I am David Gaines

A job seeker called the other day to let us know he created a Manpower account. He uploaded his resume, filled out all the details and picked our branch as his preferred branch. He then asked when he could start working.

I informed him we review resumes and schedule interviews with the individuals who match what our clients are asking for. He then asked when could he come in for an interview. I then explained that because of the sheer volume of resumes submitted relative to the number of job openings we have [the ratio being somewhere close to 100 to 1] that there’s not only any guarantee of getting a job, there’s no guarantee of getting an interview. Let only having your resume reviewed any time soon.

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Ok, bear with me here. Now that I’m back in staffing it’s only natural that I have this urge to write about finding employment. Not only is it the source of Najwa’s diaper money, but it’s something that everyone either is going through, has been through or will be going through at some point in the future. If you know your job is guaranteed, you must be a Supreme Court justice.

As the recession reminded most people that they’re expendable, it didn’t teach many of them why. Sure, your company was going broke. Your job was being phased out because of the recession [i.e. HR Generalists, Real Estate Agents, Financial Consultants, et al.]. The new hire was willing to take half as much as what you need just to afford your rent.

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While talking with a friend of mine this past weekend, the subject came up about a recent job interview she went on. She properly prepared for the interview: researched the company, the individuals who work there, the history of the company, its short- and long-term goals and so forth. She has a strong work history to support that she is well-qualified for the position, and then, well, some of the questions asked caught her off guard.

We talked about how she was asked questions that simply weren’t what she was expecting. From my perspective as a recruiter, I explained that the questions have to get harder. I’m not sure the motivation behind her interviewer’s questions, but in today’s environment, it has become much harder to find The One as it was several years ago.

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Sometimes getting a candidate to understand why they weren’t submitted for a job opening is like explaining to a creditor why you can’t pay the bill in full. “So you want me to pay a settlement of $8,945 on my student loans — right now? While we’re on the phone?” The creditor only understands one answer, and that’s the answer they want. Anything else you say, for instance, “even if I had it I wouldn’t give it to you,” goes into one earphone and out the other.

With candidates, it’s a bit different but much the same. If a candidate doesn’t hear something they want to hear, they hear nothing at all. The difference being they can’t threaten my credit; the similarity is that they just ask it again.

See, the art of selecting candidates is a simple art. There really isn’t much scientific calculations that goes into it. There’s no black-n-white formula. Most of the time, it’s a gut feeling.

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