For those in HR, a question
 

For those of you in positions that hire and fire. How do you view the situation where you post for a job, applicant sends in resume, and follows up with a phone call a few days later. Is that a plus or minus in your mind with regards to hiring that person? I know some listings will mention to not call , but most do not say anything about contacting them afterward.

It's never going to hurt you to respectfully follow up on any communication with a prospective employer.

It shows initiative, and a request that communication was received and processed properly.
Not a bad thing.

Like my old man always told me (and subsequently I've told my kids), "a squeaky wheel gets the grease"

Completely agree with john70t

Yes, I'm in "that position"

I always follow that quote with, "but if it keeps squeaking, it gets replaced."

I think a quick polite follow up might be fine in most cases, but you should be very polite and not try and make it seem like you're trying to plead your case.

I just had this experience.

A young woman in a Masters program was interviewing for an internship. Working with my HR, we went thru the process. After the interview, I told the HR dept, there wasn't a fit. I did give the woman my card in the event she had questions.

Several days later, she emails me wanting to know how she fared on the interview. I reached out to the HR dept and was told they would respond and not me. Several days pass and she still writes me. Apparently HR didn't respond. So I did. I did because she was persistent. She wanted to know why. I wrote to her explaining what were the requirements and what, I felt, she was weak in. I encouraged her to continue her education and gather the skills she needed. She thanked me and asked if she could work for free - she was looking to gain the experience. I was taken back and declined her offer. We are LinkedIn buddies solely because of her persistence. She will do well going forward.

[QUOTE=rwest;9304283]I always follow that quote with, "but if it keeps squeaking, it gets replaced"

Now, that's funny.....and true :)

If I may ask, what caused you to turn down her offer for what would effectively be an unpaid internship?

Company policy. They don't do unpaid internships.

Not to thread-jack, but how is someone with a Masters (or obtaining one), exhibiting drive with fastidious follow-up and willing to work for free not a fit!? If you took the interview, she couldn't have been that far off, right?

IMHO, it's a bad decision hiring on box checking requirements instead of character. Heck, it's also laughable that this person is listening to advice like "continue education and gather skills" when she's being turned down for free labor at a Master's level. Sounds like if she didn't go to school in the first place she'd be better off. (And don't give me that garbage "people with a college degree typically make $1-2M more in their lifetime than those without. It's a skewed data sales pitch)

I know because I've been hired both ways and I reached much greater heights when I was presented with a challenge that needed to be achieved with innate abilities rather than "you meet the requirements".

Currently, approximately 20-30% of employers will consider this character approach and it's proven to yield much higher productivity and employee happiness.

My response plays directly into "misunderstood user" LOL

You really want the details on this? She is an immigrant with a BS degree from her country who is in the USA working on her Masters in Industrial Engineering. Her experience is working as a technician for a coffee factory in QA sorting out beans. She also worked for a canning company in QA sorting out legumes. I saw her resume after I agreed to an interview. There wasn't a fit in anything she did. It was a failure on my HR department. I could have blown her off during the interview but didn't. I spent an hour with her including a tour of my 70,000 sq ft manufacturing facility.


What do I do? I work in manufacturing for a Tier1 company supplying automotive parts. I have one opportunity to hire one intern for a manufacturing engineer or IE position. I'm looking for an 'A' candidate that can help me. My vote was no. Hope that answers your concern.

Welp, with that information this makes complete sense! She was a bean counter, that is funny! Again, no need for a Master's degree

Sounds like HR needs to get their ischt together...

Funny you said that you're looking for an "A" candidate to help you. That is something I try to ask a hiring authority or supervisor in my professional travels, How can I help you? Makes it direct that I'm trying to work for the benefit of all.

911,

My problem is that my company wants hires at the 74% level. That is C+ in my high school and college days. It is impossible to have hires at that level and expect the company to operate at an A+ level. It just doesn't work.

If I had a bigger staff and there was a potential of hiring this woman full time, I would take the risk to train her.

Plus. Good initiative.

Follow up if you are qualified.........

Agreed, good initiative.

Let's see, why wouldn't I let her work for free? Here's my top five:

1. Safety concerns
2. Workers compensation concerns
3. Wage and hour laws (FLSA)
4. Equal and fair treatment
5. Hostile environment potential

Damn good decision not creating huge risk for a business that has made a significant investment in creating jobs.

A few years ago I applied for a job a place I was dying to work and I was very well qualified for the job. I knew a boss there and got him to put in a word for me. I asked a former client, who was well connected there, for help too. He wrote a glowing recommendation to the CEO, whom he knew. I never got so much as an auto-rejection email. I finally tracked down an HR boss on LinkedIn and called her. She said they were still collecting resumes and would get back to me if I was a fit. Unreal. Now I have a very close friend who's a boss there, but that original job was filled or canceled long ago.