JobSync

Are You Too Tough on Candidates? Walk a Mile in Their Shoes

October 11, 2011

Despite there being 14 million Americans out of work, recruiters and hiring managers report being frustrated with the experience and background of applicants for positions. In fact, according to a recent survey of 2,600 hiring managers from CareerBuilder, two-thirds of employers expressed concern over the gap in education and skills in the U.S. and corresponding shortfall in talent for specialized positions. Others report disappointment in the commitment and drive of candidates applying to their companies. Are employers simply being too hard, or are candidates simply being too soft?

It is most likely a combination of both. With so many seemingly talented employees out of work, it is easy for companies to assume that everyone applying for a job with them is a superstar whose previous employer fell on hard times. Hence, their frequent disappointment in applicants. However, it might be more constructive for employers to gain an understanding of the typical job seeker in today’s market if they hope to make a more informed hiring decision.

According to the Labor Department, the average length of unemployment has risen to 40.5 weeks, a 60-year historical high. Considering that the average job hunter has been out of work for over nine months and facing constant job search rejection ever since, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that being shell-shocked has given way to creeping despair. More importantly, the circumstances surrounding their prior layoffs have also played into their mindsets. It has become increasingly common for companies to abruptly terminate long-term employees while offering them paltry severance packages.

Should employers then lower the bar? With respect to expectations for experience and skills, absolutely not. But when a candidate expresses too much caution or exuberance in an interview, try and walk a mile in their shoes. After all, they’re only human, and trying to understand where those shoes have been will make you human, too. And it may just prevent a great-fitting candidate from slipping through your fingers.

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