense, I don't think taking a chance is prudent..

My advice: Don't tell anyone even remotely associated with your old company where you're going until you're already there. "No offense, but I'll be happy to get in touch once I've settled into my new job and we can have lunch."

I’m not suggesting you should never give notice when resigning. But if you decide to part company suddenly, take time to evaluate the risks, and to calculate the potential costs and benefits of quitting without notice. Is your new job worth it?

Do you give notice when you resign a job? Have you been happy with the outcome? Are there circumstances when you think not giving notice in advance of leaving an employer is prudent?

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[Salary Range Law: Will it help you?]

Salary Range Law: Will it help you?

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Question New laws in New York and California require employers to include the salary range of a job in job ads. Theoretically this will help applicants apply for jobs that pay what they're looking for rather than waste time playing "Guess the pay" before agreeing to interviews. Every law can be gamed. I can see companies posting ranges like $25,000-$100,000. Maybe they really plan to pay no more than $40,000. Do you think there's any way a salary range law will help us? Nick’s Reply Hah — you're right. If there's a law about pay, somebody's going to game it!

Join us for discussion! https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/16616/salary-range-law">Salary Range Law: Will it help you?

                              

Question

New laws in New York and California require employers to include the salary range of a job in job ads. Theoretically this will help applicants apply for jobs that pay what they're looking for rather than waste time playing "Guess the pay" before agreeing to interviews. Every law can be gamed. I can see companies posting ranges like $25,000-$100,000. Maybe they really plan to pay no more than $40,000. Do you think there's any way a salary range law will help us?

Nick’s Reply

https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/scales.png" alt="salary range law" width="300" height="200" />Hah — you're right. If there's a law about pay, somebody's going to game it! You actually offer a good example: meaninglessly broad salary ranges. Who's going to police that?

What's the story on salary range law?

Proponents of salary range laws say employers have been getting away with underpaying workers. Disclosure of salaries in job postings will supposedly fix that and bring fairness to hiring practices. (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/29/business/nyc-us-salary-transparency.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Times)

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/state-and-local-updates/pages/nyc-pay-transparency-pay-compression.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SHRM, a professional association for human resources managers, says these laws will cause "salary compression" because employers will be pressured to increase starting salaries so they can fill jobs in a competitive market. And they'll pay for that by leaving existing employees' pay stagnant.

Leading Silicon Valley law firm https://www.wsgr.com/en/insights/new-pay-transparency-laws-in-california-and-new-york-city-impose-disclosure-obligations-for-any-position-that-can-be-performed-in-those-locations.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wilson Sonsini points out that the New York City law permits employers to exclude the value of benefits, bonuses, commissions, equity and other forms of compensation from these disclosures. This creates a lot of leeway around the new requirements, and confusion around salary negotiations.

Will a salary range law help you?

I’m skeptical. I think it depends more on the company you’re dealing with and on how it implements the law, if your state even has a law. It helps to read a variety of reports about these salary range laws, which seem to be spreading across states. (So far, New York City, California, Washington State and Colorado are on the bandwagon.)

I'm more interested in how real job seekers —

[Desperate Recruiting: The yada, yada, yada interview]

Desperate Recruiting: The yada, yada, yada interview

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Question Hiring great people is a noble goal but it raises two challenges: how to attract candidates with those rare, valuable qualities into your pipeline, and how to identify them in the interviewing process when everyone is telling you how talented, motivated, curious, and ethical they are (yada, yada, yada). Desperate recruiting doesn’t work! How do we get past all that so we really know who we’re hiring? How do we avoid hiring in desperation? Nick’s Reply Let’s talk about two fatal flaws in the entire recruiting and hiring process. First, we try to attract people when we need them.

Join us for discussion! https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/16605/desperate-recruiting">Desperate Recruiting: The yada, yada, yada interview

                              

Question

Hiring great people is a noble goal but it raises two challenges: how to attract candidates with those rare, valuable qualities into your pipeline, and how to identify them in the interviewing process when everyone is telling you how talented, motivated, curious, and ethical they are (yada, yada, yada). Desperate recruiting doesn’t work! How do we get past all that so we really know who we’re hiring? How do we avoid hiring in desperation?

Nick’s Reply

https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/yadda-yadda.png" alt="desperate-recruiting" width="300" height="200" />Let’s talk about two fatal flaws in the entire recruiting and hiring process. First, we try to attract people when we need them. That limits us to rushed “just in time” recruiting methods that don’t work well. That’s desperate recruiting.

Second, these methods elicit rote responses from candidates who apply for jobs almost indiscriminately. We’ve all seen it — candidates with the “I’m your (wo)man” smile on their faces.

As you note, that’s the “Yada, yada, yada” interview. You can spend the entire time talking interview in your office when you could be talking shop in the real world.

Find and enter their