Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago · 1 min. reading time · 0 ·

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Brand Can Improve Your Odds of Getting Hired

Brand Can Improve Your Odds of Getting Hired

2f272820.pngA friend called to complain about a hiring problem.

She is a very powerful coach headquartered in Boston.

Her complaint was about trying to hire a new assistant.

There was no shortage of candidates. She got hundreds of resumes.

That is where things started going wrong.
She was shocked by the skills claimed and the lack of ability to convey thought in writing. Grammar seemed to have left the room. Simple declarative sentences that incorporated proof statements were non-existent. Short citations of delivered work product somehow were not included.

Once she had waded through a stack of 100 plus resumes she began interviewing.

That is where things went really wrong.
The Personal and Professional Brand Performance of the job seekers was appalling. The short list of their shortcomings that I could capture in my notes was:

  • Inappropriate dress
  • Chewing Gum during the interview
  • Not answering direct questions
  • Unasked for advice about her on-line presence
  • Inability to take down a message 

Out of 20 job seekers interviewed only 2 are getting call backs.

Those are the two that strove to build a relationship during the interview. They were confident enough in themselves to not try to make themselves superheroes. They were actually interested in the job and what it entailed. They linked their past histories to the perceived tasks to come.

How you can build a brand that gets you the job.

I asked Marty what she would say to those she didn't ask to return. Here are her comments:

  • Lower the altitude of your attitude. I can do without your smug, superior viewpoint.
  • Listen. Make me understand that we have actually communicated.
  • Answer my questions. Don't change the subject.
  • Lose the arrogance. In combination with ignorance it is deadly.
  • Acknowledge experience. Yes we live in a changing world but don't assume you know more about it than your interviewer.

Those are the ones I can print. She was really steamed. The point here is that your personal brand is what is on view in a job interview. If you don't have a lot of experience it is all that is being considered.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3a203eda.jpgJerry Fletcher is a beBee ambassador, founder and Grand Poobah of www.BrandBrainTrust.com

His consulting practice, founded in 1990, is known for Trust-based Brand development, Positioning and business development on and off-line. He is also a sought-after International Speaker.

Consulting: www.JerryFletcher.com
Speaking: www.NetworkingNinja.com

Get all the Brand Success Stories. Sign up at http://www.brandbraintrust.com/home.html


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#Boston #Grammar #Marty #Professional Brand Performance #Chewing Gum
Comments

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #30

And so it goes!

Anne 🐝 Thornley-Brown, MBA

6 years ago #29

#36
Barbara you are 100% correct. Perceptions ARE everything as they reveal a LOT about an individual. "This is very unlike me;" Not a chance. Your perceptions and comments reveal what you are like. ".....people don't see this side of me often." Then, this is a great discussion so that, for a change, people have a chance to see who EXACTLY who you are. One thing I cover in my Competency Based Behavioural Interviewing programme is the relationship between perception and bias. For example, I highlight the fact that it is not unusual for interviewers with deep-seated racial biases to perceive educated and accomplished Black professionals as "arrogant". "Over-confident" is another term that is a definite red flag. As a result of these biases, many qualified Black candidates get screened out. I caution the interviewers I train to be aware of this dynamic when they participate in panel interviews. I advise them to ensure that racial biases don't derail the selection process by being on the look-out for these adjectives when their fellow interviewers use them to describe Black candidates. (There is also a list of adjectives that reveal sexism.) Your perceptions are revealing a LOT about you. I would not be surprised for you to again edit your adjective and use the word "uppity". I have nothing further to say about this matter but keep talking so that people really have a chance to see who you are.

Anne 🐝 Thornley-Brown, MBA

6 years ago #28

#35
Thank you, Jerry. You can always tell that a blog post is excellent when it generates a lot of discussion from people with a variety of viewpoints. I also look forward to future exchanges with you.

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #27

#32
Jim, We geezers, Phil, you and me, all seem to be singing out the same hymnal and from the same page. I like the spunk and sass in Anne Thornley-Brown's comments. I think she's using a hymnal of more recent vintage. I'm looking forward to more of her observations.

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #26

#31
Thanks Phil, Like I said in the post Marty was calling to let off steam. I just put her comments out there for reaction. She had an assistant for years that was at the acme of that sort of job and truly enjoyed it. Family matters took her away and hence the search. I find it interesting that the initial reactions were to her unbridled distaste. Only one younger person (I think) chimed in and I think we agreed to disagree. That, to me is a partial victory. At least we can talk about the differences.

Anne 🐝 Thornley-Brown, MBA

6 years ago #25

#16
Exactly and once the specific competencies and skills have been identified, design questions that give the candidates an opportunity to provide specific examples of when they have demonstrated those competencies or used those skills in the past.

Jim Murray

6 years ago #24

Interesting post, Jerry. I don't thing there is anything wrong with being as demanding as hell about who you hire. But like Phil Friedman, I am not at all surprised at the scarcity of people who are A) at all literate and B) have enough smarts to understand that building a relationship is going to set you apart from all the slugs out there. And there are a lot of slugs, as we all know.

