How do you tell someone, kindly, that you are unlikely to hire them?
May 23, 2022 1:39 PM Subscribe
When a candidate contacts you about a job opportunity, and you are already aware of their work outside of a formal recruitment process, how honest should you be?
I am chairing an interview panel for two roles: a junior role in my own team, and an indentical role in a related team (that hiring manager is also on the panel). There is a candidate in my wider division who I’ve previously chatted to about career and professional development, who has scheduled a meeting time with me, as the contact person, to discuss the new role in my team. In recent months, on some key projects, I’ve become increasingly aware that this person’s written communication is poor, and there are some really important areas of quality control that they have simply not mastered. The standard of their work has remained poor even when they are given detailed feedback and asked to correct. I’m certain this person would not be a good fit for my team, because attention to detail on these types of documents is an essential requirement, and I am sure I would constantly be correcting their work. However, this is my anecdotal background knowledge of the candidate, and my own observations from group projects- it’s not a formal part of the forthcoming interview process. (I haven’t seen their application yet, but I’m assuming they will ask someone else to edit and proofread it).
How do I speak to them with kindness and helpfulness and integrity about this role they want to apply for, as the contact person, if I am thinking I am almost 99% certain I don’t want to hire them? Noting, that the other hiring manager seems eager to have them, since they do have corporate knowledge of specific processes that is hard to find. So there is a chance that they may be found suitable for one of these two roles. How honest should I be with the candidate, outside of the formal hiring process? Do I just need to bite my tongue, try to remain neutral and see how everything plays out, up to and including reference checks, and then make a decision? Or should I actually tell the candidate I am willing to give them a go, but I do think they need to improve their communication skills and the quality of their submitted work in order to be a competitive candidate? And, should I speak to the other hiring manager about my concerns (not to dissuade them from hiring this person, but simply to be clear that my early thoughts are they will not be a good fit for my team- so they will likely have a clear path to hire this person if they are still keen)?
I am wanting to be kind and helpful to this junior candidate, and also to be as ethical and transparent as possible. I don’t know exactly how best to tackle this. Any help welcome- especially scripts and specific language.
I am chairing an interview panel for two roles: a junior role in my own team, and an indentical role in a related team (that hiring manager is also on the panel). There is a candidate in my wider division who I’ve previously chatted to about career and professional development, who has scheduled a meeting time with me, as the contact person, to discuss the new role in my team. In recent months, on some key projects, I’ve become increasingly aware that this person’s written communication is poor, and there are some really important areas of quality control that they have simply not mastered. The standard of their work has remained poor even when they are given detailed feedback and asked to correct. I’m certain this person would not be a good fit for my team, because attention to detail on these types of documents is an essential requirement, and I am sure I would constantly be correcting their work. However, this is my anecdotal background knowledge of the candidate, and my own observations from group projects- it’s not a formal part of the forthcoming interview process. (I haven’t seen their application yet, but I’m assuming they will ask someone else to edit and proofread it).
How do I speak to them with kindness and helpfulness and integrity about this role they want to apply for, as the contact person, if I am thinking I am almost 99% certain I don’t want to hire them? Noting, that the other hiring manager seems eager to have them, since they do have corporate knowledge of specific processes that is hard to find. So there is a chance that they may be found suitable for one of these two roles. How honest should I be with the candidate, outside of the formal hiring process? Do I just need to bite my tongue, try to remain neutral and see how everything plays out, up to and including reference checks, and then make a decision? Or should I actually tell the candidate I am willing to give them a go, but I do think they need to improve their communication skills and the quality of their submitted work in order to be a competitive candidate? And, should I speak to the other hiring manager about my concerns (not to dissuade them from hiring this person, but simply to be clear that my early thoughts are they will not be a good fit for my team- so they will likely have a clear path to hire this person if they are still keen)?
I am wanting to be kind and helpful to this junior candidate, and also to be as ethical and transparent as possible. I don’t know exactly how best to tackle this. Any help welcome- especially scripts and specific language.
I wouldn't tell the person they weren't in the running unless they have a quantifiable missing qualification (like a specific degree or x years of experience). Instead, I would ask to have an assignment added to the hiring process that would highlight the areas you're concerned about - for instance, a timed written assignment (so there's no time to get it proofed).
