Recruiting In Yoga Pants

Dressing up is for suckers

Category: influence

Can A Recruiter BLACKLIST A Candidate?

December 2, 2022 /

Y’all.

I’ve seen some recruiters say some pretty crazy stuff in the last couple of decades, but the idea that we (they) can actually BLACKLIST someone is… well. a bit out there for me.

Let me explain – but first let’s unpack the definition of “blacklist”

Alrighty! So CAN recruiters “blacklist”? Not necessarily… but what could happen:

Recruiters can record specific, actual conversations or communications that happen between recruiter/hm and candidate. So – if you cuss out a recruiter it’s quite likely that will be documented in the ATS and recorded for future recruiters to read.

Of course recruiters ALSO have the authority to decide who they want to work with and submit to hiring managers. It would be VERY UNETHICAL to not submit a candidate solely because you don’t like them. It would be REASONABLE to not submit a candidate because of repeated or highly problematic behaviors.

I don’t say any of this to freak people out. MOST recruiters are fair, realistic, and understand the difference between data points (had a bad day) and trends (consistently inappropriate or poor behavior).

Finally, if a recruiter is recording personal biases or making decisions based on anything OTHER than fit for the role / verifiable data points, it can reflect very badly on THEM.

Bottom line – NO – recruiters typically do not have the authority or influence to “blacklist” anyone for any reason – but they can definitely track factual data and let the actual hiring authority (typically hiring managers) decide for themselves.

The Golden Rule – treat others how you want to be treated – is always a best practice no matter what side of hiring you’re on.

Recruiter Accountability! Hiring Manager Edition

October 28, 2022 /

One of the strangest concepts to me is the idea that many non-recruiters have – that recruiters can INTENTIONALLY BE BAD AT THEIR JOB and no one cares.

You know what I’m talking about. According to some, we’re out here willfully ignoring applicants, leaving reqs open for months at a time, and generally sucking at our job.

Y’all. Make it make sense.

I PROMISE you – if a hiring manager is unsatisfied with the level of service they’re receiving from their recruiters, they will speak up. And if they’re not? THEY SHOULD. You may not see all the sausage making but know there is likely way more to the story – either that recruiter is getting an earful, or just maybe that role isn’t the priority some folks think it is.

In a well functioning recruiting team, joint accountability is the key. Recruiters and hiring managers both have certain responsibilities and expectations of each other that should be agreed upon and met.

In the last several years I’ve hit upon a formula that has served me well across multiple business groups in three big tech companies:

PRIORITIZATION

I created a sliding scale based on how critical a role is. Those categories each come with a particular level of service and SLA for both sides. A top priority / hair on fire / must fill req means we’re meeting at least once a week and we’re committing to a certain level of engagement / productivity (X resumes a week, Y HM reach outs, whatever). If a hiring manager does not want to make the investment, we will happily re-prioritize their role closer to the bottom of the list.

CLEAR AGENDA

Based on priority, we will meet on a regular basis. Those update meetings are critical – it’s an opportunity to share specific status updates, clarify any outstanding asks, and clean up our pipeline. If we don’t have enough candidates in process, we can also use that time to do some live sourcing together or further strategize on how to get more folks in process.

Hiring managers are a critical part of the business eco-system. They are empowered to build teams, and that is no small feat! Building a strong partnership based on mutual accountability and trust makes all of us more successful. One of my all time favorite business leaders said it best – if your recruiter isn’t your best friend, you’re doing it wrong.

Check out the accompanying video HERE

How To Answer “What Do You Know About Our Company?”

August 19, 2022 /

Not a fan of this question y’all.

Ok – it’s IDEAL if a candidate does a little research on an organization before starting the interview process. Is it a DEAL BREAKER though if someone hasn’t? This recruiter doesn’t think so!

As for me, I prefer to frame the question a little differently – “what can I tell you about our company?” This creates an opportunity to ask literally anything – you might have already done a ton of research and are looking to verify what you know! You may know absolutely NOTHING – and that’s ok too.

For the very first introductory call, I have zero expectations of what you should already know.