Phil Friedman

6 years ago #23

#28
Jerry, the tagline I use in much of my marketing materials has, for years been, "...because experience always matters." It is an eternal verity that only the instant Whiz Kids who ply the waters of the internet deny. Mainly because they don't have it. But also because, not having it, they cannot appreciate the value of having it and, instead, proudly subscribe to the maxim uttered not too long ago in print by celebrity entrepreneur, Richard Branson, to "fake it until you make it." Anyway, I am a little surprised at your friend's reaction. What mountain top has she been living on? Not that her complaints aren't valid. For they are. But that she is taken aback by what she faced. After all, it's all part of the social media circus. Where nearly everyone believes that self-ascribed expertise and self-certified skills are the order of the day. Where so many consider that being paid so little constitutes being gainfully employed. And where a significant number obviously believe that the only qualification for being an "entrepreneur" is to be unemployed. Yes, it's Friday and my day to see how many people I can piss off. :-) Jim Murray and I just completed an installment of "He Said He Said" that touches on some of your points. Great post, Jerry. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Cheers!

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #22

#25
Sandra, I agree it needs to be a conversation. But I disagree about testing skills and competencies on-line. And your comment about clothing/dress only applies if a person will not be meeting clients in person.

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #21

#16
Thanks, Laurent. Good advice. Didn't mean to set off a firestorm here. I just reported on the situation.

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #20

#14
Anne, I just reported. I am not an HR professional nor is Marty. Both of us come from the school of win your spurs by learning from experts. As a professional well versed in both on and off-line marketing I am certain the advice proffered by the candidates was bogus and not based on experience. The assumptions that anyone older than 50 doesn't know or understand social media is the problem. The truth is, in my humble opinion, that most advice from anyone, regardless of age, that has not served a decent apprenticeship in the arena they claim expertise in is blowing smoke.

Anne 🐝 Thornley-Brown, MBA

6 years ago #19

#23
That is YOU reading into a statement that what wasn't there based on your own hang-ups. The reality is that the qualifications for an assistant are not the same as the qualifications for a CEO. If you can't see that, I leave you to your perceptions. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Anne 🐝 Thornley-Brown, MBA

6 years ago #18

#19
Condescending? Really? Since when is stating a fact condescending? Please break it down for me. It's interesting that when someone comes in and posts anything other than "great post, I agree", the personal attacks begin. Based on the fact that she seems to be interviewing a lot of people who are just starting out in their career, some of her expectations are reasonable but others seem to be very high. One WOULD think that she was hiring the CEO. Perhaps she should have been looking for an executive assistant with years of corporate experience. Of course, she would have to be prepared to compensate them as such.

Anne 🐝 Thornley-Brown, MBA

6 years ago #17

#19
Condescending? Really? Since when is stating a fact condescending? Please break it down for me. It's interesting that when someone comes in and posts anything other than "great post, I agree, the personal attacks begin. Based on the fact that she seems to be interviewing a lot of people who are just starting out in their career, some of her expectations are reasonable but others seem to be very high. One WOULD think that she was hiring the CEO. Perhaps she should have been looking for an executive assistant with years of corporate experience. Of course, she would have to be prepared to compensate them as such.

Joyce 🐝 Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee

6 years ago #16

Very wise advice. Thank you.

Anne 🐝 Thornley-Brown, MBA

6 years ago #15

#15
Interviewing is a skill, like any other skill. It doesn't come naturally for everyone. Both the interviewer and interviewee need practice and sometimes training in order to feel comfortable. Just because someone is a highly successful executive or enterpreneur it doesn't mean they've mastered interviwing skills. I would be curious to see what questions your friend is asking. If she is ever interviewing again. I would be happy to take a look at her questions GRATIS and give her some feedback. Let me know.

Laurent Boscherini

6 years ago #14

Thank you @Jerry Fletcher for sharing your interesting post, an insightful storytelling.Before your friend starts searching for the perfect candidate, she needs to spend some time thinking about the job and how to match successfully with her own needs. Think about previous people who have held the position and what skills, knowledge, and personal qualities made them successful or unsuccessful, and what factors contribute to being a good candidate for the job. Make a list of these factors and make sure that everyone involved with the selection process agrees that this is the criteria they are looking for.

Lisa Gallagher

6 years ago #13

#8
If a person has had very little experience with interviewing it can be very intimidating, especially if they are younger. I remember feeling like I was going to vomit before an interview when I was younger. With practice, persistence and educating oneself, the process becomes easier. I still like the idea of mandatory interviewing courses, once in junior or Senior year and once in College :) I think it would be as helpful as English, Communications or Public speaking classes. Of course, I'm biased because those were a few of my favorite classes, aside from my Social Science Courses.

Anne 🐝 Thornley-Brown, MBA

6 years ago #12

#11
I don't know the lady so my response was based on your description. Maybe she really is fine and all of these candidates are the problem. I don't like the way she described the grads but then I don't like profanity. This part is confusing: "The one thing all of us treasure is someone working with us that will tell us the truth...not what we want to hear but the truth. " Sounds like some of them expressed their version of the truth and she didn't welcome that.

