This is the fifth in a series of eight articles geared towards recruiters but which provide important insights for job seekers.
When preparing for examinations, I can remember teachers and friends telling me that it was possible to be overprepared. Some, in fact, recommended going to a movie the night before an exam. I don’t think I did that, but I did close the books at a reasonable hour. Why? Because I knew of too many classmates who were overprepared, could not focus, and failed.
That said, being a recruiter and being a student are not the same thing. You, the recruiter, cannot over prepare for an interview. And thanks to the internet, it is not a time-consuming process:
First, Google the candidate. Make certain to put their name in quotation marks otherwise you will get everyone with the same first or family name. If the candidate is “John Smith,” obviously their name is not enough. You need to add some identifying information such as employer, profession, or place of residence. Even then, don’t believe everything you find. You may still have the wrong person. And if it is the correct person, and something negative comes up, ask them about it. Don’t take negativity at face value. Some people, like me, wear negative comments with pride and are happy to answer questions. The end result is usually laughter.
If the person is an academic, do a scholar.google.com search. Make certain that “include citations” is checked. Note the number of hits. Then uncheck “include citations.” If there are none then literally no one in the world thinks their scholarship – articles, notes, books – are worth quoting. If your client is looking for an academic, keep looking.
Then go to social media. Start with LinkedIn, but check Facebook, X, and even Instagram. I know a person whose LinkedIn profile is stellar. He comes across as the very definition of a professional. But his Facebook page is the work of a raving lunatic. I would never submit him to a client because I could not be certain who would show up.
This is not a true background check. That should be done by the employer/client. The last thing a recruiter should have are candidate social security numbers! This is a public inquiry into the person. It provides the recruiter with the basis for a discussion about character.
Next comes the job description. Each requirement and qualification has to be pursued. The recruiter must question the candidate about their experiences in every facet of the job description. Once or twice, “I have not done that,” is a perfectly acceptable answer, as long as it is followed by an explanation of why they are applying for the job. They may have similar experiences to those the employer needs. Let the employer decide relevancy.
If the candidate is not candid, if they become defensive, that is usually a sign that they are hiding something or do not take criticism well. Submitting them may be a mistake.
Another mistake is conducting the interview to find reasons not to submit a candidate. For that matter conducting the interview to find reasons to submit them is also a mistake. A recruiter should be neutral so that their final decision about whether or not to submit a candidate is unbiased.
I wish everyone a meaningful Memorial Day. This is a time for reflection on the sacrifices made by the few for the many, not a time for looking for sales.
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Future Articles:
- Thoughtful Debriefing with Candidates
- Cultivating Advisor Relationships with Premier Candidates
- Efficient Candidate Vetting
- References
- You Accept One Job and Another is Offered
- LinkedIn’s SSI
Employment Edification 