Hiring Isn't Dating
While for a job applicant, the job search process may seem like online dating, with a huge universe of potential positions, “swiping right” to indicate interest, never to hear back from the company posting the profile, let me be clear: hiring is not dating for the hiring manager or the job seeker.
For the hiring manager, let’s clarify:
1. Hiring is not a beauty contest.
While in our personal lives we may have certain body type, racial, religious, backgrounds, age, and a desire to “take long walks on the beach at sunset” interest preferences for a life partner, as a hiring manager you must sweep all of these off your score cards as you evaluate applicants.
2. “Has Potential” is a Great Qualifier for a Candidate, not for a life partner.
Beyond these legal pitfalls, the candidate who neatly checks all the boxes of requirements in the job description may not be appropriate for the position’s potential contribution to the organization, because they aren’t seeking to progress. Look laterally in the position to describe the types of skills you need that may be found in other positions. People who have potential for greatness and are demonstrated learners are people who will embrace challenge and learn new things while doing the work at hand. These are the types of employees that advance an organization. On the other hand, we don’t recommend committing to someone who “has potential as long as they learn” in your personal life.
3. Swiping Left to ignore is OK on Tinder, but not for candidates who apply for jobs.
It’s tempting to just ignore an application that isn’t appropriate, particularly in a sea of online applications. However, every time you ignore an applicant who has taken the time to apply for a job, you are hurting your brand. As a hiring manager, you represent the company and the brand, and every applicant is a potential ambassador. Take the step to respond to applicants when they first apply with a timeline on when they can expect to hear again on what a next step might be, and when you pass on someone, email them again to let them know, and clarify why you’ve made this decision as much as you can.
And for the job applicant, remember these things:
1. Swiping Right Isn’t Enough to Get Noticed.
Just checking the interested box on Indeed or other job search websites is not enough to get noticed in a job search. Pay attention to the instructions of the job poster: what do they want to see from you? Make sure you provide a cover letter, work examples, or whatever is required in the process. If you don’t you shouldn’t expect a response because you’ve demonstrated that you don’t pay attention to requirements, the first bright red flag for any hiring manager. And remember - make sure you send PDF documents of anything you submit – your Word doc will likely not translate well from one computer to another.
2. Getting A Job is a More Important Process than Getting a ”Hook Up.”
While the advertising created by online job markets makes it seem like getting a job is easy to do, that’s an illusion. You’re looking for a job that will advance your career, where you can contribute, where you are compensated for what you’re worth, and where you can stay for an appreciable amount of time. These are big deals. Approach your job search accordingly.
3. No job is forever.
Take a long view as you approach your job search to evaluate the different organizations and positions available. Ninety-nine % of the time, you won’t be at this next position for more than five years. 100% of the time, the skills you need to do a job year one will not be the skills you need to do the job in year five. What do you want to accomplish in those five years? What can you learn from the position? Are you bringing as much to the position as you will take from it? Where will the position leave you in five years? Does the company have a reputation for advancing its own people? Consider a five-year tenure, knowing that no job is forever, every job with shift and change, and each position should build your career.
How you approach the hiring or job search process should take into account how different dating and hiring are, regardless of how similar they look from the outside.