Jan 🐝 Barbosa

6 years ago #11

Absolutely !!!

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #10

#9
Tricia, I think for the most part your assumptions are correct. I was consulting with a start up this morning and one of the other members of the advisory committee (another CEO) was talking about staffing the C-suite of the new company and warning about what had happened to him. He realized he was about to turn over the reins of a multi-million dollar business to someone that talked like his teenage son. He went on to suggest that real experience be one of the primary considerations. He was right. AGe is too often called to task in thises kinds of situations. Experience and attitude is what you have to judge by in my view.

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #9

#5
Condescending she ain't. Demanding she is. I have a suspicion she ran into a syndrome I call the Reed effect. In Portland there is a marvelous den of higher education called Reed College. It delivers one of the finest liberal arts educations you can get anywhere. Perhaps the best known graduate is Steve Jobs. Graduates have all been carefully taught that they are superior to graduates in the rest of the world. As a CEO friend says, "The little shits believe it!" The problem is, they have no real experience nor do they assume they need any and when being interviewed behave the way my friend Marty described to me. I've done some time at Harvard so I can say that sometimes the Reed Effect can be seen in their graduates as well as some of the other Ivy League schools. That may, in part, be what happened here. I agree that it is better to utilize some instruments to determine skill sets and weed out attitude problems if you are hiring teams for a larger organization. That is particularly true if senior level executives are involved.

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #8

#4
Lisa, you may be on to something. I know consultants that work with people to build resumes and prepare them for interviews. They tell me that the biggest problem is that the candidates do not know how to put themselves in the position of the interviewer particularly the younger ones. But the executive ranks have the same problem. Friends that consult with displaced executives find that depending on their previous position they may be unable to interview without days of training, simulation and practice.

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #7

#2
Thanks for the writing style comment. I just sit down at the computer and slit a wrist...

Jerry Fletcher

6 years ago #6

#1
Anne, The lady in question is a high six figure coach operating on the east coast. She knows how to deal with people and since her clients are generally C-suite, she needs an assistant that can handle that level of executive and provide flawless handling of any correspondence. The resume's she told me about (remember she was blowing off steam) had every imaginable error including misspellings, poor punctuation and no real tailoring. Yes, she is picky and deservedly so. What really galled her most was that the people she interviewed did not listen to her questions and respond. Instead most of those she decided not to call back began lecturing her on how to build her business. One had the audacity to tell her that she could turn things around and get the business to six figures in as little as six months. I've done multiple stints as a CEO and most of my clients are. The one thing all of us treasure is someone working with us that will tell us the truth...not what we want to hear but the truth. That is what she was looking for along with a bit of an entrepreneurial viewpoint.

Anne 🐝 Thornley-Brown, MBA

6 years ago #5

#3
I have trained hiring managers and executives in 6 countries to improve their interviewing skills through competency-based behavioural interviewing skills. I have also helped major corporations staff entire departments. I did this by screening the resumes and conducting the initial (depth) behavioural interviews. I've seen my share of bad candidates and excellent ones. If an interviewer is encountering so many arrogant candidates with "attitude", it's a red flag to me and, usually, indicates more about the interviewer than the candidate. Of course, I don't know this individual. Perhaps she did run into a particularly bad batch of candidates. Based on the description, I would bet my bottom dollar that she is condescending and demanding and it would be difficult to work for her.

Lisa Gallagher

6 years ago #4

These are great tips by your friend Jerry Fletcher. I've talked to a lot of people that hire and my husband is one. It's amazing how many people show up un-prepared for an interview. Maybe Interviewing should be a required subject in HS and College, just like English is.

Lyon Brave

6 years ago #3

Anne \ud83d\udc1d Thornley-Brown, MBA You know I didn't perceive the woman in the article the same way as you. A hiring manager has a very important job to do. It doesn't matter if she is the CEO. A good hiring manager would find a long term and qualified candidate. It's possible that she did get relatively dumb recruits. In the error of text messaging, watching youtube and not reading, and templates that virtually do all the work for you, it wouldn't surprise me if a lot of people are barely literate. Writing is a communication skill and so is speaking, not everyone is superb or even intermediate in these essential skills because they Netflix too much.

Lyon Brave

6 years ago #2

This is a fiercely intelligent and relevant article. I very much admire your writing style.

Anne 🐝 Thornley-Brown, MBA

6 years ago #1

Your friend sounds very demanding and difficult to work with. Certainly, there is no excuse for inappropriate dress, chewing gum during interviews, and not taking down a message properly. Some of her other complaints make it sound like she may be the one with the problem. I don't know her but, based on your description, she sounds condescending. I have often seen confidence described as arrogance by someone who perceives others as being beneath them. If out of hundreds of resumes she only found 2 who warranted callbacks, it may mean that she is being too picky. After all, she is hiring an assistant, not the CEO of the company.

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