I\u2019ve spent most of my career as a hiring manager, but I\u2019ve also\u00a0been a candidate. And I have to tell you – it can be shockingly annoying to be on the candidate\u2019s side of the table.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve had many moments where I\u2019ve wondered, \u201cDid a human write that email, or did a random phrase generator?\u201d Or, \u201cDid they even bother to READ my LinkedIn profile before sending me job spam?\u201d Or even worse, \u201cIf you can\u2019t get my name right (and it\u2019s Jenn – seriously, not hard in the US, where it was the most popular girls\u2019 name for 15+ years), please don\u2019t call me.\u201d<\/p>\n
After all of these experiences, I\u2019ve put together a list of the top 7 ways to annoy me as a candidate:<\/p>\n
I am not John. I am not Jan. I am not Jane or Janet or Jean. If you\u2019re contacting me – especially if you\u2019re contacting me as a passive candidate – please get my name correct. Dale Carnegie said that \u201ca person\u2019s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.\u201d Well, getting my name wrong certainly hits a sour note!<\/p>\n
I got this email\u00a0a while ago and have kept it since I still find it amusing.<\/p>\n
Hi! My name is We have a 6-12 month renewable contract<\/strong> in Boston, MA<\/strong> for a Project Manager Standard Associate (2 yrs)<\/strong>. The hourly rate for this is W2 $ Let\u2019s review why it was\u00a0very silly to send me:<\/p>\n A quick Google or LinkedIn search would have helped this person avoid sending a ridiculous email that could have gotten me complaining about their company on social media (and not with the name redacted as I did here!).<\/p>\n This one follows closely on the heels of #2. Reaching out to me on LinkedIn for positions or industries that in no way resemble anything that I am doing or have ever done in my career (e.g., executive assistant roles – which has happened!) only proves that you aren\u2019t careful in trying to find the right candidates for the roles you\u2019re trying to fill. If you\u2019re demonstrably careless about something as vital as finding the right candidates for your role, why would I work with you?<\/p>\n I will readily admit to being a bit of a \u2018Type A\u2019 personality, but I\u2019m sure I\u2019m not the only person out there who likes to have some idea about where, when, and with whom my interview will be taking place. Not having any idea where I\u2019m going or who I\u2019m talking to at minimum 24-48 hours out makes me cranky. And when I\u2019m cranky, I\u2019m less likely to perform well at the interview or be really interested in the role.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, what are you looking for in a role?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looking for a company that I can live and breathe. I want to do high-level strategic growth work and provide leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreat! You\u2019ll fit right into our entry-level temporary accounting role!\u201d<\/p>\n Sounds ridiculous, right? Sadly, it\u2019s happened. If you listen to me, we\u2019ll be much more likely to make a good match. Of course, I need to listen to you as well!<\/p>\n Years ago, I went into a company to interview for a role that was right up my alley. I prepped for it, and I was really excited about the company and the role – the role was to build something really exciting and lead a great team. I discovered (in the second of a full day of interviews) that they had switched the role without telling me. The new role was to evaluate the nationwide operations and make layoff recommendations. There was no building anything – there was tearing down instead – and no team. By switching the role and not telling me until I got there, they wasted everyone\u2019s time.<\/p>\n This one, frankly, is just rude. You\u2019d be annoyed if I didn\u2019t get back to you, so I expect the same courtesy from you. We\u2019re all humans and this is a very small world – let\u2019s just be courteous to each other, okay?<\/p>\n\n
3. Ignore my current title\/industry.<\/h2>\n
4. Fail to confirm interview places, people, dates, and times.<\/h2>\n
5. Do not listen to the words that are coming out of my mouth.<\/h2>\n
6. Pull a bait & switch.<\/h2>\n
7. Don\u2019t get back to me.<\/h2>\n