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I have held quite a number of interviews lately for a position available at my place of employment. I am conducting the interviews, as I manage the team that handles the end process. What the job entails is irrelevant but lately it seems that when I'm interviewing candidates, while it's going good they feel the need to close the interview with, "I really, REALLY need a job." Yes, you and the millions of other people in this city. I've also had the "guilt trip". I recently had a candidate say, "I really need this job. I have a family to support". Again, yes, you and the millions of other people in this city.
IMO, I don't think it's a good quality or professional to turn the reason for the interview to one's need for a job instead of selling themselves to me and showing me what they can offer the company. Secondly, do some people feel that they may find a "soft spot" in me if they throw the compassion card at me because I'm a woman? I work for a large financial institution and my first objective is to hire talented individuals who are career oriented and career motivated. My fear is that if I do really like a potential candiate based on their experience and personality and they end the conversation with, "I REALLY NEED THIS JOB", am I setting myself up with an employee who is just showing up to work for the sole purpose of a paycheck and nothing more?
I'm not being unsympathetic because I am pro-employment but since this is not my own personal company, I feel I can't give someone a job simply because they need one. Do I hire the person but then tell them, "Don't let me down."
I have held quite a number of interviews lately for a position available at my place of employment. I am conducting the interviews, as I manage the team that handles the end process. What the job entails is irrelevant but lately it seems that when I'm interviewing candidates, while it's going good they feel the need to close the interview with, "I really, REALLY need a job." Yes, you and the millions of other people in this city. I've also had the "guilt trip". I recently had a candidate say, "I really need this job. I have a family to support". Again, yes, you and the millions of other people in this city.
IMO, I don't think it's a good quality or professional to turn the reason for the interview to one's need for a job instead of selling themselves to me and showing me what they can offer the company. Secondly, do some people feel that they may find a "soft spot" in me if they throw the compassion card at me because I'm a woman? I work for a large financial institution and my first objective is to hire talented individuals who are career oriented and career motivated. My fear is that if I do really like a potential candiate based on their experience and personality and they end the conversation with, "I REALLY NEED THIS JOB", am I setting myself up with an employee who is just showing up to work for the sole purpose of a paycheck and nothing more?
I'm not being unsympathetic because I am pro-employment but since this is not my own personal company, I feel I can't give someone a job simply because they need one. Do I hire the person but then tell them, "Don't let me down."
I think they are saying they need a job because they REALLY need a job. The economy sucks and employers want to pay beans for a job with 2 full pages of responsibilities. I've never hired someone but I've been in positions as a temp and where a company hired someone to do the job I was doing because they were "a good fit" well that good fit usually wound up quitting or getting fired within a couple months. Hire whomever has the qualifications and skills to do the job. Where employers and hiring managers go wrong is hiring someone with 10 years of experience to do a job that only requires 2 and paying them the salary of person with 2 years experience. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that person will continue to job hunt after you hire them and as soon as they get an offer making more money they are out the door. Either way you can't predict the future whomever you hire may stay for the long haul or they may be gone within 3 months. Leave compassion and personal opinions out of it and look at drive, experience, and willingness to do the work.
From all my past employments, depending upon the employer, the offer states that the first 3 ( up to 9 months for 1 company ) is temporary and you can be let go if performance is not satisfactory. As a hiring manager, I wouldn't explicitly outline that. On the other hand, you can setup a test for their skills/knowledge and see how they would do. This way you get to see them do what they claim on the resume. At my last employer when I was being interview, the manager told me, like my other past employments, that I have a lot of experiences and he also asks me if I'm able to do everything I claim on my resume. I responded that "it's bad to lie because it will affect how I'll be getting a raise or promotion later. If you still have doubt, pose a problem to me based on my skill set and see if I'm able to resolve it. Or even better, give me an actual problem that you have right now that pertains to my area of expertise and see if I'm able to resolve it." Doing that would easily weed out any potential liars Then you could also propose a situation where the company may want to improve upon and see what general suggestions that candidate may have. This method would tell you about how innovative and career oriented that potential employee is, IMO.
As a job seeker I don't think I've ever ended my conversations with a "I need a job." Ever. Then again I've only been looking for half a year. Like you said, it's probably irrelevant to the job itself, but this goes to show you how badly some people need employment. There's frequent stories about how people have been out for years and still nothing. And being on the job-seeking side myself, I speak for all of us when I say it's an extremely frustrating experience.
To address your issue, aside from the last 5 minutes of the interview which irked you, were there any other signs that the potential candidate is "just looking for a job?" Keep in mind that even well-intentioned people let silly little things slip when it comes desperation time.
I think they are saying they need a job because they REALLY need a job. The economy sucks and employers want to pay beans for a job with 2 full pages of responsibilities. I've never hired someone but I've been in positions as a temp and where a company hired someone to do the job I was doing because they were "a good fit" well that good fit usually wound up quitting or getting fired within a couple months. Hire whomever has the qualifications and skills to do the job. Where employers and hiring managers go wrong is hiring someone with 10 years of experience to do a job that only requires 2 and paying them the salary of person with 2 years experience. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that person will continue to job hunt after you hire them and as soon as they get an offer making more money they are out the door. Either way you can't predict the future whomever you hire may stay for the long haul or they may be gone within 3 months. Leave compassion and personal opinions out of it and look at drive, experience, and willingness to do the work.
Well, that may sound true but what if the candidate, whom has lots of experiences, wouldn't mind starting at the bottom at the new company at which has a higher potential to move up and doing his/her best to impress everyone because this new company has better environment, better executive leadership, etc... Just focusing on 2 years of experience alone for a job that requires 2 years experience will sometimes leave you out of a potential excellent employee, IMO.
