I want to work with you
Dear HR hiring leader.
I’ve agreed to this interview meeting with you, because the role and the company has me interested. What I’ve heard and seen and researched so far has me thinking that this would be a viable next career move for me. Aside from all the things in the role that would add to my skills and experience, I think I could make your life easier. I am confident that I’ll be able to add tangible value to achieving the goals and vision of yourself and the company.
Please impress me during this interview as I'm currently considering roles from several potential employers, and I need to see myself working here happily, and successfully. So....
Please don't give stock standard answers to my questions. It's so ho-hum when you tell me that the company is committed to professional development, diversity, work/life balance and has great promotional prospects. Every other employer claims this too but we all know it's usually corporate marketing bumph. Give me something real.
Please do not keep referring to the job spec in your answers - I've already read it, and I want to hear directly from you about the remit/challenges/performance measures. You make me worry when you cannot articulate answers without referring back to your checklists. (Are you not clear on what you would want me to achieve? Do you have a confidence issue? Can you only make decisions within the parameters of written policy/procedure?)
Please share details for your hiring process from the outset. If I know up front that you need 15 stages, I can at least manage my own expectations for process timing and my own commitment. And giving me a valid reason for so many stages would be helpful as this will be a significant investment of my time and energy with no guarantee of success. If you surprise me with a barrage of additional interviews part way through, you’re just creating doubt in my mind as to 1. whether you’re really sure I’m the right candidate and 2. whether your claims of dynamic and decisive culture are real and 3. whether you really want to action this hire at all.
Please do not ask me inane questions. Asking me where I see myself in 10 years, or what I think my strengths and weaknesses are – these are textbook questions that encourage me to give textbook answers. Your lack of questioning depth is steering me to tell you what I think you want to hear. What do you really want to know to set your mind at ease? If we’re going to be working together I need to know that you can share clear messaging with me.
Please impress me. If you can’t be bothered to look smart, talk smart, behave with manners, project energy and positivity; then why would I want to work with you? Don't make me feel like I'm meeting you just so you can use me to make up numbers to benchmark an internal hire or tick a diversity box.
Please be on time. I want to believe you really are interested in me as a professional and as a person. In the case of lateness for whatever reason, a call in advance would be great, and an apology immediately upon meeting will be appreciated. Just like you, my time is worth something and if you don't show me respect now, what will you be like to work with?
Please don't oversell the remit/company/culture/anything else. I can spot B.S. a mile off, and I'd rate you more for your honesty if you cannot offer everything I’m seeking. I like a challenge so you don’t have to pretend everything is rosy when it isn’t. I need assurance that you’re going to take an interest in my professional development, and that you’ll be active in helping me to be successful in this role. I start working here and learn that the role and stakeholder politics have been mis-sold, I'll only wind up leaving for a better employer, and you'll be stuck with a vacancy again.
Please don’t expect me to take time from my current employer, to attend a a torrent of interviews hosted by your “essential stakeholders” who all ask exactly the same questions. It makes me think that you don’t communicate effectively as a team, that you are dreadfully disorganised, that you personally have no decision making power, and you don’t respect my time.
I want to like you. I want to be enthused by you. I want you to impress me so strongly at interview that I can be excited about the prospect of working here and happily promoting the company to all that I meet (regardless of the outcome of this interview).
I want to work with you. Please make it easy for me to do so.
PS: the more that I like you, the company and the role, the more likely I'll flex when it comes time to negotiate any employment offer
About the Author
Leanne Morris is well known as a both an outspoken advocate and critic of the HR profession. With long standing networks across 94 countries in all specialist areas of the function, and a multi- continent work history, she is a sought after subject matter expert on international HR hiring trends and HR hiring best practice.