By Mary Ann Faremouth, CPC
In the challenging and changing job market that is the New Work World, employers and candidates should reflect on etiquette tips that can serve them well. Sitting on my side of the desk as a recruiter, I hear from both sides about why times are more challenging than ever. In many ways, this leads back to reflecting on how the proper etiquette could make hiring and finding a job so much more efficient and enjoyable.
As the oft-repeated quote made famous by Darren Kennedy and attributed to Buddhist teachings goes:
“You are the greatest project you’ll ever work on. Restart. Reset. Refocus. As many times as you need.”
The project of making a good hire is probably more important than ever before. The time is NOW to refocus on what might have to change to make all parties involved in the hiring process gain more success. As employers, if we don’t have the right people on board and use the right hiring techniques to get them, our bottom line is ultimately affected and morale and productivity may suffer in a big way. As candidates, if only pre-Covid strategies are utilized to find a job, they could be on the market for weeks or even months on end and not land that great job they really want to get.
Let’s take a look at some of the etiquette tips that would benefit candidates and employers and allow both to realize a more successful hiring journey.
1. Be Respectful
All parties in this process need to focus on the respect component to gain more positive experiences. If you are a candidate, show up 15 minutes before the interview, be dressed in a professional manner and start the interview by communicating gratitude for the opportunity to be interviewed for the position. Keep you reasons for looking and experiences with previous employers positive as no hiring authority wants to hear negative remarks about a previous employer or co-worker on a first interview. On the employer end, be on time for the interview, thank the candidate for coming in and inform the candidate of the positive aspects of the work environment. Voicing negative remarks about a previous employee may hinder getting the top talent. These days with talent shortages, prospective employees are afforded more options from which to choose when seeking a job. Make your introduction of your company stand out to garner sincere interest.
2. Prepare for the Interview
The candidate needs to do their homework before the interview and really understand who this company is, what it does and the application of the product or services it sells. Additionally, if it’s a sales job, for example, you may discuss the contacts or book of business you have that could expand the company’s market share and bottom line. Demonstrating your work ethic, how you prepare for projects and do research to fully understand the scope of your performance could win you points in the interview. The employer also should read over the candidate’s résumé and have questions in mind. Further, given talent shortages, accomplishments need to be taken into consideration. For example, if the candidate has volunteered, been a captain of a sports team or a member of Toastmasters or Rotary, etc., this tells the interviewer this person works well with teams, gives back and has a mindset that is all about making a contribution as opposed to solely being concerned about what the opportunity will do for them.
3. Give Timely Feedback
In today’s lightning-fast market, every hour counts. When clients delay feedback—whether it’s about a candidate phone screen, an interview debrief or an offer decision—they risk losing top talent to competitors. By the time you circle back with interest, that highly-sought-after professional has often accepted another position and quietly slipped off the market. Beyond the risk of losing candidates altogether, slow response times damage your employer brand. Candidates who don’t hear from you feel undervalued, question the organization’s efficiency and may share their frustration with others. Conversely, companies that demonstrate respect for a candidate’s time and effort by delivering clear, prompt feedback build trust, reinforce a positive reputation and keep talent engaged throughout the process.
4. Show Humility and Appreciation for Your Life Lessons
Now more than ever, being humble and showing appreciation for the lessons you have learned in and outside of work goes a long way with employers. In other words, candidates should come across with an earnest desire to contribute rather than focus the interview on when they will get their first raise, how much vacation time will be given and whether they can leave early on Friday. A client once told me that a candidate I sent in for an interview talked about how much they appreciated a previous boss for being a good mentor, offering ideas to grow a territory. That really resonated with my client. Additionally, literally reading the room can be a winning tactic. I once had a candidate who noticed an interviewer’s picture of an eight-point deer and said how much he loved to hunt. That made this manager even more interested in the candidate as the customers they dealt with often were hunters. He knew this candidate could relate to them, and that often assists in winning new business if the prospective customer and sales rep have something in common. Another key way candidates can show appreciation is by promptly sending a thank-you note to the interviewer (and other hiring supervisors, if involved) for their time, ideally within 24 hours.
5. Never Burn a Bridge
Whether you are an applicant or employer, never do anything to burn a bridge. If the interview turns out not to be for a job the candidate is interested in, there is a way to handle that situation with grace and professionalism that serves the candidate well. You never know if another job might come up in the company that is more in line with your background. Or, I’ve seen it happen many times: The interviewer goes to another company and reactivates a candidate he met at a previous company. Also, the interviewer always wants the candidate to walk away with a good feeling about the company, if for no other reason than to have good word on the street about the company and its hiring folks.
As you can see, refocusing on how you come across in the New Work World will always serve you well. Being respectful, preparing for the interview, giving timely feedback, showing appreciation and humility and never burning a bridge will ensure you will have many rewards now and in your future.
Mary Ann’s award-winning first book Revolutionary Recruiting has been listed by Book Authority as Number #1 Best 100 Recruiting Books; #1 Best Seller, Non-Fiction, Amazon (2019); Top 20 Recruiting books, Recruitics; Readers’ Choice finalist (2019), Houston Literary Awards; Best Non-Fiction (2018), Best Cover (2019), and Best Self-Help (2018), Authors Marketing Guild. This was followed by “Revolutionary Reinvention”, a workbook for job seekers giving advice on how to rediscover your skills and passions and reinvent your career. Her most recent book is “Revolutionary Results” , a collection of life lessons about relationships, integrity and contributing to the world.
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