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Vol 8, No 10, December 2009
Dear Hiring Manager:
Sometimes even the best candidates have a hard
time
revealing the real reason for a job change. And, if
the
reason is strictly personal, that goes double!
This
month I give you my "magic question" for getting to
the
truth about why a candidate is leaving, or has left,
an
employer. It's a sure-fire way to get the information you
need to decide whether to move forward with a
candidate.
Betsy Harper
Managing Partner
Sales and Marketing Search
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Big Girls DO Cry
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I love to cook. Why, Julia Child is my patron
saint! I
spent a blissful time the Wednesday before
Thanksgiving chopping, dicing, sautéing,
boiling, and poaching — but NOT
peeling.
You see, the one job I hate to do is
peel those little onions that are a staple on the
Thanksgiving table.
I have tried every trick in the book to make this task
fun
and tearless, but to no avail. I have tried to cheer
myself up by listening to my favorite music while
peeling — doesn't work. I remain frustrated,
crying (literally) and want to pass this job off to
someone else. If I were a sous chef in a
restaurant and had to do this every day, I'd either
quit or, more likely, be fired for my attitude with
those onions — they just don't "work" for
me.
The "Killer"
Question
I was reminded through my tears of my favorite,
and
most important, question during an
interview:
"So
… what's not
working for you in your job right now?"
Something about the wording of this particular
question has worked like a charm for me these past
16
years. It reveals true reasons for a candidate's
motivation in looking for a new job, a new
company,
or a new manager.
It Gets To
Authentic
I think the question elicits a truthful response because
it is personal in nature, rather than
professional. I'm not asking for the business reasons
around their thinking, although that may very well be
part of their answer.
I am asking about them in a
non-threatening way. And many times candidates
enthusiastically answer the question like it's the first
time anyone has bothered to ask them about their
motivation.
When people make a job change, sometimes it's
hard to admit and express the truth of why
they left, or are leaving, an employer. In most cases
the reasons are professional and personal —
a delicate blend of both.
When interviewing,
candidates think that hiring managers don't want to
hear the truth. They will stick to responding with "pat"
answers that they feel are more professionally
acceptable; answers like "strategic decision to go
another direction," "not enough challenge," or my
personal favorite, "more time with my family."
(Politicians love that one.)
My question cuts
through the accepted business speak to get right to
the heart of the situation, no matter whether the
reasons are personal, professional or mixed.
So, if you want to find out more about who your
candidate really is and the motivation behind his
career move, use it. And then, sit back and
carefully listen to the answer. You'll surely
know whether you want to move forward in the
process.
And by the way, you won't be surprised to read that for
the Christmas Dinner, those pesky little onions are
NOT on the menu!
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"Talk Bahstan To Me"
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Thanks to all of you who responded to last month's
newsletter, "Talk Boston to Me." It was
especially fun to hear from Betsy Gardner-Graham of
Raleigh, NC who wrote, "Your newsletter made
me wicked homesick!"
If you want to see more Boston fun — click here!
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