I tackled this question today on video because I think it’s easier to discuss it that way versus writing about my reply. All of us are doing background checks, but rarely do we find anything on those. We have the potential to catch way more misconduct issues on social media.
Yesterday I found myself wondering, “What’s the worst advice I’ve ever given someone?” The answer popped into my head pretty fast. I remembered a few times when my advice, looking back, was more about making fun of so-called ‘good’ advice than actually helping anyone.
Here are a few examples:
Don’t be afraid to fail.
Follow your passion!
Don’t play office politics.
Pursue that Master’s degree in HR!
Just keep it to yourself, no one will find out.
See what I’m talking about?! All of the above statements have been shared as good advice, but I tend to think of them as terrible advice.
However, one piece of advice stands out as the worst I’ve ever given:
“Just wait and see what happens…”
I gave this advice to an employee who really wanted a different position within our company. We all knew the current person in that role was about to get promoted. I was new to my HR career and trusted our company’s process, so I told the employee to wait and apply when the position opened up. How naive I was.
The promoted person had his own plan, which didn’t involve our process or the employee I advised. Instead, he planned to put one of his friends in his old position, and everyone seemed to know about this plan—except me. This taught me a big lesson: in HR, you need to know what’s going on behind the scenes and manage expectations early on.
The employee I told to wait felt betrayed and lost trust in me. I couldn’t blame them—I should have known better.
This experience taught me more about HR than almost anything else. As soon as you hear about possible changes, you need to get involved. Waiting to see what happens usually means things will happen without you knowing!
In the end, my bad advice taught me a lot. Being proactive and staying ahead of potential changes is crucial in HR. Waiting to see what happens usually ends up with stuff happening, without you knowing!
If you’ve handed in a two-week notice, you’ve probably heard:
“Just remember! The grass isn’t always greener!”
They’re mostly right. Here’s what “greener grass” really means when you’re thinking about a new job:
50%: Same Shade of Green – Half the time, the new job is pretty much the same as the old one. The work, the people, the pay—it’s all about the same. The only changes are the company’s name and maybe the location.
30%: Light Brown – In 30% of cases, the new job is worse, like dead grass. HR might think this happens more often, but it’s still enough to make you think twice.
10%: Bright Green – There’s a 10% chance the new job is fantastic, like a dream come true. Everything is better, and you’re super happy with your decision.
10%: Artificial Turf – For the remaining 10%, the new job isn’t what you expected at all. It’s like moving to a place where grass doesn’t grow, and they’ve put in fake grass or rocks instead. It’s not worse, but it’s definitely different from what you thought it would be.
Why Do We Think Moving is Better?
Recruiters who are good at their jobs – Recruiters and hiring managers often make the new job sound amazing, like you’re moving from a boring place to somewhere incredible. It’s easy to believe their pitch.
The unknown seems better – We often think the unknown is better than what we have. This happens with jobs, relationships, and even choosing a table at a restaurant.
Grass is Always Greener Syndrome – We tend to think others have it better. If you’re eager to leave your job, yet others are eager to get it, what does that mean? It’s unlikely that you’re the only one who’s right. The truth is usually somewhere in the middle.
People often say young workers like to change jobs a lot and don’t have loyalty. The truth is they might just not know the realities of job changes. Everyone likes switching jobs until it goes wrong, and they end up leaving something good for something bad.
Once you’ve experienced a bad job change, you’re less likely to switch jobs again, even if your current one isn’t great. Don’t underestimate your current job. It’s probably better than you think, and the new one might not be as good as it sounds. It’s not exciting, but it’s reality.
If there’s one piece of advice I could give a new HR Pro, it would be this: no matter how prepared you think you are, you really only need to prepare yourself for one thing—being surprised.
You don’t really get judged on your daily stuff. Let’s face it, 99.9% of the time, your routine tasks go off without a hitch. Handling payroll, organizing training sessions, and managing employee benefits are important, but they usually follow a predictable pattern.
What sets you apart, and what you are truly judged on, is how you handle the unexpected.
Surprises make and break great HR Pro careers.
There’s only one way to prepare for surprises—you need to expect that a surprise will always happen. That one employee you can’t lose or the entire project will blow up? Be prepared to lose them. Talk about it, plan for it, and basically accept that it will happen. Conducting risk assessments and having backup plans can help, but mentally preparing yourself is just as crucial. Then, when it does happen, you’ll be the only one not surprised by it.
The best HR Pros I’ve worked with had this one common trait: they were unshakeable when surprised, almost like they expected it. They had a knack for staying calm and composed, no matter the crisis. Whether it was a sudden resignation, an unexpected legal issue, or a last-minute change in company policy, they handled it with ease.
