The BlueBlanketBlog: Recent Comments

Comment on Are you the best?

Fleek — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:08:45 GMT

Thanks for your thoughts Gene. We discussed your post via e-mail when this was originally posted, but I wanted to leave a comment here for public consumption.

I think internal candidates do deserve timely feedback and coaching when they are not selected for a job posting. The experiences outlined above attempted to address primarily external candidates. While direct feedback to external candidates would certainly be beneficial to them in future interview processes, the reality is that companies do not generally provide any amount of helpful feedback. Organizations understand that employment litigation comes from what is said, not from what is left unspoken. Especially in today's job market where we're seeing so many applicants per posting, an expectation of an external candidate to receive any kind of feedback from the hiring organization seems unrealistic.

It should be noted that when a 3rd party recruiting org is involved providing feedback directly to the candidate is far more possible and even expected. When I'm acting as a 3rd party recruiter I very much enjoy the opportunity to coach candidates I'm working with. Hopefully they'd say it's helpful!

Comment on Greatness?

Fleek — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 18:30:11 GMT

I absolutely believe that a falling tree in an empty forest makes a sound... many people do truly great things on a daily basis but isolation hides those actions from public view.

Rather than think of greatness in isolation being hidden, I’d like to think that the recognition of said greatness is often just delayed. For example, an author writes for days/weeks/years producing great verse but the greatness is only recognized upon publication of the book. It isn’t the publication that made the words great; they were great when just lead on paper. Parents might work hard for 18 years hoping that the little life lessons they teach their son or daughter will turn into great decisions made only years after the kids have left home. The greatness was in the teaching, not just in the positive outcomes.

There must be some greatness, however, that will never be recognized by anyone (and maybe not even by the person involved). It is said that we should be judged as individuals by how we act when no one is paying attention – I’d like to think that people routinely act with greatness, producing great works or providing great care, even without an audience, present or future.

“Her greatness lay in doing what everybody could do but doesn't. She was unexpected. She was untitled. (She was) an improbable warrior that was leading an unlikely army of waitresses and street sweepers and shopkeepers and auto mechanics.“

Jennifer Granholm, Michigan Governor at Rosa Park's funeral, CNN.com, 11-02-05

Comment on Greatness?

Katherine — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:15:28 GMT

Is greatness still greatness if it is in isolation? I believe so.

Comment on Quick Follow-Up

Chad — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 12:04:22 GMT

Hi Chris, great site. As a member of management and having hired literally hundreds of employees across the country, I couldn't agree with you more. An individual would not be in front of me for an interview if I were not interested in hiring them. Something in their resume, or comments made to my HR staff during interviews, has enticed me and encouraged me to bring this person in for a face-to-face interview. Recruiting is expensive and so is my time...I'm not going to spend it on someone I don't think would make an outstanding addition to my staff.

If they have made it through the process to the point that they are sitting in front of me, the job is their's to lose.

Comment on Are you the best?

Gene Kholodenko — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 03:11:47 GMT

Interesting viewpoint. I happen to disagree. A significant percentage of the rejections I have seen as a dispassionate third party observer (i.e. it wasn't me or my friends being rejected) are often unexplained to the candidates. The reasons for the lack of the explanation vary from legal considerations (i.e. are they going to sue me because I was blunt in telling them their deficiencies) to management time constraints (i.e. I don't have the time of day to tell every person why they are not a fit). Legal arguments aside, what I believe is right from a human perspective is to tell, at least the candidates that gave you pause enough to consider them, why they are not a fit. Realistically, this plays out better for internal company processes and postings than externally. If a company truly cares about growing its people, the hiring managers should take the time to explain (within legal and competitive boundaries, of course) why they made a certain call. If I am ever rejected, I'd sure want to know why, so I can learn from it.

The unfortunate reality is that the vast majority of the applicants will not actually get a response in today's world. You're right that if they expect little, they won't be disappointed. This is true of anything in life. I choose to expect more from the people and companies I value and respect. In my experience, those worthy of such respect care enough to offer me feedback I can use, even if it is painful.

Comment on Be Careful What you Wish For.....

Chris — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 22:34:39 GMT

That's great news. Thank you for the update!!!

Comment on Be Careful What you Wish For.....

Recently Hired — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 18:42:27 GMT

Recently Hired is really enjoying life on her new team. Sometimes the grass is not greener on the other side ... and sometimes it really is. As for the original hiring manager's cold shoulder treatment - I've decided it's his problem, not mine. :) Things are much better now.

Comment on Be Careful What you Wish For.....

Recently Hired — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 18:21:08 GMT

The saga continues... Recently Hired has now been re-orged to a new manager - so far, that all looks to be working out for the best! But, Recently Hired's hiring manager does not think so and is a bit upset by the re-org and has been giving Recently Hired the cold shoulder since the announcement was made. Yeah - like I asked to be misled in the interview process, I asked to be under supported, I ask for the re-org... Clearly it makes sense to give me the brush off. Again, careful what you wish for…