HireArt

Thoughts on hiring and getting hired

[hireart]

Q&A: Why video interviewing?

Today I got an email from a frustrated applicant. 

He wrote:

"I am not interested in a position that requires “video” communications.  I realize this may be very convenient and cost effective for HireArt, but it does not appeal to me at all.  While I certainly believe in technology,  I feel video  it goes too far and is very impersonal."

I realize that this is the way quite a lot of people feel, so this is what I said to him. Not sure it's sufficient, but hopefully a start. 

Hi, 

I totally understand if you feel that it's not personal. But to be honest, we actually started the company because we were so frustrated by the way employers treated candidates. For each job, recruiters get 500 resumes and spend 20 seconds per resume. Most candidates never even hear back. The whole paper-shuffling resume game where people try to maximize the number of keywords they put into their resume seemed absurd to us. So what we're trying to do with HireArt is let candidates show who they actually are and explain their story. Employers are much more willing to engage in this format -- I recently learned that a busy VP of Marketing was watching these videos on the train on his way home from work. 

I totally understand if you don't want to do it.  But our goal is to give candidates a chance to actually show who they are and what they can do versus just being a piece of paper. 

Cheers and thanks again for the feedback

Elli

[hireart]

What if I am good at everything...?

Recently I've spoken to a few candidates with the same problem: They are good at a lot of different skills and they have an amazingly diverse background. Our careers are much less linear than those of our parents, so it's not uncommon for candidates to have experience in various functions.

But sometimes these are the very candidates who struggle most with finding jobs. Employers perceive them as having an "unorganized" resume or being "hard to read." Below is a question I received recently and my response. 

Question: 

I am a former non-profit executive - turned real estate rock-star - turned freelance copy-writer and editor. I'm also currently working around London as an assistant, anywhere that makes sense to my resume and getting Google AdWords and SEO (basic) certified. A resume writer just described my work history as a "mixed bag" and as such, I've been quite often insecure and worried about what this means to my up and coming job search. I'm writing to get your thoughts on my situation and well, heck, anything else you have the generosity to give across.- J. 

Response: 

Dear J, 

That is quite a mixed bag! But a good one. 

Mostly I think you need to decide on a cohesive story and stick to it. Many candidates are tempted to say "I'd be a great marketer at your company. or admin. Or sales person. But hey I can also be a copywriter!" This is not a good strategy. It makes the employer think you're not great at any of those things (even if you are) or that you haven't figured out quite what you want to do (even if you have). 

Much better to say "I am a fantastic SEO marketer and here's all the stuff I've done." Cognitively it's much easier for an employer now because they can stick you into the SEO candidate bucket and really consider you with ease. Remember that if something is too hard for an employer to think through (like "what is this person's background really?") then they get lazy and move on. -Elli

Being good at many things is a great advantage. But if you're like J. and are having trouble getting your story across, remember that a simpler story might be better. It may feel crazy to undersell the many things you're great at, but after seeing thousands of candidates I've realized that even I am bad at really trying to understand what an applicant is good at unless their message is very linear and clear. 

Good luck to all you superstars! Once they hire you, they'll realize you're good for many roles. 

[hireart]

Valentine’s Day: Why Getting a Job is Just like Dating

With Valentine’s Day coming up, love is in the air. For some people this is a time to celebrate a relationship. For others it's a time to get drunk with friends and rejoice in singlehood. But very few people will take Valentine’s Day as a chance to think about jobs (sounds scary right?). And yet, when you think of it, finding a job is very much like dating .  So here are our tips about what lessons you can apply from dating to finding a job: 1. First impressions matter In dating, as in job-hunting, first impression and nuanced signals matter. Think about the last time you went on a first date (especially a blind date!): Did you think about the words/language your date used in his/her email give you some hints about what they were going to be like? Did you google them before going for coffee? How soon after meeting them did you know whether there was a chance this would work?  Online job applications are especially similar to online dating -- first impressions start before you even meet, so be sure to think carefully about your online persona.  And once you meet, be sure to impress them -- dress right, be on time and show yourself in your best colors, just as you would if you were going on a date.   2. Wooing means pursuing, but also giving space The art of wooing has been much discussed. Dating experts will tell you to show interest but not be pushy, to do things that stand out and set you apart, to try to understand your date and make them feel special. Much of these rules apply to job-hunting. Perhaps the most common mistake we see job candidates make is trying too hard and being overly pushy for an answer or a follow-up date. Charles V is famous for saying "Fortune has something of the nature of a woman. If she is too intensely wooed, she commonly goes the further away.” The same applies for a job -- give the hiring manager the space they need to make the decision. If you're perceived as trying too hard, you'll turn them off.  3. Being in high demand is the best incentive for quicker decisions We all learned this in high school - the best way to get a date with someone you want is to be perceived as going on dates with lots of other people. At risk of losing you to a rival, your prospective date finally takes action. You may not think this is true of job-hunting but exactly the same dynamic applies. A recent candidate had been in the process with an employer for 2 months. She got another offer a told the employer about it. A few days later she had an offer letter. Sound perplexing? No, for employers, knowing that another hiring manager wants to hire you is a boost of confidence and further evidence that you're the right hire. I've seen this hundreds of times. But don't be tempted to lie as it can backfire too easily and will eventually come back to bite you.   4. Don't bash your ex There’s nothing less sexy than talking smack about your ex. Instead of sounding confident and fun, you come across as bitter and hung-up. The same is true of former employers. One of the biggest mistakes candidates make in the interview process is disparaging their former employer. You may think this helps you show interest in the new company or explain why you're leaving your current role, but the only thing an employer thinks of in that moment is "Oh-oh, these are the things he'll say about our company when he leaves." It's best to keep the conversation positive when discussing your previous jobs. Be honest and factual, answer the questions your hiring manager has, but avoid excessive negativity.  5. Perhaps most importantly, don't settle Sometimes, in dating, we are tempted to settle – for a person that doesn’t treat you well, or for a relationship that isn’t great. And this happens with jobs too. Look for a job that you will genuinely enjoy and once you get the offer, make sure not to give yourself away too easily! Make sure you negotiate your offer and understand exactly what terms you're being hired for. A recent candidate accepted an offer at a company in San Francisco too quickly. She later found out that the position paid less than she needed and that the job description was too junior for her. Before you say "yes," make sure you understand what you're getting yourself into. Otherwise the morning after may not be as happy as it could/should be. 

