an entry-level candidate with no experience wants an above-market salary by Alison Green on August 14, 2023 A reader writes: I am hiring someone for an entry-level position. It is meant for someone straight out of college and new to the field who is interested in learning a lot, meeting loads of highly connected people, and launching a potentially awesome career. I’ve set the salary to be a little above what other […] Read the full article →
how do I tell job applicants that their parents are hurting their chances? by Alison Green on August 2, 2023 A reader writes: I recruit for a large company that staffs festivals, conventions, and sporting events. A lot of our applicants are young university graduates or recent high school graduates, ranging from 18-21. Our younger candidates will have their parent(s) call on their behalf, asking why an application is taking so long, why they didn’t […] Read the full article →
can we ask job candidates to follow our scent-free policy at interviews? by Alison Green on July 20, 2023 A reader writes: The admin team at the front of our office is very sensitive to strong smells (good or bad). Our company is currently hiring for an off-site position, but the interviews are happening in our office. The last few candidates who have come in for interviews have been bathed in perfume, to the […] Read the full article →
how can I get better at spotting talent in people different than me? by Alison Green on June 26, 2023 A reader writes: I like to think I’m pretty good at judging technical abilities, but I’m wondering if I’m actually only looking for the cues that people like me (male/western culture) show. If so, I’m wondering how I can get better. Here’s the situation that makes me wonder: At a recent technical conference, we gave […] Read the full article →
should I hire a qualified candidate who comes with a ton of baggage? by Alison Green on June 5, 2023 A reader asks: My team recently created a new position. A colleague from another department got wind of this and asked when I planned to advertise the vacancy. I’m in no hurry to fill the position, so I said “hopefully by the end of the year.” He let me know that his wife is very […] Read the full article →
how do I tell my friend I don’t want to hire her? by Alison Green on May 17, 2023 A reader writes: I manage a small tourist shop. It gets rather busy during the summer, and I’m planning on hiring two people to help cover shifts. One of my friends wants me to hire her. She said that she needs more money to help pay bills. I’m reluctant to, because she rage-quit almost every […] Read the full article →
my coworker is pushing me to hire her daughter by Alison Green on May 9, 2023 A reader writes: I am hiring for an entry-level position. The daughter of our front desk manager applied for the position. Her resume was great, but her cover letter had two words misspelled, including in the company name. The position requires proofreading and careful data entry. I emailed her to let her know that she […] Read the full article →
after I hired someone, a mutual friend told me I’d made a huge mistake by Alison Green on April 20, 2023 A reader writes: I made a pretty big hiring mistake and I’m not really sure how to proceed. I recently hired a new employee — let’s call him Julian — for a fairly niche role within my company. Julian’s background aligned well with the role, all communication was timely and professional, he gave polished first […] Read the full article →
how can I hire good people to work in a dysfunctional organization? by Alison Green on March 13, 2023 A reader writes: My small organization is currently in transition. We have had significant staff turnover in the last two years, and the result has pushed the organization into a level of dysfunction that I know will drive many good quality candidates away. However, I still have to hire people (I have two positions currently […] Read the full article →
when I offered someone a job, her dad got on the phone with questions by Alison Green on February 14, 2023 A reader writes: We recently hired a new grad, Jane. As my colleague, Sally, was making the verbal offer over the phone, she asked Jane if she had any questions. Jane replied, “No, but my father does.” Then, Jane’s father took the phone and started asking Sally questions about the offer! The questions ranged from […] Read the full article →