Being genuine & sincere, especially in business – do you believe they are dying arts in this world of many deadlines & multi-taking we live in?
You’re prob like, why the F did he pic that pic of him w his niece, given this topic! I’ll explain more – but first a story that JUST happened to a friend of mine, that made me want to address this topic.
My buddy works in a pretty small industry – a niche one where “everyone kinda ends up knowing everyone” if you stay in it long enough. He applied to a position across the country, seeking a change & a new challenge.
He contacted the new organization directly to find out about the opening, & an employee who would’ve been his co-worker, answered, & said they’d love to offer him a chance to interview. He went through the interview about a month ago. All sounds “standard” so far, right?
When I inquired where he was in the process yesterday, he said he hadn’t heard yet. So, I asked him what the interview was like. Here’s the part that shook me: his interview was conducted by a computer video software! He was asked a set of questions, given a max time limit to begin a response on camera, & a max time limit to complete his response. He never spoke to an actual person!
Shocked at the process, I recommended he CALL the VP of the dept (the hiring manager) directly, & ask about the status (after a month w/o hearing). He left a vmail, & minutes later, received an email that they’d picked another candidate & appreciated his application.
I understand budgets. I understand deadlines. I understand multi-tasking. But, interviewing PEOPLE, through a software?? In an industry where everyone is connected?? In one where this guy will likely be asked by others who enter the industry, about that firm??
Maybe I’ve been out of the interview game for a while, but I always saw an interview as a way to put our best foot forward, treat ppl well, help them see what it WOULD be like to work for the org. Then, communicate timely to them – even if it took others covering for me, personally, so that they understood why they did or didn’t get the position.
Isn’t that only fair? Even if you’re out for your own self-interests, isn’t that the positive perception you want out in the marketplace? Isn’t that the right thing to do bc you never know where you might encounter someone down the road?
So why this pic? I tried to find one where I was being asked to do something I don’t love – take a pic, by my dad ;), at a time I was also doing something I do love – hugging my niece. My only desire was to keep talking to her, but in courtesy to my pops, I did my best to pose for the shot & look genuinely interested, even though you can tell, my mind was mostly on her.
Bottom line, even if we have to go through the motions out of courtesy to others, can’t we make best efforts to be genuine & sincere? Or are we doomed to a world of computer video software programs interviewing us?