Unfortunately there are recruiters and companies out there who use this as a pass/fail question. If you haven’t done minimum research, they won’t proceed with your candidacy. While this is absolute LUNACY to me, I’ve come up with a few suggestions on how to prep for those intro calls in case you run into those gatekeepers in the wild.

Research the RECRUITER

Typically your first contact is with a recruiter. This is especially true for agency represented opportunities. Some third party recruiters won’t even give up their client’s name until they get you on the phone! (how the heck are you supposed to research THAT…) Here’s the deal – recruiters are gonna tell on themselves. Check out their content, their communication, expectations they share broadly. You can learn a lot about the kind of person you’re potentially working with by watching how they communicate with the masses!

Prepare Questions

Let’s say you DO take a few minutes to google the company. You can pick up some PR blessed insights of course. Glassdoor ratings, Blind posts, there’s usually no shortage of information out there. But is it ACCURATE? Hard to say. Simply having a sense of the company’s purpose (ABC Company is the largest widget manufacturer in the Midwest!) might be a good start. Now let’s fill that in:

  • How does this role/team fit into the larger organization?
  • Besides what’s publicly available, what can you tell me about growth plans or expansion?
  • Is there anything you can share about Hiring Manager’s leadership style/deliverables/future state of the team?

Remember Why You’re Here

Interviewing is a data collection exercise – on both sides. The introductory conversation is simply that – an introduction to the team, potentially hiring manager, team members. You’re going to learn more with every interaction, and should feel comfortable asking questions that matter and provide data YOU need to know before moving to each next step. You don’t have to know it all going in, but you have the right to get it all as you go through their interview processes.

Want more insights? Check out the AMA Friday video on this topic HERE.

The ONE Thing Job Seekers Can Control

January 4, 2021 /

 Y’all I’m going to drop some very loving truth bombs right now. Prepare yourself.

No one – NO ONE – is responsible for your job search but YOU – the job seeker. Not recruiters. Not hiring managers. Not HR. Not your momma. ONLY you. While any number of these people can help you as you navigate your search, the actions you take are ultimately yours and yours alone. 

Of course the obvious push back to this (and rightly so) is that job search is so f*cking confusing. Apply to everything. Don’t apply to anything. Network. Show your value. Have 47 versions of your resume. Don’t make a resume at all. Stand out. Stand in. Stand over there. Stand on your head.

 

 

WHAT IS A JOB SEEKER TO DO?

There is exactly ONE THING in this entire process start to finish that is 100% in YOUR control. That is the information you choose to provide to a company/hiring manager/recruiter. It is usually in the form of a resume, possibly a cover letter, and almost certainly information in an online application. Before we talk about that, let’s start by getting clear on some of the fundamentals. The usual caveats apply here – your personal mileage may vary. Your friend’s neighbor’s cousin’s ex-boyfriend once dated a girl who’s sister had a COMPLETELY different experience. Cool. You’re free to chase whatever thought leader feel good nonsense you like. If you’re open to some tough truths that may give you a fresh perspective, read on!

Job Descriptions

MOST job descriptions are written by business leaders. A lot of the formatting or required fields are created and approved by HR, Marketing, and Legal – but typically the meat of the JD is created or at least influenced by the managers, who know what it is they want to hire for. We hear a LOT of complaining about “entry-level” job descriptions requiring 5+ years of experience. Guess what? Those roles are not entry level. I am not sure why they are classified as such – they’re not. This article from Indeed describes “entry-level” as follows – 

 

  • “Degree not required” entry-level jobs: These types of entry-level jobs do not require a college degree and may not require any previous experience. Examples of jobs in this segment include data entry, technicians, retail and sales positions and administrative positions.
  • True entry-level jobs: True entry-level jobs are those that you can typically get upon graduation from college. These positions require applicants to have an undergraduate degree and possibly internship experience. Examples of true entry-level jobs can be found in the career fields of marketing, healthcare, law and finance.
  • “Professional experience required” entry-level jobs: This type of entry-level position requires applicants to have at least one to three years of full-time, professional experience in the field. Employers are looking to fill these types of roles with professionals that require minimal training and guidance during on-boarding. These entry-level jobs are commonly found in the areas of business, science and technology.
Now most of us would agree that that requiring ANY experience makes a role by definition *not* entry level, but there you have it. Fortunately, depending on the organization – “experience” MAY include research projects, internships, or certain academic experiences. This is also a good time to point out that a number of large companies, particularly in tech, have a very specific model for hiring new grads. There are literally entire groups of recruiters dedicated to Campus Hiring – college students and fresh grads often find themselves frustrated by trying to apply to industry roles (aka NOT true “entry level”) with companies who’s recruiters aren’t even allowed to talk to them. More on that in an upcoming AMA video. 
 
