Ask Jeanne Stewart what disqualifies a job candidate and she might tell you something like “16 points on a driver”™s license” and “felony possession of marijuana.”
Wearing multiple hats, the president of the Human Resources Association of New York and director of HR client services for tristate-based Employment Practices Advisors, recently recruited candidates for family business Marrins”™ Moving based in New York City.
“We have experienced a lot of no-shows,” she said, of recruiting drivers. “We had over 200 people call us and we set up 50 interviews and only 15 showed.”
Applicants who fail to follow directions can be an added nuisance to HR executives. The same is true for: phone calls in instances where emails are requested; and replying to the auto-responder.
But, breaking rules can, at times, be professionally beneficial.
“Sometimes we”™re so overwhelmed in HR that if someone”™s pushy, it helps you remember them,” Stewart said. “Our departments have all been cut, but people shouldn”™t be frustrated with the process. We”™re heading into summer and the process is taking a lot longer to get the offer.”
Bruce Blackwell, managing partner of Career Strategies International in White Plains, N.Y., said you can follow up without running the risk of appearing too eager.
“I had that ”˜no phone calls”™ listed on a posting I put up for my company and this person called up and initially I was annoyed, but I ended up hiring her,” Blackwell said.
Sometimes, the squeaky wheel does get the grease, he said, but “you don”™t want to be obnoxious.”
Making job ads more specific has been a way for Stewart to combat unserious candidates or complete mismatches.
This method of zeroing in on desired talent is one that Paul Forster, CEO of job search engine giant Indeed.com in Stamford, recommends.
“If you can try and target your job sector, it”™s really the most effective thing to do,” he said. “Making sure the job description is really specific and targeted in the job requirements can head off a problem before it”™s created.”
Founded in 2004, Indeed.com has grown and attracted myriad investors.
The website aggregates job openings from sources like job boards and corporate career pages; it utilizes a pay-for-performance recruitment advertising model.
Forster said that targeting recruitment advertising to the right jobs will “secure ads are in front of the right eyeballs.”
“One of the keys is to see where your candidates are coming from online and to take resources away from channels that aren”™t working,” he said. “If you”™re getting all of your candidates from one place, it makes sense to spend more money there. Companies are becoming more aware of the need to find where candidates are coming from online.”
In the number of job postings, Forster has seen “quite a big uptick” from employers.
To grow its own sales and client services team, Indeed.com will host an open house for both job seekers and for companies at 4:30 p.m. May 25 at the new Stamford office.
Using an open house as talent screener could have its perks.
“Our director of sales attended one of these events,” Forster said. “He joined us as an account executive and now he”™s a manager.”
It allows for more face time in a collaborative setting as opposed to leaping straight to the sit down, one-on-one interview.
“A few places I work with want to see how well people do group-wise,” Stewart said. “They might want to hold an informal open house, but they still will do the one-on-one (interview) unless they”™re doing it just to get the cream of the crop.”
Either way, make sure you remember the thank you letter, she said.
And don”™t email it.    Â
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Tips from the Top
Honest advice for job seekers?
Stewart: “Be on time, don”™t be a wreck and bring a pen. Have a copy of your resume and you really shouldn”™t talk too much. Come with questions, such as ”˜How long has the position been open?”™ and ”˜How many people have been in this position for the last 10 years?”™ You may want to ask about your competitors. Be truthful. I tell people that if you are going on an interview and you feel something crazy, you don”™t want to work there.”
Blackwell: “If you”™re dealing with a recruiter, they don”™t want calls. A good recruiter will know if they need you or not. If they don”™t have a position now, it doesn”™t mean they won”™t have one later.”