Expect the unexpected, and you’ll not only survive in the HR world, but you’ll also thrive.
Okay, I’m going to give you the best job search tip ever, but first we’ve got to talk about all the bad job search tips that are out there! And it’s a lot! A LOT!
Let’s start with the folks on TikTok – this is just one example:
Okay, first, I’m not slamming on Giovanna. Our girl got something that really excited her, and she’s going with it. Thankfully, in the comments, the real HR and TA pros came through and gave some perspective.
First, just because one HR person does their process one way doesn’t mean an entire industry of millions of HR/TA pros do it this way. That should have been obvious, but apparently it wasn’t. Second, most HR/TA pros will post jobs when they can/have to because of today’s algorithms on Indeed/LinkedIn/Etc. It doesn’t matter the day. It did, like, 8 years ago, but it doesn’t now. Also, any recruiter worth their salt will tell you that they look at resumes every single day because great talent gets picked off fast.
Here’s another one, and this one actually is smart for those who can pull it off:
Okay, now we’re talking real job search hacks. If companies are going to use AI to scan, filter, and rank, you’ve got to play the game! In high-volume, where there are hundreds if not thousands of candidates, this actually works. Eventually, the AI vendors will catch up to this, and it won’t work. But take advantage while you can.
The Best Job Search Tip Ever?
Some of the job search/candidate advice “experts” in our space call this the hidden job market. It’s not hidden. It’s just understanding the reality of how many jobs get filled. Let me give you a quick rundown:
A manager needs to hire someone.
Before they even contact HR or Recruiting, they’ll think about who they know first. Maybe someone already on their team or someone else in the company. Maybe it’s someone they have in their network or someone who works for them in their network. All of this is done before the job is even posted.
At some point, to get someone hired, they have to contact HR/TA. Some companies will have posting requirements, but at the end of the day, the lowest amount of friction always wins. This means that if the manager tells HR they already have identified someone, that person will almost always win.
So, for intents and purposes, the job is filled before it’s even posted, no matter how great your resume or application is.
This is the hidden job market.
How do you break into this? You network the sh!t out of yourself! You use every single connection you have. Your friends have. Your parents have. You let people know if something opens up, you want to be considered, and then you keep letting them know.
A lot of the hidden job market comes down to timing and relationships. It has little to do with skills, performance, and experience. That’s because, usually, no matter who you hire, the job will still get done at a satisfactory level. And putting in the extra time and effort to get someone who is a little better isn’t worth the work.
When it comes to candidates accepting job offers, how long should candidates take? Should they say yes right away or take some time? Let’s talk about why waiting might be a good idea.
In the past, it was common to expect an immediate answer. Just say yes or no. But things have changed. Now, it’s more about whether the candidate fits well with your company’s culture and values.
So, why suggest giving candidates 72 hours to decide? It’s like giving them time to think after the initial excitement wears off. This helps them consider all aspects of the job and compare it with other options they might have.
What’s meant to be will always be, right?!
What if they get another offer during those 72 hours? It’s not a big deal. If they accept another offer, it probably means your company wasn’t their first choice to begin with.
What about the fear of candidates changing their minds? In today’s job market, it’s understandable. But if a candidate hesitates because of a short wait, it might mean they were never really sure about the job.
In the end, there’s no one right answer to how long candidates should take. It depends on your company’s culture and what feels right. Whether it’s asking for an immediate response or giving candidates time, the important thing is to create a process that’s fair, respectful, and right.
What do you think? How long should candidates take to decide?
When it comes to interviews, the questions you ask as a candidate can make or break your chances. Instead of providing you with stellar questions to impress your potential employer, I’m here to give you three questions that could send your interview spiraling downhill in just seconds. And believe me, these questions aren’t hypothetical; they’re straight from the playbook of real candidates we’ve encountered.
“Do you conduct drug tests?” We do now! You might as well be waving a red flag. It screams I’m going to fail a drug test, and I’m convinced it’s a tactic to ensure they won’t be hired. Their loved ones probably just wanted them to interview. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen. Other question on this path – Do you do background checks? Do you do credit checks? Do you hire felons?
“When can I start using sick time?” This question should set off alarm bells for any HR pro. It signals a potential attitude or attendance issue. Let’s be clear: if someone is already planning sick days before they’re even hired – you aren’t going to be happy with that hire. Other questions on this same path: When would I get a raise? How soon can I use my health insurance? What happens if I’m late to work?
