On three occasions last week I found myself in a hotel lounge listening to a job interview being conducted at the next table. Given my interest in job transition I found it difficult to ignore what I was listening to.

What amazed me was the detail that some questions went into and forced the candidate to talk about “their weaknesses”, “failings” and so on in public. On one occasion I was even able to identify a past employer as well as the individual’s past boss.

I think that it’s time that head-hunters, recruitment companies and job search companies adopt a policy and practice that all job interviews or exploratory interviews are held behind closed doors.

It would be:

1. professional,
2. provide appropriate confidentiality,
3. deliver a better result in that the candidate would be more relaxed
4. Prevents head-hunters that do interview in public looking “Cheap”

I personally feel that if I were to recruit a search company to find suitable senior staff for my company I would question the professionalism of a search company and the fees that they were charging if interviews were conducted in public and believe that the industry should outlaw such practices.

Targeting people and businesses is important. Don’t just follow people in an effort to have a large number of followers. Instead focus on finding people and companies who can help with your job search.

Have you seen the new e-book “How to find a job using Social media”?
SEE IT HERE

A number of my friends in my network are asking me for tips on using social media to find jobs. Here’s the first

Maria has organised an assessment centre for a new Sales Manager. The intention is to interview six candidates, two internal. The process includes a number of exercises including a role play exercise in handling under-performing sales people, handling meetings, preparing sales reports as well as an interview. The day will be observed by a number of managers chosen from the Sales Director’s departmental responsibilities.

The Sales Director has elected not to be involved as he wants to distance himself from the selection procedure as the two internal candidates are already under notice of redundancy from his department.

There is one problem. It seems that a member of staff has found an email in a photo-copyer from the Sales Director to Maria stating that he’s not prepared to have either of the two existing staff members gain the job and a copy of the assessment centre exercises.

A copy of the email has found its way to one of the candidates. 

Most of Maria’s team have chosen to ignore the unfortunate opening statement Maria said when she met them as a group. (See previous blog). Perhaps it was just how it was said.

Maria has been in the job a few days and starts to arrange 1:1 meetings with her team. Her objective is to forge a relationship with each individual and to discover some of their strengths and weaknesses.

She’s delighted with the way the meetings go. Lot’s of ideas come from the team but they seem short on being able to identify weaknesses in the HR system and company in general and this concerns her.

Her team, however, think her approach to their 1:1s strange. She began by saying, “I’ve looked at your file and I must say I’m most impressed at the work you have done and would value your opinion on a few things.”

Maria continued, “What improvements do you think we can make in HR and I’m interested in knowing your thoughts on the weaknesses in the rest of the HR team and management in general?”

Maria has arrived for her first morning at her new job and has spent some time with the CEO to discuss with him the CEO’s plans for the HR Department.

She now decides decides that it’s time for her to meet with her new team and calls a team meeting. She begins by introducing herself, “Hello everyone, I’m Maria and I’m a fellow of the CIPD and a professional”. After meeting with her small team she arranges some one to one meetings and returns to her office satisfied that she’s started off well.

Could she have made her first error. Some of her team have interpreted her first statement of being a “fellow of the CIPD and a professional” that she thinks perhaps her team may not be! (qualified enough or unprofessional)

Time will tell

I came across a case study that I thought I could share with you as it develops. That is the adventures of Maria during her first six months in her new job.

Maria has volunteered herself to be featured in this blog and it will be interesting to see if she makes the typical mistakes of a new hire and a few “special mistakes” of her own.

Over the months of her job transition we can follow Maria and develop a case study around her.

The story begins:

Maria has landed a job as HR manager at an Insurance brokers employing about sixty people. Her team is made up of five people who are all qualified by examination with the CIPD (Chartered Institute for Personnel Development).

On her first morning she meets with the CEO and discusses the company’s main priorities with HR which is to reduce turnover and increase HR capability. She feels well briefed.

The continuing discussion on banks and bonuses seem to shift between the need to attract and retain people and not upsetting taxpayers who have bailed the banks out.The discussion must have been made more complicated by Barack Obama deciding to restrict bonuses.

In the UK the banks in question are RBS and Lloyds TSB but one must presume that others such as Barclays and even HSBC will be looking at the result with interest.

Could this be the start of moderate salaries and reduced bonuses accross all sectors?

If Barack Obama wins the presidential election will there be a “feel good” factor affect both the markets and how people feel about their future?

and if there was a feel good factor will this soon disappear as the hard reality of the financial downturn becomes apparent and unemployment rises. 

If so:

a) What type of work would you expect them to do?

b) Would you expect to pay (over and above general salary) a large salary?