Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Interviewing”
I’ve recently been on the college recruitment circuit for my company, speaking with hundreds of students at several universities, many of whom are seeking internships or their first “real job” once they’ve earned their degree and are ready to conquer the world. And it surprises me that while these students have impressive interpersonal skills, great academic credentials and applicable part-time …
A couple of years ago, Fistful of Talent published a blog post of mine that not only created a huge reaction but was easily the most well-read article I’ve ever had here. The title should tell you why: Looking Back at What May Be the “Balliest” Cover Letter of All Time.’ It was about a classic cover letter that the …
We spend a fair bit of time in our little shop talking about how to work with sophisticated hiring managers vs. unsophisticated managers. This has nothing to do with liking caviar vs. Cheez Whiz. It has more to do with Sean Penn thinking he’s a journalist. Sophisticated hiring managers have enough reps under their belt to know how to play …
You might have seen this video around the web over the past few weeks. It’s a new technology being developed and tested in Sweden called “Tengai”: Think about the last time you interviewed a candidate. What was your first initial reaction to them? Before they even opened their mouth? It was probably something like this: “They are decent looking enough” …
I’ve noticed a recent, frightening phenomenon. And I think I may be a perpetrator (heaven help me). In an attempt to stage a preemptive intervention, I thought there could be no better time than the present to address this odd and interesting tick–one that HR professionals, interviewers, and interviewees abuse unabashedly. The head nod. Or as some others call it, …
Gather round the monitor kids, because I’m about to break off some knowledge that a lot of you don’t fully understand. Let’s start with a general rule: If you’re interviewing for a job you really want and you’re not currently employed, the elephant in the room is why you aren’t still employed with that company. Now let’s enhance that a …
I was given two minutes’ worth of advice nearly twelve years ago, and I repeated that same advice to colleague last week. It’s proof that it’s still relevant, regardless of time. My goal for this article is to be simple, quick, and for readers to come away with the simplest advice to absorb and ultimately share with others. To cut …
There is an email that occasionally makes the circuit in the HR community. The content of this email is an amusing excerpt from a 1940’s transportation magazine article entitled Guide to Hiring Women. The point of this forwarded email isn’t about how atrocious the recruiting practices of women were in the 1940s, but rather to challenge its readers (recruiters, HR …
My pre-interview checklist. Hugo Boss suit. Check (although it fits a lot tighter than I remember it fitting a decade ago). Conservative tie. Check. Polished shoes. Check. Ironed and starched shirt. Check. Fresh shave, cleared hair out of nose and ears. Check. And perhaps most importantly, investing several hours getting to know as much as I can about the slate …
I’ve worked for global Fortune 500 organizations. I’ve worked for a private holding company. I’ve also “done” three startups. I bring some street cred to this blog as I’ve experienced birthing and burying a startup—and everything in-between. I do admit I’m drawn to startups like a moth to a flame. This is particularly odd to me as nowhere in my …
