job candidate says she would need to work for us secretly by Alison Green on November 13, 2024 A reader writes: We interviewed a candidate for a part-time position who had been out of our line of work for 10 years. I interviewed her because she had some other things on her resume that seemed really interesting (from a business she’s been running with a family member). Still, we are a quickly-changing industry […] Read the full article →
is it OK for job postings to require a “clean-cut appearance”? by Alison Green on October 17, 2024 A reader writes: There is a small family-owned butcher shop near me. They list job postings on their Facebook page, and I’ve noticed every time they post for counter staff, that they include “clean-cut” or “clean-cut appearance” in their list of requirements for applicants. I don’t believe this is specifically about food handling/sanitation requirements, since […] Read the full article →
how can I reject former coworkers applying for jobs with me? by Alison Green on October 17, 2024 A reader writes: Several past coworkers have reached out to me on LinkedIn asking about a job posting at my company. The only thing is … they don’t know that I am the hiring manager for the role, and they are under-qualified. I already know I would not hire them for the position. I have […] Read the full article →
our new hires keep quitting after their first week by Alison Green on October 16, 2024 A reader writes: Several times recently, we’ve had new graduates accept a job at our company, then quit after their first week with no notice. Should I say something about how unprofessional this is, or let them learn the hard lesson on their own? Or can we do something during the hiring profess to make […] Read the full article →
a nonprofit kept badgering me to interview their disabled client by Alison Green on September 11, 2024 A reader writes: I’ve read the many times you’ve talked about how to not annoy hiring managers or badger them, but I’m wondering if I’m finding my situation a little too annoying. We’re hiring for a very specific type of job that requires a skill set that we don’t have the time or resources to […] Read the full article →
candidates ask so many questions that our interviews are running over schedule by Alison Green on August 22, 2024 A reader writes: I am a manager in the process of expanding my team, so I have been interviewing many job seekers lately. We always give candidates a good 10 to 15 minutes at the end of the interview to ask us any questions they might have about the job, the organization, or the application […] Read the full article →
how to respond to a volatile rejected job applicant by Alison Green on August 14, 2024 A reader writes: I have a question regarding job applicants who, after being interviewed and rejected more than once, apply over and over again. I have one applicant who has been interviewed twice, rejected twice, and keeps sending new applications. The first time she was interviewed was two years ago by our recruitment coordinator, and […] Read the full article →
when a job candidate reschedules their interview at the last minute by Alison Green on June 26, 2024 A reader writes: What’s the best way to ask a job applicant why they need to cancel or reschedule their interview at the last minute if they don’t offer an explanation? My company hires a good number of people who are fresh out of school and may not have much professional experience, so I don’t […] Read the full article →
should I hire an ex? by Alison Green on May 22, 2024 A reader writes: My company is starting a massive and complex two-year project. We advertised but after interviews we haven’t found a suitable candidate for the position that’s probably most critical. Rather than advertise again given the urgency, we’ve tapping our networks for candidates to interview. One of my exes has the qualifications to be […] Read the full article →
I think my nanny candidate used a fake reference by Alison Green on May 21, 2024 A reader writes: I’m looking for a part-time nanny for my young daughter. I posted on a reputable online job board that connects parents and caregivers, and I received several applications. One of them, a young woman I’ll call Aurora, quickly became my top candidate. She had great experience, special expertise, and her caregiving philosophy […] Read the full article →