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The Job-Seeker's Lament: Tales from the Employment Front

Seems those hair-raising, we-thought-they-were-outlawed hiring practices are still very much alive and well. Over the last year, I've heard more causes for lawsuits than in my entire 20-year career. A colleague of mine, a bright, attractive, savvy woman, was told during an interview for a corporate position that she was "too plump" for the company's predominantly male environment. Her interviewer told her that they typically only hired "model types" so, basically, thanks but no thanks. Another woman I know, also a highly experienced professional with a doctoral degree, shared her stories of several recent interviews. "The last person I met with," she said, "told me that my hair was too nice and that I wouldn't fit in with their company. I nearly fell out of the chair! The interviewer at a very high-end retail establishment told me that they only want 'former waitresses', and the HR person at a large corporation looked right at my extensive résumé and told me I didn't have any experience at all. At another recent interview, the hiring team showed up in what honestly looked like their pajamas; it was really awful. I knew I wasn't going to get the job. My hair was probably too nice for them, too." Bad hiring manners impact men as well. A college professor, after being strung along for months by the university's search committee, was finally offered the job, only to receive a "ding" letter from the university a week later expressing regret that they had found another candidate and wouldn't be further pursuing his candidacy. Apparently, someone on the search committee neglected to remove his name from the "reject" mailing list. "What a surprise," the professor said, "to see that I had been rejected for another candidate: Me!" Another gentleman colleague was asked about his religious affiliation during a recent interview and was told, on the QT, that the previous candidate was very well-liked, but that the company wouldn't hire him because he was (insert religious denomination here). More and more, applicants are being asked about their marital and child status, plans to become pregnant, spiritual inclinations, and other highly taboo topics. One client, who was applying for a job at a European university, was stunned to find that an entire page of the employment application was devoted to explicit questions about sexual preference and behavior. Poor form is clearly a global issue. Perhaps it's time for a wake-up call. The EEOC and courts take these matters very seriously. If management and hiring personnel are not extremely well-trained in the legalities and proprieties of interviewing and hiring, they put their company at substantial risk. More importantly is how we make people feel when we treat them with disregard and disrespect. Employers need to be cognizant of the fact that most job-seekers have invested quite a bit of time and money in their search. Résumé and portfolio printing, interview suits, gas, phone calls, postage and the like add up, especially for someone who may not be working. Job-seekers know the pressure is on and they typically want to perform well. The very fact that they have expressed an interest in working for a particular company is a compliment to that organization. Consider adding the following to your hiring protocols:   Acknowledge every applicant. It's rude to let candidates think their résumés or applications have fallen into some HR abyss. Send a postcard or an e-mail and keep them up-to-date on your hiring process.   No one likes to receive the dreaded "ding" letter. Rather than a cursory, insensitive note, thank each candidate for their time and effort and let them know that their experience and skills did not go unnoticed. Refrain from verbiage like, "we found a better-qualified candidate" or "we won't be considering you further." Ouch. A little diplomacy will serve you much better. After all, do you really want a pool of insulted and disgruntled applicants talking down your business? Leave each person with a positive impression of your company because you may actually want to hire them at a later date.   If you've already identified a current employee for a particular job, but must advertise the position because of legalities, be up front in your posting and add the tagline, "an internal candidate has been identified." You'll save a lot people a tremendous amount of time and money - including yourself. Clear and proper communication is paramount in the employment process. Employers and candidates are both responsible for the appropriateness of their words and actions (I'll talk in a subsequent column about protocols for job-seekers), and for ensuring that the interview and hiring process is a mutually respectful one.

Debra Davenport, PhD, is a Master Professional Mentor and the president of DavenportFolio, a licensed firm with offices in Los Angeles and Phoenix that mentors entrepreneurs and professionals. She is the creator of the Certified Professional Mentor® designation and certification program and the author of The Ten Commitments of Highly Successful People. debra@davenportfolio.com or (866) 232-6492.

     

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