Of course mistakes are still made. Lots of fun is poked at ridiculous postings like the one asking for 12 years of experience in a 6 year old technology. It’s embarrassing, funny, and thankfully RARE. 
 
Speaking of Job Descriptions….
 
Basic Qualifications
 
For companies in the US subject to OFCCP requirements, Basic Qualifications (BQs) are NOT negotiable. EEO rules require these companies to create minimum qualifications that can be measurable and easily identified on a resume. Frequently Asked Questions found here provide a pretty decent breakdown of what a BQ actually IS, along with some other info. A lot of job seekers make the mistake of assuming this only applies to federal contractors – while this is technically correct, any company doing business to the tune of 10K or more annually is a Federal Contractor. Looking at you, most big tech companies. And banks. Basically anyone who does business with the government. This could be selling cloud services, advertising, equipment… the list is probably a lot longer than you think. Bottom line, companies have a responsibility to make BQs as minimal and fair as possible, but job seekers ALSO have a responsibility to make sure their application speaks to their fit for those qualifications.
 
If you’re “close” – it may make sense to apply anyway. Smart recruiters will look at these “near miss” applicants and try to map them up to more junior roles or short list them for future hiring needs. They may also use them as a reason to go back to the hiring manager and say “LOOK AT ALL THE NEAR MISSES WE HAVE” – and come away with a newly redefined role that you’re now a perfect fit for.
 
Companies (and their hiring managers / recruiters) have a RESPONSIBILITY to be as clear, succinct, and reasonable as possible in their job postings. I understand this is not always the case. As job seekers, we can’t control that. We can only work with the information we have, and respond accordingly. Which means…
 
Resumes
 
Ah… NOW we’re at the part that you can control, full stop. We’ve found a job that’s right for us. We meet the qualifications, and we’re ready to apply! If you’re worried about the dreaded ATS, watch this video. Even though we’ve told you time and again about humans reviewing your resume, it’s important to note what those humans are looking for. Generally speaking, they want to see “proof” that you can do the job. Context is important – just matching keywords rarely gets you past a quick view. Your resume is usually the first thing a prospective hiring manager or recruiter will read from you. It’s also the one thing that is completely within your control. 
 
YOU get to control what is in your resume. You decide the format, the context, the keywords. While there is a lot of guidance out there, including some worth every penny resume writers, it’s still YOUR resume, and you get to decide what to put on it. There’s literally no one policing this. So why wouldn’t you choose to optimize it for the people you want to read it?
 
I’ve shared the story before about the job seeker I was attempting to help who wanted a job as a forklift driver. He couldn’t understand why he wasn’t getting calls, as he had significant experience in this field. When he showed me the resume he was using to apply, there was not a single mention of forklifts. None any of the certifications he had. NOTHING that would indicate he’d ever set foot in a warehouse. There was NO changing his mind that online applications and the assholes behind them weren’t at fault. What he failed to accept was that his resume, the information he was providing, was completely on him. He couldn’t control what companies were posting. He couldn’t tell them which ATS to use, or how to structure interviews. The information he was putting in front of them? That was all him. And he refused to see the errors he was making. 
 
As a job seeker, you can’t guarantee job descriptions will be well written. You can’t be sure the recruiters on the other end of the ATS knows what they’re looking for. You can’t even really predict the format of an interview and can only do your best to influence the outcome. You CAN control the information you’re putting forward as an introduction. Instead of bitching that a company is focusing on required skills, maybe just take a minute to make sure you’re talking about your expertise in said skills? We hear this a lot in industry changers – for example, a job seeker noted they use “EPC” in their industry, whereas in tech the terminology would be “engineering supply chain”. Now we can agree that any recruiter or hiring manager worth their ATS log in could recognize interchangeable terms like this, why leave it to chance? The more you mirror the language in the JD (aka what the managers are looking for), the less you have to worry about silly “keyword” matching. 
 