If the person nails it, then they've earned the job and you or the other manager can hire them if you want. If they don't nail it, then if the person asks, you can tell them, "Your application was strong in these areas, but in your written assignment, other candidates turned in work that excelled in these important areas. Going forward, be sure to pay attention to these types of details."
posted by nouvelle-personne at 1:56 PM on May 23, 2022 [22 favorites]
If the person nails it, then they've earned the job and you or the other manager can hire them if you want. If they don't nail it, then if the person asks, you can tell them, "Your application was strong in these areas, but in your written assignment, other candidates turned in work that excelled in these important areas. Going forward, be sure to pay attention to these types of details."
posted by nouvelle-personne at 1:56 PM on May 23, 2022 [22 favorites]
Honestly if this were my company we wouldn’t consider such a meeting appropriate—an internal candidate applies, or doesn’t, and lets the decision makers decide what they’re going to decide. The candidate can’t go around that process by meeting with individual members of the panel. Could you tell him this isn’t the appropriate route?
posted by kapers at 2:00 PM on May 23, 2022 [28 favorites]
posted by kapers at 2:00 PM on May 23, 2022 [28 favorites]
"I might have heard you were working on improving X -- that skill set is extremely important for a [role]. I'd definitely recommend pursuing an opportunity like [x] after you've gotten really good at X!"
or
"I'm so glad you're interested! You should know that we need someone who has truly great quality control - maybe fewer than one error/mistake every 12 weeks. In addition [ something you know they're good at, like good in-person connecting], which I already know you're great at. Oh, and we will also be asking their current manager about their written communication skills -- in fact, this is so important we might even ask for [a writing sample | writing test | examples of tricky e-mail messages they've had to send | evaluate their letter of interest very closely]. "
Etc. but make it more natural and in-context than what I've written here.
You might also mention the importance of a reference/endorsement from their current manager that includes that they are willing to listen to suggestions and improve on needed areas.
You're not saying this person is or isn't good at any particular thing; you're just letting them know that these things are important. This might help set expectations and also encourage them to actually listen and actually improve.
posted by amtho at 2:08 PM on May 23, 2022 [5 favorites]
or
"I'm so glad you're interested! You should know that we need someone who has truly great quality control - maybe fewer than one error/mistake every 12 weeks. In addition [ something you know they're good at, like good in-person connecting], which I already know you're great at. Oh, and we will also be asking their current manager about their written communication skills -- in fact, this is so important we might even ask for [a writing sample | writing test | examples of tricky e-mail messages they've had to send | evaluate their letter of interest very closely]. "
Etc. but make it more natural and in-context than what I've written here.
You might also mention the importance of a reference/endorsement from their current manager that includes that they are willing to listen to suggestions and improve on needed areas.
You're not saying this person is or isn't good at any particular thing; you're just letting them know that these things are important. This might help set expectations and also encourage them to actually listen and actually improve.
posted by amtho at 2:08 PM on May 23, 2022 [5 favorites]
Could you tell him this isn’t the appropriate route?
FWIW the type of meeting described from the perspective of the candidate (" discuss the new role") has been appropriate at the last four organizations I've worked at and was particularly emphasized at the third. The evaluative piece that the asker is inquiring about would not -- emphasizing that you have a specific skill set in mind is fine, telling someone that you already know they don't have it is not.
posted by sm1tten at 2:52 PM on May 23, 2022 [9 favorites]
FWIW the type of meeting described from the perspective of the candidate (" discuss the new role") has been appropriate at the last four organizations I've worked at and was particularly emphasized at the third. The evaluative piece that the asker is inquiring about would not -- emphasizing that you have a specific skill set in mind is fine, telling someone that you already know they don't have it is not.
posted by sm1tten at 2:52 PM on May 23, 2022 [9 favorites]
If it were appropriate for me to have the conversation with them, then I would tell them what I was looking for, stressing (at the right level for the role) the importance of written communication and QA. If good written communication is essential for the role then I would definitely include a written test in the assessment.
posted by plonkee at 3:19 PM on May 23, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by plonkee at 3:19 PM on May 23, 2022 [2 favorites]
I’ve chaired various hiring panels. I’ve had internal candidates reach out to me before applying. Generally I meet with them briefly to talk about the important skills for the role and what the team is like, significant past projects, etc. I always encourage everyone to apply if they feel it’s a good fit. It can be a good experience for internal candidates to demonstrate their desire to move up and share their skills with others in the company (those on the panel). I don’t use this as a time to provide any performance feedback. As chair, I provide consolidated feedback from me and the panel after the interview for those who were not selected.
posted by inevitability at 3:28 PM on May 23, 2022 [8 favorites]
posted by inevitability at 3:28 PM on May 23, 2022 [8 favorites]
So there are two similar roles, you are hiring for one and another manager for the other.
