Weekly Newsletter Vol. 61 - October 30, 2024

Generating your Lead Story…

Spooky Truths About Hiring – How Halloween Relates to the Interview Process

As Halloween approaches, there’s an undeniable charm in haunted houses, trick-or-treating, and costumes, but the spooky season isn’t just limited to October 31. Hiring processes, like Halloween festivities, can bring out tricks, treats, and even a ghost or two. This parallel might sound uncanny, but hiring managers and candidates alike have probably encountered these eerily similar experiences.

Ghosting: We’ve all heard of ghosting in the dating world, but it’s become a hauntingly familiar experience in recruitment. Candidates go through rounds of interviews, invest time and effort, only to receive… silence. Or, equally spooky, hiring managers wait in anticipation for a new hire who mysteriously vanishes without notice. Ghosting is all too real in recruitment, leaving both sides haunted with unanswered questions. Just like that unexpected apparition in a haunted house, ghosting catches us off guard and can be frustrating. Solutions like transparent communication and prompt follow-ups can help prevent the silent specters from appearing.

Wearing Masks: On Halloween, everyone loves a good costume, but during interviews, “masks” can make the process tricky. Candidates sometimes present a polished version of themselves that might not be a true reflection, just as companies might glamorize their workplace culture. These "masks" can lead to disappointment once the initial impression fades. For instance, a candidate might claim expertise in specific software but later struggle with basic tasks, or a company might boast a flexible culture that, in reality, offers little work-life balance. To avoid these surprises, hiring managers should ask for specific examples, and candidates should ask for real-life scenarios to see the true culture behind the mask.

The Tricks: Trick-or-treating isn’t just for candy – it’s a mindset that both candidates and employers can take on. There’s often a give-and-take aspect in interviews, where candidates want to impress without revealing everything, while employers may highlight only the benefits of the role. Candidates, for example, might use a trick or two by framing a job gap as a "sabbatical for personal growth," or employers might gloss over the challenging parts of a role to secure a new hire. An effective solution? Honesty and transparency are the best ways to counter these “tricks” and ensure everyone’s expectations are met.

The Treats: On the flip side, successful hires and positive company cultures are the “treats” in recruitment – the payoff everyone hopes for. A “treat” might be a role with growth opportunities and support, or it could be a candidate who not only fits but enhances team dynamics. These are the golden moments in hiring that make the process worth it. Sharing real success stories from current employees or highlighting long-term career growth are great ways to show candidates what “treats” await.

Haunted by Past Experiences: Just as people revisit past frights on Halloween, many candidates and hiring managers are haunted by previous hiring or job-seeking experiences. A candidate who’s experienced a toxic work environment might approach interviews with caution, or a hiring manager who made a poor hire in the past might be overly critical during interviews. These past experiences can create biases, making it difficult to judge candidates or companies fairly. To avoid carrying old fears into new opportunities, both candidates and hiring managers should focus on the present and evaluate each interview based on its own merit.

Unmasking the Final Decision: Just like Halloween night comes to an end, so too does the hiring process, where decisions need to be made. But in recruitment, the “unmasking” moment – when the real deal is revealed – should ideally happen before the offer is extended. Reference checks, final evaluations, and realistic job previews can help everyone see past any lingering masks. Hiring decisions aren’t just about filling a role; they’re about finding the right fit and aligning long-term goals, and both candidates and companies benefit when they make choices that reflect true identities and intentions.

The Halloween season, with its ghostly tales and costumed encounters, serves as an amusing reminder of the quirks in hiring. By understanding these parallels and facing the “spooky” parts of recruitment, hiring managers and candidates can turn potential frights into opportunities for long-term success.

You can’t make this stuff up

_{(*Disclaimer: these are real experiences provided by RME's community of job seekers and hiring managers)}

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As strategic recruiting specialists, The Wohl Group offers a full range of recruiting and consulting services for businesses and hiring managers. We strive on a daily basis to provide each client and candidate we speak with the best resources for the hiring process.

Out-of-Office Offers

Chipotle’s $6 'Boorito' Deal Is Back

Chipotle Rewards members can receive one (1) entrée item for US$6 / CA$7 when appearing in costume at a participating U.S. and Canada location and scanning for Rewards at point of sale.

*Sale available: October 31, 2024 3 PM local time until close.