YOU decide what companies you want to apply to.
YOU decide which roles you fit the qualifications for.
YOU decide what information to put forward in the application, networking email, and resume.
 
For more insight, check out my All About Resumes Playlist – and take charge of the one thing you are fully in control of.
 
 

Actually, You DON’T Want To Hire “The Best”

July 2, 2019 /

Of all the lies recruiters tell themselves this might be one of my faves. We only hire “the best”. We only engage with “the best” talent on behalf of our clients. We won’t consider less than “the best” for our open roles. In fact, someone looking to hire a recruiter recently told me “decent is a bad word to me”, as he only hires “the best”.

As I’m thinking about this post, I’m wracking my brain trying to remember a time a hiring manager said those words to me. “ONLY BRING ME THE BEST! NOTHING ELSE WILL DO!” I gotta tell you guys, I’m drawing a blank here. This is not to say leaders get it right all the time – but generally they know to caveat their requests with some specifics. In all my years of tech recruiting, we are usually looking for someone who –

  • writes clean code
  • has been part of or possibly led a team
  • solved large scale problems
  • has a relatively provable track record of success

Can I with any confidence say I’m going to find “the best” developer and convince them to take this role? Or “the best” manager to lead that team? What the hell does it even mean? Is it all just meaningless buzzwords we use to feel superior? If I let myself fall too far down the rabbit hole I have to wonder just who is holding the measuring stick for all this best-i-ness!! HOW CAN I KNOW???

Fun Fact – I can’t. And neither can you. There are certain things we can and should vet as part of the recruiting process. Can the person accomplish this thing? Check. Are they interested in doing said thing for my client? Check. Will they actually leave the current place they’re doing the thing and come do the thing here for the amount of money I can pay them? CHECK CHECK CHECK.

Ladies and Gentlemen, you might have yourself a hire! Now congratulate yourself on being a master of the recruiting universe and stop wondering if someone “better” is out there. Because they are. You will drive yourself absolutely bat shit crazy if you focus on only “the best” however you choose to define it.  I guarantee someone else involved in the process will have a whole ‘nother way to measure “best”.

How about we look at this a little differently, hmm? Start asking yourselves these questions –

  • is my prospect QUALIFIED (they can do the thing)
  • are they INTERESTED (willing to talk about doing the thing here)
  • can I AFFORD them (I can pay what it will cost for them to do the thing)
This is obviously the BARE MINIMUM of what we should be thinking about / discussing – but how differently does our recruiting approach look when we stop caring about subjective, silly qualifiers like “best” and focus on things we can actually measure? A simple change in mindset is so freeing. All of a sudden I can start focusing on what MATTERS and forget about pipeline that won’t fit my criteria, no matter how great. This is often a discussion when it comes to remote work – you can’t really say you want “the best” when you’re not willing to let people work from home. Or bring their cats to work. Or wear yoga pants. Someone, somewhere, is doing an AMAZING job at the thing, and you won’t hire them because you have this or that rule. You can have those rules. Within reason and the law, you can have just about any old rule you want. So throw out “the best” and focus on what works for the team AND the candidate. In other words, “the best for this specific role, at this specific time, under these specific circumstances”.
You can have a high bar. You can expect BIG THINGS from people (even more so if you give them something juicy in return – be it money, culture, growth, whatever). Just keep it real. Your clients and candidates will love you for it.
Sincerely, 
Not the best – but definitely sometimes really great 🙂

What Prospects REALLY Think of Your Inmail (and how to be better)

April 29, 2019 /
Or better said, InMAUL (thank you Uncle Steve).

Y’all I just CAN’T with this today. I blame this nasty cold I’ve been fighting for nearly a week, it’s made me crankier than usual. I was feeling almost human today, so thought I’d respond to an otherwise “meh” inmail (inmaul!) I got last week. Here goes –
Hi Amy, 
I had reached out to you via InMail a few weeks ago and I am just touching base to make sure you received my message! I am currently looking for Recruiters for a few exciting positions at [COMPANY] and I am writing to gauge your interest. I would love to further our conversation if you are interested in recruiting opportunities at [COMPANY] 🙂 Let’s connect and see if we can collaborate either now or in the future. Happy connecting!
  