And the other manager is enthused about this candidate and may hire them themselves.
I think it's ok to meet with the candidate, but just keep your discussion to what the role entails, emphasize how much you value good writing skills and QA, and leave it at that. You are not committing to hiring that person and at this stage it's not appropriate to give them feedback. It would look like coaching them.
Now if they don't get hired by the other person, and want feedback, that might be appropriate. Maybe they wouldn't learn from it (as you are concerned about), but in the end that is their responsibility to work on their own skills.
Maybe the other issue is that you are concerned the other manager will hire them regardless of their lack of qualifications? But unless you are supposed to give your opinion on their hires, that's really not something you should take on.
posted by emjaybee at 9:23 PM on May 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
And the other manager is enthused about this candidate and may hire them themselves.
I think it's ok to meet with the candidate, but just keep your discussion to what the role entails, emphasize how much you value good writing skills and QA, and leave it at that. You are not committing to hiring that person and at this stage it's not appropriate to give them feedback. It would look like coaching them.
Now if they don't get hired by the other person, and want feedback, that might be appropriate. Maybe they wouldn't learn from it (as you are concerned about), but in the end that is their responsibility to work on their own skills.
Maybe the other issue is that you are concerned the other manager will hire them regardless of their lack of qualifications? But unless you are supposed to give your opinion on their hires, that's really not something you should take on.
posted by emjaybee at 9:23 PM on May 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you trust your own selection process, then I don’t think you have much to worry about here. You’ll already have designed the interview so that it examines the critical skills that the role needs. It would be odd to invent new tests in order to catch out a specific candidate. Let the process work its magic. You might not find the perfect candidate, but you can appoint whoever is best fit from the applicants. If that’s this person - so be it, they won out.
posted by rd45 at 12:49 AM on May 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by rd45 at 12:49 AM on May 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
should I speak to the other hiring manager about my concerns (not to dissuade them from hiring this person, but simply to be clear that my early thoughts are they will not be a good fit for my team- so they will likely have a clear path to hire this person if they are still keen)?
I think the time to discuss the merits of this candidate is after they have applied. If the other hiring manager is on your panel, then presumably you have a natural opportunity to discuss the merits of various candidates. It will depend on the rules of your workplace the extent to which you can take into account performance outside the interview and assessment. If you're not sure on those then ask someone in HR.
You’ll already have designed the interview so that it examines the critical skills that the role needs. It would be odd to invent new tests in order to catch out a specific candidate.
Yes, but if good written communication is genuinely important for the role then you should include a writing test in your assessment. If you hadn't realised its importance until later in the process, I would still recommend including it as it's very difficult to assess in any kind of verbal interview, and you have no real idea of the skills of any candidate you don't already know.
posted by plonkee at 1:19 AM on May 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
I think the time to discuss the merits of this candidate is after they have applied. If the other hiring manager is on your panel, then presumably you have a natural opportunity to discuss the merits of various candidates. It will depend on the rules of your workplace the extent to which you can take into account performance outside the interview and assessment. If you're not sure on those then ask someone in HR.
You’ll already have designed the interview so that it examines the critical skills that the role needs. It would be odd to invent new tests in order to catch out a specific candidate.
Yes, but if good written communication is genuinely important for the role then you should include a writing test in your assessment. If you hadn't realised its importance until later in the process, I would still recommend including it as it's very difficult to assess in any kind of verbal interview, and you have no real idea of the skills of any candidate you don't already know.
posted by plonkee at 1:19 AM on May 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'll second the "timed project" idea. I mean, I did one during my multi-interview process, and I give them to every serious candidate for a position I need to fill.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:35 AM on May 24, 2022
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:35 AM on May 24, 2022
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posted by Weng at 1:46 PM on May 23, 2022