Guess who lies the most during interviews? Yes, you are right! How do I know you’re right, without even finding out your answer? Because everyone lies during interviews! Hiring Managers lie. Interviewees lie. HR lies. The Recruiters lie. Everyone. Lies. The Wall Street Journal recently did a piece on all the lies and the types of lies that happen during …
Female Hiring Managers are Wired to be More Selective!
That seems sexist, Tim! Really? Is it sexist if it’s true and based on science? Asking for my friend, Tim, who tends to struggle to know the difference between science and sexism! Okay, here’s the science: On Tinder, men swipe right (Like) on 60% of women’s profiles On Tinder, women swipe right (Like) on 4% of men’s profiles Nice, Tinder …
The Art of the Intake Call in Recruiting
If 2020 has taught us anything at all, it’s that we live in a very unpredictable world, and surprises await us at nearly every turn. How good is someone at what they do, and more importantly, how well will they do it once they join our organization? Can we hire people who have never done our desired work and expect …
Hiring Managers Don’t Want More Candidates!
There is a giant mistake most organizations make in marketing. Bad marketers perpetuate this notion that buyers want choice. “What we need is more choices for buyers! If we just had more choices our sales would be higher!” In fact, more choices increase buyer confusion and actually stalls buying decisions for most people. “We” (the collective lot of us) have …
Video Interviews: The Next Generation of Bias?
I’m a fan of the “work video” era. I like the flexibility. I like how, as Apple Facetime ushered in a new way to “personally” stay connected with distant family and friends, Zoom et al. have done the same in the workplace. And I like that I can put a cool light on and make my skin silky smooth. Don’t …
“You Hire People for a Living, I’m Sure Interviewing is Easy For You!”
The Anxiety-Inducing Meta Experience of Interviewing as an HR Person When you interview for a job as an HR person, I imagine it’s how it would feel if you were a doctor about to undergo surgery. Or a hair stylist getting an adventurous dye job. Or my Italian Grandma ordering lasagna at a restaurant. If you’re the Supreme Expert, how …
Watch Your Body Language in an Interview & Save the Head Bobbing for Bonnaroo.
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, …
Creating Value When You’re the Newbie
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 …
Time to Stick a Fork in Cover Letters? Only If You Want to Miss the Best Candidates
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 …
The Unsophisticated Hiring Manager
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 …