Ok so this was the 2nd message in a week. Totally fine. The first message was more general networking, nothing exceptional either way. I had every intention of sending a nice “thanks but no thanks” – however being curled up in a miserable ball of sickness derailed that plan. I digress.
I decide to write back this morning – I like to be SUPER transparent and make sure I’m leaving no room for guesswork. Most of the time these responses knock me right out of consideration, which is fair, given that it would take something truly spectacular to pull me away –
hi [AGENCY RECRUITER], happy to chat, but I do want to be clear on where I am in my career / what it would take to pry me away 🙂

I’m full time at Google – Since I’ve been here less than a year I’d have a significant clawback if leaving any time soon. This would obviously need to be accounted for in any potential offers. (I know it may seem premature to mention, we’ve only just met! But I just want to be extra transparent).

I’m also connected to a couple of leaders at [COMPANY ([SPECIFIC TEAMS])] and am having long term chats about future potential. Since you’re representing an agency, I just want to be up front on that, as I may not be a “fee-worthy” candidate. Also, not interested in contract unless it pays VERY well, 100% remote and allows me to finally relocate to Hawaii. 😉

How do you define “exciting positions” at [COMPANY]? I have my own thoughts on what makes a role epic, but curious what that means to you.

Happy hunting!
  Amy 
Here’s the thing y’all – I’m 9 months into my role. I’m having some growing pains like anyone else. I’m CONSTANTLY engaging with / networking with recruiting leaders as you just never know where your career will take you. I’m not actively looking to leave (I JUST FREAKING GOT HERE) but I wanted this recruiter to know that I already know people at your client. You are probably not getting a fee for me.
Here’s the response I got – approximately 5 minutes later –
Hi Amy, 
Thank you for the information! I have many roles across different recruiting teams at [COMPANY]. I work with the direct managers at [TEAM, TEAM, TEAM I ALREADY MENTIONED, and TEAM]. I hire all levels of Technical Recruiters to these teams. Dependant on your skill set I would present you to one or multiple of these teams. The roles are primarily sourcing roles. Let me know if you would be interested in continuing the conversation! 
I am curious, are you full time or contract at the moment? 

Cheers, 
[AGENCY RECRUITER]
Please take a moment and see if you can point out the mistakes.
Ok, have your list? I have one too. But first, my snarky response back because I JUST F%&$ING CAN’T TODAY.
full time

my super power is recruiting strategy and client engagement. I helped build the Business AI team at Microsoft while I was there. I currently manage all senior hiring (engineering managers) across YouTube with a team of 3 (2 sourcers and another recruiter)

I’ve spoken at tons of conferences, conducted lots of trainings, webinars and written many recruiting articles – lots out there that speaks to my skill set and expertise 🙂 If you still think you can charge a fee for me after learning more about me, happy to chat. 

I won’t consider contract unless it’s breathtakingly better than what I’m currently doing (and pays like, $100 an hour or more depending on cost of benefits, etc)
YOU DIDN’T READ MY RESPONSE
I am clearly full time. I said that. Like clearly stated I’m full time and not interested contract. Yet you still asked if I was full time or contract. Is this real life?
YOU DID ZERO HOMEWORK
Don’t bullshit me on this. If you’d done even a cursory scan of my LinkedIn profile (let alone the rest of my social footprint) you’d know a few things about me. You could have cracked a joke about yoga pants. You could have said “great job on last week’s webinar” (even though you clearly didn’t listen to it) you could have said SOMETHING, ANYTHING, that would have indicated I was more than just another target on your inmaul list.
YOU DIDN’T ADDRESS MY QUESTION
I gave you an opening. I asked you why your roles were exciting (YOUR WORDS). You could have given me any kind of pitch that maybe JUST MAYBE would have gotten my attention or possibly given me a reason to refer someone your way.
Y’all I’m nobody special. I’m just another recruiter in a sea of AMAZING professionals trying to do my best and feed my kids. I work for a high profile brand, I have a bit of name recognition because I verbally vomit all over the internet. I’m not the only one, and don’t think I’m any more qualified than the next guy on your list.
The next guy deserves better. So did I.
So does the Engineering Manager I’m about to contact out of the blue. They guy or gal who’s happily leading a team building the next epic thing at a cool company. The leader who’s INUNDATED with inmails (INMAULS) from recruiters like me. The manager who’s more concerned about getting the next feature shipped and NOT their next job.
I have a new rule for any outgoing message I send. How would this MAKE ME FEEL if I was on the receiving end? If the answer is “like a number”, then I should probably rethink before I hit send.
Oh, and if you’re wondering about the response I got to my final message?
Hi Amy,