Well, that may sound true but what if the candidate, whom has lots of experiences, wouldn't mind starting at the bottom at the new company at which has a higher potential to move up and doing his/her best to impress everyone because this new company has better environment, better executive leadership, etc... Just focusing on 2 years of experience alone for a job that requires 2 years experience will sometimes leave you out of a potential excellent employee, IMO.
What I meant was a person with 10 years experience may have earned $65k while a person with 2 years is offered a salary of $30k. That is over a 50% paycut and honestly I don't know many people looking to take a pay cut that severe unless a) they have to because they really need a job b) they are retired or semi disabled so any job will do c)they have a side business or spouse to supplement the loss in income. I think since the economy is in the toilet employers have gotten used to getting someone with the most experience for the least salary or they advertise two pages of responsibility, complex responsibility, for entry level pay. If you need someone with 2 years experience look for someone up to 4 after that you are just asking that person to book it out of there as soon as they get a better opp.
I have held quite a number of interviews lately for a position available at my place of employment. I am conducting the interviews, as I manage the team that handles the end process. What the job entails is irrelevant but lately it seems that when I'm interviewing candidates, while it's going good they feel the need to close the interview with, "I really, REALLY need a job." Yes, you and the millions of other people in this city. I've also had the "guilt trip". I recently had a candidate say, "I really need this job. I have a family to support". Again, yes, you and the millions of other people in this city.
IMO, I don't think it's a good quality or professional to turn the reason for the interview to one's need for a job instead of selling themselves to me and showing me what they can offer the company. Secondly, do some people feel that they may find a "soft spot" in me if they throw the compassion card at me because I'm a woman? I work for a large financial institution and my first objective is to hire talented individuals who are career oriented and career motivated. My fear is that if I do really like a potential candiate based on their experience and personality and they end the conversation with, "I REALLY NEED THIS JOB", am I setting myself up with an employee who is just showing up to work for the sole purpose of a paycheck and nothing more?
I'm not being unsympathetic because I am pro-employment but since this is not my own personal company, I feel I can't give someone a job simply because they need one. Do I hire the person but then tell them, "Don't let me down."
I agree 100% that it is not professional to state in an interview that you "really, really, need a job".
But I have a question for you. Why are you conducting "quite a number of interviews" for one position?
Part of the problem today is people like yourself who interview 25 or 30 people when the norm used to be 4 or 5 people for one open position.
It gets to the point where people get tired of waiting around because the interview process goes on for months and months, or the interviewers get candidates mixed up because they see too many people.
I even read on here where the wrong woman was hired...LOL. They got two "Kathys" mixed up and went with the wrong one.
So while people should be on their best professional behavior and not mention things like "I have 3 kids and need a job", employers like yourself shouldn't act like your looking for someone to play Scarlett O'Hara in a remake of GWTW.
Here's the thing-we pay very well and there can be opportunity for market adjustments. Money is not the issue. My company likes to "try before you buy" so we hire consultants first. I have a staff of 12, 5 of which are consultants. Of the 7 full time employees, I converted 3 of them from consultants to permanent. They are career oriented and posses qualities that the company looks for.
I interviewed 4 people, all of which at the end threw in the need for a job. Some seemed interested in the position but on paper, did not meet the criteria I need for my team. Others seemed uninvolved in the conversation and looked around at my belongings on the credenza behind me. It was like pulling teeth. They read their resume to me. At the end, when I asked if they had questions about the position, all I got was how bad they really needed a job. If they're not motivated during the interview then how can I offer someone a job?
There were individuals who were interesting, had enough experience (we would train anyway) but at the end, the motiviation to work for my company and the field I'm in, just went out the window. One girl had to remind me again when I escorted her back to the elevator. I guess you can say that I get turned off. I have hired 2 consultants, even without all the experience required because they were outgoing individuals and every day they show me their potential.
so while people should be on their best professional behavior and not mention things like "i have 3 kids and need a job", employers like yourself shouldn't act like your looking for someone to play scarlett o'hara in a remake of gwtw.
I agree 100% that it is not professional to state in an interview that you "really, really, need a job".
But I have a question for you. Why are you conducting "quite a number of interviews" for one position?
Part of the problem today is people like yourself who interview 25 or 30 people when the norm used to be 4 or 5 people for one open position.
It gets to the point where people get tired of waiting around because the interview process goes on for months and months, or the interviewers get candidates mixed up because they see too many people.
I even read on here where the wrong woman was hired...LOL. They got two "Kathys" mixed up and went with the wrong one.
So while people should be on their best professional behavior and not mention things like "I have 3 kids and need a job", employers like yourself shouldn't act like your looking for someone to play Scarlett O'Hara in a remake of GWTW.
The reason I have interviewed a number of people is because my company goes with "try before you buy". On paper, some people are great but then their quality, or maybe lack of, shows when it's time to get the work done. I've had to let people go because they were not meeting the expectations. I don't make the policy, I just follow it. It's not easy having to fire a permanent employee. I haven't interviewed 30 people at one time. This is over a course of 6 months and in total, about 20 candidates. Within 2 months, we hired and fired 3 people. Call it a revolving door. It's frustrating when someone isn't what they say they are and then I have to start all over. Maybe it's facades people put on. Some can definitely talk the talk but when it's show time, they can't do a simple task like cut and paste.
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Then you could also propose a situation where the company may want to improve upon and see what general suggestions that candidate may have. This method would tell you about how innovative and career oriented that potential employee is, IMO. 
