Coming to a Potential Employers’ Office Unannounced

Despite our many years in recruitment, it never fails to surprise us when the receptionist calls to let us know that there is someone to see us without an appointment. What does it mean when a job seeker shows up at reception without a scheduled meeting? Interestingly, many candidates think that it is a sign of being a proactive go-getter. I am yet to meet a hiring manager who agrees!

If you are interested in an open position, you should email your resume to either HR or directly the department you would like to join. If you already applied and have not received a phone call, showing up unexpectedly will hardly convince the hiring manager that your background is, in fact, a fit for the role.  If you think that your dashing good looks might help you get the job, consider including a photo with your resume! It is a norm in most European countries and is slowly becoming popular here, too.

What if there is no opening listed anywhere, yet you would love to join the company in question? Consider using social media to your advantage! Connect with other employees at the company via LinkedIn and then reach out to them to discuss topics of interest. Slowly you could build up to finding out what opportunities exist within the firm. You could also mail your business card or your portfolio (depending on your field of specialty) to the hiring manager.

Gone are the days when calling or showing up at the employer's door were the only ways of appying for a job. Think of creative and modern (yet non-intrusive) ways of standing out from other job seekers and impressing a potential employer. Showing up unannounced is most certainly not one of them!

An aggressive candidate or a nervous job seeker?

Earlier today, I was reading a how-to book for hiring managers and recruiters, and it brought me back to a situation I had encountered in one of my previous jobs. The chapter I was reading discussed ways of dealing with an aggressive interviewee and suggested that a hiring manager should not automatically discard such an individual’s candidacy. It suggested that an arrogant demeanor could simply mean a person’s way of covering up his or her nerves and interview jitters. I am not so sure I buy it!

I was once helping a manager recruit my direct report. During our selection process, we met a contender who hardly answered any of my questions, constantly looked away and nearly sighed in exasperation every few minutes. Following the meeting and during debrief with my manager, I suggested that the candidate was definitely not a fit for the role. My manager, however, offered a different explanation: “She is a fantastic candidate. She simply didn’t like you!” Naturally this made me wonder. Is an interviewee ever justified in being rude or even simply impolite during the interview process? Can someone fail miserably during the interview, yet be a great hire?

Here is my conclusion. Some people are naturally fantastic interviewees. They automatically click with the person on the other side of the table and give excellent answers to every question asked of them. Does it mean they are necessarily a great hire? No. And I have seen examples of that many times. On the other hand, I have met candidates who were so painfully shy and uncomfortable that I could hardly get two sentences out of them. Nonetheless, they had outstanding references and were among the best I ever placed.

However, in my opinion, there is a line you do not cross. Since the interview is at the very least a small window into your personality and soft skill set, any sight of aggression is an automatic red flag. If you raise your voice, roll your eyes, sigh loudly or use inappropriate language, who is to guarantee that you will not exhibit the same traits when on the job?  If you cover up your nerves by being rude or if you allow your personal impressions of your interviewer get in the way of acceptable behavior, it should definitely be a concern for the hiring manager. There is place for confidence in the workplace; there is place for those that are shy; there is place for both outgoing employees and those that are introverted. Unprofessional and aggressive interviewees, however? I will stay away from those and will keep them away from my clients!

Oh, and my direct report we had hired? Major flop.