“Is dating coworkers allowed here?” *raises eyebrows. While it may seem innocent, it implies either ulterior motives or a lack of professionalism. Or I’m-still-a-frat-guy mindset. I once had a candidate ask this question and my immediate follow up question to this, without answering his question, was – “Are you dating one of the employees here?” To which he said “No” – but that he ran into this at another employer and didn’t want to ‘have any problems’ again. So, you’re assuming we have folks here who are just not going to be able to hold themselves back and must date you!? Is what I’m hearing! Which by the way, totally fine with work place romance, but don’t ask about it before you’re even on the team! Other questions on this same path: Can you drink alcohol on the job here? Can you smoke pot in the work bathrooms? Can you steal office supplies?
What’s the most cringe-worthy question you’ve ever heard in an interview?
Should you know your manager’s salary? Should companies share this salary information internally? I get it – they’re common questions. In today’s push for transparency, this is a complex issue. Generally, higher-level employees (not in publicly traded companies) are less inclined to support sharing this information within the organization. On the flip side, lower-level employees often desire more transparency.
Why is this?
The desire to know colleagues’ salaries boils down to trust. Interestingly, the higher you climb within an organization, the less you tend to trust those below you. That sucks, doesn’t it? The lower you are, the more you trust those above you are making the right decisions. You could argue this. Sure many people at low levels don’t ‘trust’ management. Yet, they still show up to work each day, and grind it out for $15/hr. Those at the top are making 6,7,8 figure incomes, and jump around from position to position. Who is more trusting?
Whole Foods is known for its policy of disclosing all employees’ salaries internally. From Business Insider:
Whole Foods co-CEO John Mackey introduced the policy in 1986, just six years after he co-founded the company. In the book, he explains that his initial goal was to help employees understand why some people were paid more than others. If workers understood what types of performance and achievement earned certain people more money, he figured, perhaps they would be more motivated and successful, too.
“I’m challenged on salaries all the time,” Mackey explained. “‘How come you are paying this regional president this much, and I’m only making this much?’ I have to say, ‘because that person is more valuable. If you accomplish what this person has accomplished, I’ll pay you that, too.’”
Beyond making compensation data available to all employees, Whole Foods also has its managers post their store’s sales data each day and regional sales data each week. Once a month, Whole Foods sends each store a detailed report on profitability and sales at each of the chain’s locations. In fact, in the late 1990s the widespread availability of so much detailed financial data led the SEC to classify all of the company’s 6,500 employees as “insiders,” according to a 1996 story by Fast Company.
“Timmy, that only works at a big, great companies like Whole Foods!” Yeah, you’re probably right. It takes a strong, positive culture to handle this type of information being out in the open. It takes extremely good leadership to handle the challenges coming in from average and weak performers believing they should get what someone else is getting. It takes a great talent acquisition team to hire the right people with the maturity to work in an organization that has this much trust in their employees to handle such delicate information. It takes co-workers trusting one another, that each one is adding value to the corporation, and respecting the value each brings.
The saying “Stay true to the game” pops up all the time. It’s been around in sports and pop culture for ages. Basketball especially! (Side note: who do you have winning tonight?) Anyway, I feel like I keep hearing it more and more.
“The game” stands for your thing, whether it’s sales, accounting, basketball, you name it. For me, it’s recruiting. Whether third-party, corporate, or RPO, we’re all in the same boat.
Being true to recruiting is kind of subjective. What does it even mean?
If you zoom out from recruiting and think about staying true to something you’re passionate about, how do you do it? How do you make sure it’s a priority? What do you do to show you’re committed?
This way of thinking sets the stage for understanding what it means to stay true to recruiting.
Recruiting is my thing. To keep it real, I stick to a few key things:
I soak up as much recruitment info as I can.
I connect with top-notch recruiters.
I swap stories and tips with fellow recruiters.
I’m always looking for ways to improve my skills.
I know that staying loyal to recruiting is a choice I make.
Staying true to recruiting means always aiming higher, personally and professionally.
Sure, it’s not always easy, but it’s about staying true to the game.
So, here’s the deal this Monday. Share what your thing is in the comments below. Then, let us know how you’re staying true to it this week. Go for it.
As a recruiter, we’re always on the lookout for talent. Whether we’re at work, running errands, or enjoying time off, we are constantly searching for people with the right skills and drive.
But, I’m here to tell you, opportunities won’t just land in your lap. If you’re waiting for someone to find you, you could be waiting forever.
Because recruiters don’t stumble upon talent by accident. They look for people who are actively showing what they can do. Every single day. It’s like trick-or-treating – we only go where there’s a light on.
Too often, I meet people who want a new job but aren’t doing anything about it. They’re afraid to let their current employer know they’re looking. But that’s not the best way to get noticed.
Instead of waiting around, get involved. Connect with others in your industry and community. Let people know what you’re looking for.
Even in today’s job market, there are plenty of opportunities out there. But you have to put yourself out there to find them.
So stop waiting to be discovered – go out and make it happen. Success isn’t luck; it’s hard work.
