No, I’m not a recruiter, although I have done my fair share informally. I had the opportunity to participate in a panel last week for a recruiter’s group so I thought I’d share some key points that came up as these can help you in the work you do, or if you’re looking to make a career transition at any point:
- Traditional interviewing is not dead, although seems to be fading fast: the opinion of some recruiters is that they don’t need to bring a job candidate in to the office for an in-person interview; they feel using Skype is acceptable due to time and money constraints, in addition to ease. However, they would like to see candidates be more prepared in both their dress and preparedness; a few recruiters said they’ve had candidates ‘show up’ in casual wear and even pajamas!
- The phone interview is still the first step to hiring
- Mid-career and older workers are still valued: not all focus is placed on younger workers, although a consensus is that it is more difficult for older workers to get hired. Some opinions were that older workers are not presenting themselves as well by show-casing their skills and experience. The majority feel that organizations need to change their mentality on older workers and look at the value they bring, perhaps in more mentoring and coaching positions to younger workers.
- Background checks are very important to getting hired: all recruiters stated that they do background checks, which can uncover missteps that a candidate may believe has been expunged or is ‘too old’ to have any validity. Background checks are extensive, more-so for governmental positions. The one thing they all agreed on is to never omit – or check ‘No’ – that you’ve had some ‘blip’ in your past; it’s not the ‘blip’ but the lie that will omit you as a candidate.
- Job and culture fit: is it critical that a good fit be made in both the job tasks and the culture to work in, which the group agreed on; however, this is not always done with onus being on both job candidates and the point-of-contact for an organization. Reading job descriptions to ensure a fit, as well as ensuring those descriptions are detailed and well-written so a potential candidate identifies, is the start; asking the ‘hard’ questions, on both sides, will help to ensure the fit is there. Being honest about all aspects of the job, such as expectations for work (attendance, actual time spent, vacations, promotions, etc.) and opportunities to stand and be recognized should be required topics to ensure fit is there. Both sides want to have a win-win outcome.
I hope these points are helpful when looking to make a career transition, whether that is within or outside of your organization. Be sure to do your homework, meaning know your skills and what you bring to an organization; beef up on your interviewing skills, which includes online, to present yourself well to a potential employer; be honest; and know your needs regarding the type of organization you want to work for in terms of the overall feel as well as the for the type of work to done, and how that work is expected to be performed. Being happy in your job is something we all strive for – it starts with you and the categories referenced above.
If you want help in your career, whether to be happy in your work or in making a career transition, then contact us today to get started! http://www.cyscoaching.com
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