Shelter Me!

Hoping to add a second dog to our family, I stopped by a local shelter at 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon. I had no obligations until a 5 p.m. family birthday party, so I thought I had plenty of time to submit an adoption application.

I was wrong.

A cute Chihuahua mix caught my eye. I waited for slip to visit with him. Then I waited at the kennel for the introduction. When I decided the pup wasn't right for us, I had to start the process over for the scrappy little black and white terrier mix.

He was perfect; I immediately decided I wanted him! But not so fast, Bucko: after waiting to meet him, the next step was to take a number, deli counter style, and wait for 45 minutes for an application. (The kennel staff apparently aren't trusted to give them out?) When the worker reviewed the application instructions, she stressed that I couldn't just leave the form; my signature must be witnessed by shelter staff.

Long story short, at 4:55, 20 applicants were ahead of me. I gave up, thinking I didn't want to adopt from a facility with the apparent philosophy that applicants aren't "pet-worthy" unless willing to jump through multiple hoops, withstanding considerable, needless inconvenience. I've stopped by pet store adoption shows with a more consumer-friendly approach. Applications are displayed for the taking; better yet, you may submit one online for pre-approval. Animals are freely accessible to visitors. What a different experience!

I've been thinking of the needless rigmarole at the animal shelter as it may parallel HR and employment processes. While I understand doing the best one can on a shoestring budget, it highlights the dangers of not stopping to evaluate processes and ask whether each step assists--or hinders--one's goals. And I wonder: Are there ways in which we as HR professionals unknowingly construct unnecessary obstacles to employment? Are we (God forbid) displaying that attitude that you're not job-worthy if you won’t put up with needless and annoying bureaucracy?

I hope not. But to be sure, let's all audit our own hiring processes and eliminate unnecessary steps, delays, and other inconveniences along the way.

image by katsuma, flickr

Landing the Job--Using 360 References

We were interviewing accountants. All CPA's with years of experience, our 'short list' interviewed brilliantly. Faced with a difficult choice, reference-gathering became critical.

Two of the candidates submitted extensive references lists providing 360 views of their accomplishments. References included former auditors, CEOs, supervisors, peers, Board members, and direct reports. Each person I reached out to was eager to talk and gave detailed, pertinent performance information. Messages were quickly returned.

The third person gave what appeared to be a random sampling of names from his address book. Several numbers were wrong. My messages weren’t returned. One person had to think for about ten seconds before he could recall the candidate. I went back to the applicant and requested more names--one of which declined to give a reference when contacted.

Guess who we eliminated first?

This true little story illustrates just how important references can be to land that dream job in the current employment market. Yes, it’s true that some employers don’t really check references these days, but you should be prepared that many do; and some (like me) may do a very thorough job of it. Ultimately, I spoke to nine of my new accountant's twelve furnished references. No cutting corners there.

Yes, the references you provide can mean the difference between job and no job. Some guidelines to get you started:

Big picture questions to ponder:

What are the significant skills and attributes required of the position, and which of my references can best showcase them?

Who can vouch for the success stories I share in interviews?

How can I build a 360 view of all I have to offer, using clients or their families, customers, current/former supervisors, mentors, managers from other departments, and people I’ve supervised?

With whom do I have credibility? Who will return recruiters' calls? Who will be eager to brag about me, and who will put my cause on the back burner?

Practicalities: Dotting the I’s, Crossing the T’s

Contact everyone on your list. Ask if you can use them as a reference. Make sure company policy will allow them to speak to the potential employer. And as you talk to your references, double-check phone numbers and e-mails.

Organize the list by category, making it clear how you know people and why they should be called.

Provide several extra names; inevitably someone will be on vacation, traveling for work, or otherwise unreachable.

Don’t use friends as references unless you have worked together and they can truly offer substantive information about your performance.

If you share written letters of recommendation, expect the employer to contact the authors for additional information. Again, make sure phone numbers are current.

Happy job hunting! These tips should help you groom your list of references both for your current job search and as you build your resume going forward.