5 Things Hiring Managers Wished You Knew

Recently, I was talking to a friend of mine who is a hiring manager for a large construction company. We talked for awhile over coffee about the challenges of finding the right people for positions when the pool of applicants is so large. There were many things that he told me that were a surprise. He brought up some great points, and along with reading several blog post from other hiring managers I have put together this list of the top 5 things hiring managers wished you knew.

They want you to be honest- Even though the goal with any interview is to get the job, you don't want to end up in a position that is wrong for you. So be honest about your abilities and what you can handle. Lying, either on purpose or as a result of wishful thinking at best will just get you a job that you don't want, can't handle or struggle very hard to adequate work. The real goal at any interview is to get a job that is right for you.

 

A phone interview is not a chat- When a potential employer calls you, either to schedule and interview or to do a phone interview, keep in mind that this isn't a casual chat with your friends. If you weren't expecting the call, try to move to a quiet room in your house and give your attention to the conversation. If it is a scheduled phone interview, you should already be in a quiet place. The interviewer doesn't want to hear you fussing at your children, putting them on hold in order to answer your kid's questions. Don't eat or smoke while on the phone. These things should be common sense. Treat the phone interview just like an in person interview.

 

They think a lot about your personality- Especially with smaller companies or job sites, the hiring manager will think a lot about your personality and how you would fit in with the group. This is something that you don't have much control over, but know that sometimes, when there are several people who are equally skilled, the job usually goes to the person who will be the best fit for the work group. It is a good idea to ask about the group personality and culture at the interview.

 

Don't count on a job offer- It doesn't matter how good you think the interview went or how badly you want a particular job, don't stop your job search because you are waiting for a job offer. You may have had a great interview and feel certain that a job offer is coming, but you never know what happened after you left. Perhaps someone more qualified applied after you. Since you can only control yourself, keep looking for a job, keep setting up interviews until you have a firm job offer in your hand.

 

You gain an edge with your cover letter- Always write a custom cover letter for each job that you send in an application. With so many people sending their resume in with a form cover letter, you can really stand out by tailoring your letter for the position. In fact, so few people actually do this, that it will many times make your application go to the top of the pile. And even if you don't have stellar qualifications, it will often make them look twice.



By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a freelance writer and regular contributor to several websites and other publications, a volunteer, a full time mom and an active job seeker.