Scott had been trying to land a job for several weeks, and finally, a publishing company was interested in his marketing expertise.  After several interviews and a manager’s comment that Scott seemed like “just the man for the job,” Scott filed the extra copies of his resume and waited for a formal offer. 

He waited for two weeks.  After many unanswered phone messages, the manager’s secretary told Scott, apologetically, that the company was doing some “restructuring” as a result of difficult economic times and that the hiring process was indefinitely “bogged down.” 

Although hypothetical, this example illustrates a realistic concern.  A rising unemployment rate has increased the number of candidates looking for work, and has also made them more “hungry.”  An uncertain economy is causing employers to be hesitant to make definitive decisions. 

The result is “unprofessional treatment” of potential job candidates.  Employers are leaving applicants hanging because, as Tom Beeson, a recruiter for Aeon Intercultural USA explains, “there are so many good candidates looking for work, HR managers don't want to lose a person they may - eventually - want to hire.”

Be cautious that you don’t commit some of the most common hiring errors as you seek for qualified candidates:

Common Hiring Faux Pas

• Probing for information you are forbidden by law to ask about, such as marital status, age, or religious preference
• Failing to take time in advance to study the applicant’s resume.
• Keeping a potential employee “on the hook” until a bigger fish comes along
• Giving yourself a “quota” of people to interview and continuing to interview candidates even after you’ve found the right one

Unprofessional treatment of applicants ultimately reflects on the overall professionalism of your business and has the potential to “pollute” your hiring pool.  It is often a “small world” out there.

(Source:  The Christian Science Publishing Society.  “Why more job hunters cry foul.”  The Christian Science Monitor.)