Post-9/11 Recruiting

Letter to the Editor, We Must Keep Doors Open For Those Out of Work

Letter to the Editor, Trying to Help By Doing What We Know Best

Letter to the Editor, following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001

Can you keep a secret?

Still Time to Take Action

KO'ing Kooky Candidates

 Our last article mentioned reasons we might turn down a recruiting assignment (serious and not so). It seemed only fair to follow this with a similar diatribe on why some candidates simply aren't appropriate.
  Several things are very important to us at Systemethods. Honesty from a potential candidate is crucial, specifically with regard to previous positions, reasons for leaving, education, etc.
  We also eliminate candidates when there is a strong indication that they are just fishing for open jobs in the industry but have no intention of leaving their current job.
  Another reason for taking a candidate out of the running for a particular position would be personality, cultural or philosophical differences with our client company.
  Lastly, because Systemethods only works on senior and executive level searches and is passionate about travel-industry-qualified people for travel-industry positions, we only represent people with appropriate qualifications for this industry.
  And again, on a lighter note, I'd like to present my Top 10 Reasons We Believe a Candidate Just Won't Work Out. (Yes, once more, right out of my kit bag of experience.)
  10. Wants to work for a travel company. Won't get on an airplane.
  9. When asked for a single word that best describes self, responds with, "Oh, I don't know, that would be hard to do in a single word. How about decisive? No, maybe precise. Well, I'm not 100%sure on that one. I think it should be smart, or does intelligent sound better? No, I think I would really have to say concise. And to the point."
  8. First question they ask me when I tell them they're on my short list for a position is "Does this mean I'll have to quit my current job if I get this one?"
  7. When queried about a beverage before starting the personal (in-office) interview, responds with "Make mine Bud."
  6. Position is in Seattle. He wants to commute from Jamaica.
  5. Asks if there's any chance they can get their first six months' salary in advance.
  4. Suspect they got a MAP of Hayward, not an MBA from Harvard.
  3. Travel industry experience? Flew from Hibbing to Helena once.
  2. References checked consistently tell us they wouldn't hire this person to wax their car.
  And the No. 1 reason we believe a candidate just won't work out? No shoes.

Karen Rothe Osband is the founder and owner of SYSTEMETHODS, a travel industry consulting and executive search firm located in Littleton, CO. She can be reached at (303) 948-8084 or (877) 802-5584,
and email KROsband@SYSTEMETHODS.com.

Knowing When to Say 'No'

Focus on Recruiting, Part Two

Defending Recruiting, Part One

Hiring: Seeing the Potential

Filling a Job: Experience Counts