How to Help the Hirer
Hiring is easy, right?
I fell into the misconception that hiring managers are, as Gershon puts it, “The Decider[s]” when it comes to hiring job seekers (Gershon 188). In reality, there is a complex system involving many people that, together, decide whether or not you get your foot through the door. These systems aren’t clear-cut, and in the same way aren’t universal across companies and fields. Gershon points out that the duties of a hiring manager at one company may be delegated to a recruiter at another, though even that ambiguity brings with it further questions (Gershon 190).
It’s also worth noting how the hiring process functions after you’ve been interviewed and the task is out of your hands. Gershon makes the argument that the hiring process is often a self-reflective one for companies, as they openly discuss their own work culture in order to determine whether or not you would fit it (Gershon 201). It’s a sort of nightmare for hiring managers and HR workers, as they not only decide the future of the company but simultaneously identify what the company is/does.
So what does this mean for us job seekers?
Hiring is a difficult process for all involved, so we should endeavor to take away stresses in any amount we can. When we’re interviewed, we need to be honest about who we are. Honesty speaks, according to a job mentor, Evelyn Nichols (who graciously helped me with my most recent post — found here).
While unsurprising in and of itself, honesty is something that one might expect to be universal within the job market, yet so often isn’t — and that’s surprising. Nichols says she has seen a number of applicants who have either been misleading about their credentials or outright lied. Not only does that indicate a lack of professionalism, but it speaks volumes about a person’s integrity and personality. As far as burning bridges goes, that’s taking a flamethrower to the blueprint before the bridge is even built.
Hiring Managers and Recruiters are under a plethora of crunches, and they want nothing better than to find that perfect someone to meet their needs, but there are many hoops to jump through in order for that to happen.
To say that I was unaware of the complexity of the hiring process would be an understatement, but talking with my job mentor and reading the Gershon text has given me an insight into this seemingly nightmarish cluster of a process.
While the process itself should ideally “end with a hire”, it’s understandable how the jobs of different people, the ambiguity of their roles, and the lacking ability to trust all job applicants can slow and hinder the process (Gershon 206).
When I set out to be hired, I’ll at least be forward and honest, hopefully making the jobs of all those involved just a little bit easier.
