The "you never know" job market
J.T. O’Donnell & Dale Dauten Dear J.T. & Dale:I am planning to move cross-country in a couple of months to be near my brother. I just got referred to a job here with a good company. I would love to work for them, but I don't think they'd hire me if they knew I am relocating. Should I tell them the truth? -- Monica DALE: Hiring is a chore and an expense: reviewing candidates and doing interviews, background and reference checks, then training/ onboarding. Why would anyone do that only to start over a few weeks later? If you're honest upfront, I doubt they'd talk to you. However, honestly answer for yourself this question: If you got a great new job, could you put off moving for a while? J.T.: I definitely would go on the interview. It's an opportunity for you to get to know the company better. And
yes, you might be so impressed that you would be willing to stay. On the other hand, if you love the company but still want to relocate, I would be candid with them and explain your plans. Tell them that you respect and admire them too much not to tell the truth. And then inquire how you might be able to stay connected with them and on their radar for future opportunities. DALE: On their radar? I think most hiring managers, having just learned that their time had been wasted talking to a non-candidate, would permanently banish that candidate from the radar screen. However, I still say that you should go on the interview. Here's the right mind-set for any employee in this economy: YOU NEVER KNOW. Would going to the interview fit that attitude of openness? Yes; you go in order to learn. Not only could it work out that you decide to postpone moving, but even if you don't get the offer or you decide to turn it down, it would be good practice for someone who'll be interviewing after moving. Stay open. You never know. *** Dear J.T. & Dale: I was recently told by a recruiter that I didn't move on to the next interview round because I wasn't a "cultural fit." What does that
mean, exactly? -- Harrison J.T.: When you're told you're not a cultural fit, it means your personality wasn't a match for the team. This is a very important aspect of recruiting these days. It doesn't matter how much experience you have; if the manager can't imagine working alongside you, or can't imagine the staff getting along with you, then the productivity of the entire team could be at risk. DALE: I know it must feel like an insult, but that isn't necessarily so. I once served as a reference for a terrific young woman, a former employee of mine who was interviewing with a company run by its founder. The recruiter kept asking me "fit" questions. Eventually I read between the lines: The owner was a jerk and a sleazeball, and the unstated issue was, Could my friend put up with it? J.T.: So perhaps they did you a favor. If they didn't see you as a fit, then bringing you on would only create an uncomfortable situation. Instead, you need to focus on employers that have the same values and beliefs that you do. This is how you find your "tribe" and are able to get hired by companies who will appreciate all that you bring to the organization! DALE: All of which adds another
dimension to your list of target employers, and to your interview prep. Read all you can about the company, and network your way into conversations with current or former employees. And use social media to understand what your prospective colleagues care about. If their culture is one you aspire to but is dissimilar from where you've been -- say, you spent a decade with a giant bureaucratic corporation and you're interviewing with a free-wheeling entrepreneurial company -- you need to make sure that they know you admire what they've created and you want to adapt. If they care about culture, they probably are proud of theirs, and are eager to share it with someone who "gets it." *** Jeanine "J.T." Tanner O'Donnell is a professional development specialist and the founder of the consulting firm jtodonnell. Dale Dauten resolves employment and other business disputes as a mediator with AgreementHouse.com. Please visit them at jtanddale.com, where you can send questions via email, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019. (c) 2016 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.