You know, the usuals: Hocus Pocus for the kids (and the Millennials), and Jason and Freddy for the grown-ups. But as it turns out, your recruiters might have the scariest of stories to tell.
Give these stories a read…if you dare…
JEKYLL & HYDE
After spending an entire summer marketing for new education clients in Philadelphia, I FINALLY landed a school that was ready to use our services. I spent weeks recruiting candidates during the toughest time of year to recruit teachers, until I finally surfaced a candidate who checked ALL the boxes (and exceeded our expectations!) After multiple days of negotiating, compromising, and haggling, we finally settled on a rate and package that fit the bill rate and the candidate’s financial needs. She was the first candidate we were placing at our new school client, so we wanted to impress at any cost. She accepted our offer, and started work the very next day.
Fast forward to two weeks later: we were informed that the client ended her assignment because of her negative attitude. Sometimes it just be like that…
Lesson to be learned: You impressed your recruiter and your employer with your charm, knowledge, and positive attitude—but the first month of your new job is like starting with a clean slate. (Think of it as having to make a good impression on your employer—and your new colleagues—all over again.)
So when you walk in on your first day, it might be wise to leave your negativity at the door.
THE GREAT PUMPKIN
I once had a candidate who didn’t show up for his interview, and then called later that day to profusely apologize, claiming to have had a family emergency. I graciously granted him another interview—and once again, he again called to say he couldn’t make it. We even scheduled a THIRD interview with him; he arrived an hour late and was genuinely shocked when I told him I was no longer interested in interviewing him for the position.
Lesson to be learned: This candidate was lucky; second (or in this case, third) chances don’t come easy. We get it—THINGS HAPPEN. But your lateness or cancellation may hurt your standing in the eyes of recruiter or employer. So when those extra chances come your way, do whatever you can to exceed their expectations—and “wow” them enough to overlook the inconvenience.
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHER
I found a great candidate with an excellent resume, but this candidate—and her professional background—struck me as being a bit odd. She seemed distracted during the interview. I couldn’t reach any of the references she had provided, and she made different excuses for not being able to provide their phone numbers. I only found out later that she fabricated a chunk of her resume due to large gaps in her employment.
Lesson to be learned: Dishonesty is a toxic trait to bring into your job search—and if you land a job from a fabricated resume, you transition from lying to a potential employer to lying to your boss. Start off on the right foot by preparing how you can explain and spin the flaws in your employment history—without fearing the truth.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OFFICE
One candidate was very critical of our current IT setup and actually laughed and rolled his eyes as I described some of our systems and procedures. He then proceeded to push his opinions on how we SHOULD have set up our systems and how he would change everything, without even bothering to ask about our strategy or budget. He even took it upon himself to start discussing salary (as if he didn’t already overstep boundaries) and what we should be looking to pay someone like him to do the job.
Lesson to be learned: Whether intended or not, comments like these push professional boundaries and make candidates come off as arrogant to a fault. If you struggle with this, focus on how you can appear confident (rather than cocky) and avoid sharing critical comments about the company or department unless prompted to. And speaking of being prompted, the topic of salary should be completely off-limits until asked during the interview.