Thank you for letting me know! At this time that is higher than I would be able to pay. If that changes I will be sure to reach out!

Cheers,
[Agency Recruiter]



Hawaii, here I come!

The “Hard Close” and Other Recruiting Nonsense

January 30, 2019 /

It’s a candidate driven market, y’all.

If you’re a recruiter reading this, you know EXACTLY what I mean. For certain skill sets, opportunities are damn near limitless. I’ve been recruiting in tech for the last several years and I’m telling you, jobs are more plentiful and offers more competitive than I’ve ever seen.

Enter – the Hard Close.

Recruiters like to play this little game with themselves. The game is called Candidate Control. The objective is Make The Candidate Say Yes. This could be saying yes to a conversation, an interview, and ultimately, an offer. The holy grail of the recruiting process. The end all / be all (especially if you’re on commission).

Full disclosure – I find the concept of “candidate control” to be irritating, annoying, and downright fictitious. Influence? Sure. CONTROL? Ewww. Go away.

So back to the hard close.

This is when you have an offer out to a candidate who isn’t quite ready to pull the trigger. They may have other offers, still be interviewing elsewhere, or just not quite ready to make a decision. So the recruiter (desperately clinging to some semblance of control) does the good old takeaway. This offer will turn into a pumpkin at midnight! If you don’t say yes RIGHT NOW you’ll never get another chance!

Fine. The answer is NO.

See I’ve LIVED through the hard close myself. A few years ago I was approached by a start up newly launching in Seattle. GREAT opportunity to build out a recruiting function. There were some pieces already in place but some really cool work ahead and my potential boss was great. The interview process was smooth, they met my comp expectations, and I was seriously thinking about it.

EXCEPT I DIDN’T GET TO THINK ABOUT IT.

At every touch point I shared my concerns and timeline. What I was walking away from. Assurances I needed to accept the new role. I was ready to say yes, but wanted ONE MORE CONVERSATION to walk through things like benefits, work / life balance, basically sanity checking what I thought I knew about what I was getting into.

I was told I was taking too long and needed to get back to the team THAT DAY. I’d had the offer letter in my hand for maybe 24 hours.

That’s it. That’s all it took for me to decide this was NOT the place for me. I immediately sent my regrets and regards. I didn’t need to change jobs. The company needed me more than I needed them. Sure it could have been an epic opportunity, but there was also a lot of risk. And if the recruiting leadership was not willing to give me another day or two PLUS their time to discuss what mattered to ME – they didn’t deserve me.

Now imagine you’re a software engineer, or data analyst, or any of the other hot jobs out there right now. You’ve got multiple offers with more recruiters calling you every day. You’re ready for a change, exciting about something new, but want to be really thoughtful in your final decision. You just want to make a call with all the available information in front of you. Then the recruiter pulls this shit, probably making you feel insignificant, not heard, and frankly, probably not respected.

So what’s a recruiter to do? Yes I understand there are timelines – roles can’t sit open forever and you can’t let someone take 3 months to decide if they want to accept an offer or not. There are two critical questions you should always be asking your finalists –

1. What other information do you need (from me, my company, or outside) to make your decision?
2. What is your timeline to make a decision?

And finally, SHARE YOUR TIMELINE TOO. If you know this offer is going to expire, or there is a business need to put a specific deadline (need to respond to other candidates, team is going to implode if we don’t fill the role, whatever) TELL YOUR CANDIDATE.

A little honesty and transparency goes a long way – a hell of a lot farther than “hard close” takeaways.

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