  Valentines Day reminds us how fun dating and relationships can be. It's fun to woo and be wooed, it's fun to meet people and it's fun to be in a relationship with someone you love and care about. The same is true for job hunting -- enjoy the process and make the most of it. You've got special skills so find the company that needs what you've got and that will appreciate you for what you really are!

[hireart]

Writing a job description: how to get it right

It seems easy enough, right? Outline the responsibilities, the requirements and bam - resumés will come flooding in. WRONG. Even in this economy, it is still worth putting some thought into how you can attract the best candidates by writing a solid job description.

Below are a few examples about what some employers are doing wrong and a few companies that are already getting it right.

1. Not emphasizing the vision enough

Don't just tell candidates what their daily duties will be. Get them pumped about the vision and future of the company.

Doing it right: Rap Genius

"Over the past 3 years we've grown from nothing to the biggest hip hop site on the Internet. Now,  we've raised $15M from Andreessen Horowitz (http://goo.gl/CWJpW) to become the biggest site PERIOD. We are looking for Brilliant Engineers to Build the "Internet Talmud". Come Join"

2. Not emphasizing the team enough

Talented people want to work with a talented team, so don't be shy in bragging about your team.

Doing it right: Milo

"Our team is awesome. We take on audacious goals and hit them out of the park.  We have come together from amazing and varied backgrounds, some companies and institutions include: McKinsey & Co., Bain & Co., Better Place, American Express, Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Duke University, The Wharton School, Georgetown University."

3. Boring descriptions of the role

Some companies make the role sound so boring, it makes candidates want to fall asleep.

Doing it right: onefinestay

"We are onefinestay, a VC-funded start-up rapidly expanding and need to hire someone we’re calling The Wolf (think: Pulp Fiction). We need ambitious, tenacious entrepreneurs who can solve any problem without breaking a sweat."

4. Vague description of responsibilities

If candidates don't know what the job really is, they won't apply. A good job description will list day to day responsibilities and describe what type of experiences would make a candidate qualified. 

Doing it right: Pandemic Labs

"Responsibilities

Management of client relationships

Design of campaigns on Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, and other social networks

Report on the success of campaigns

Manage small teams of coworkers from various departments to ensure client goals are met and exceeded

Necessary Skills:

Comfort initiating and running phone calls with up to 10 participants from various agencies and clients

Confidence when speaking with C-level executives

A creative mind

The ability to execute client or internal goals

An ability to understand basic numbers, ratios, and statistics

The ability to apply self discipline and "manage up" (we are almost the opposite of micromanagers and we expect to be asked for help proactively as needed)."

[hireart]

Memoires of a Candidate: What it's like and why it's scary

For all the time we spend on Skype, Facetime and Google Hangouts, for all the pictures we post to Instagram and Facebook, and for all the ridiculous videos we make on our iPhones when we’re goofing around with our friends… interviewing for a job through video can still feel really awkward.

When I did my first video interview on HireArt, for a Virtual Admin position, I took three times longer than they told me the interview was likely to last. If I had to guess, I’d say I spent over an hour on the first task: recording a 2-minute video about myself.

I started off with the utmost confidence. Having answered this question well over 50 times at in-person interviews, a two-minute video on this seemed like a no-brainer. So I recorded my first attempt and eagerly pressed the “Review Video” button.

As it started to play, I was immediately embarrassed by the result. For starters, watching myself made me feel seriously physically awkward - do I really sound that nasally? does my hair look like a bird’s nest at all times? – but then I realized the problem was much more serious: Did I even buy what I was saying?

When you are sitting across from someone at an in-person interview, you feed off of their energy. You say you are a good researcher, they nod and you in turn list your projects with even more enthusiasm. You say you are passionate about journalism, they ask you what you read in the morning and you eagerly list your favorite dailies and columnists.

On video, you are your only and harshest critic. As you are recording, no one is there to egg you on in the right (or wrong) direction. Really, there is no direction at all, except wherever you want to take it.

It took me a little while to realize this and at first, I just tried the same pitch again, with a different camera. The nasal issue was fixed (thankfully), but I still felt really disingenuous. Was I really that excited about research? I wasn’t and watching myself over and over again made it harder to lie each time.

What the HireArt experience helped me realize is that I had gotten so used to packaging and repackaging my experience and my interests to fit whatever job description, that I’d moved further and further away from a script that actually represented my real experience and interests. When faced with that reality on video, I wanted to fix it because I realized that if I landed a job on a lie, either the employer or I, or both us, would probably end up unhappy.

So perhaps after seven or eight attempts, I finally came up with a video that I thought honestly represented me. I still don’t know if I landed the job (fingers crossed), but I feel confident that if I do or don’t, it’ll be because I was or wasn’t a good fit… and I feel pretty good about that. 

- By Anonymous Candidate