I’ve been considering how developments in thinking and changes in fashion have impacted our assessments of people’s suitability to join our businesses over time.  And I’ve been thinking about the different recruitment processes I’ve designed or supported (as well as the ones I haven’t) during my HR career.  Interviews have been a constant throughout and when asked, I’ve always promoted more than one information source.  Over the years I’ve spent days on end holed up in hotel rooms managing assessment centres, seen assessors “rest their eyes” momentarily in group discussions and followed candidates around busy station platforms on bitterly cold days.  I’ve experienced competencies three different ways (although there wasn’t a Masterchef contestant in sight) and I’ve written hundreds of interview questions on every topic imaginable, including Tuna fishing.

The catalyst for this impromptu reflection was an “off the cuff” comment that right now employers may only want to interview candidates who’ve been “doing something” during lockdown (furlough, unemployment and so on).  It’s no surprise that we all want to hire motivated and interested people who share our organizational values; people who will do a good job in growing or promoting our products or services.  But does that all rest on how they’ve spent the past 12 months?  I’m yet to be convinced.

Just recently, I’ve heard a few stories about the negative impact of the pandemic on selection processes.  Candidates seem to be getting a rough deal despite their best efforts and they’re not getting much explanation.  There’s a certain inevitability about it, although I’ve still been astonished by some of the questions being asked of candidates and assertions being made.  Questions like, “How did you cope with social isolation?” or “What have you been doing at home for so long?” let alone, “Didn’t you want to find some voluntary work?” may not prompt a helpful or healthy dialogue.

In my view, it’s unhelpful to make judgements about whether watching daytime television requires more, or less motivation than homeschooling.  Many people have spent lockdown without a job, with insufficient income and no obvious career plan (especially those who’ve devoted a career to travel, hospitality or the arts) yet they’ve gladly shopped for their community and cared for elderly neighbours.  Not all of them will want to talk about it at interview and we should respect that.  I suppose candidates who are desperate to work again will forgive the odd intrusion into their personal space by those who are sometimes ill-equipped to delve.  Surely that’s not how it should be?

We’re all aware of the sociological (and other[i]) influences on recruitment, yet I remain unconvinced that some of the approaches currently on offer are valid or fair.  Delving into lockdown activity (including furlough) as an indicator of motivation or resilience may not yield the desired outcome.  Lockdowns, home schooling, bereavements and job losses have been a struggle for many; only the most skilled interviewers will be able to unpack and repack the evidence without unnecessary distress.  Put simply, I’m unimpressed although I recognize that for some security or safeguarding roles, it’s vital that candidates present a detailed analysis of their employment and other activity.

Knowing me as you do, you’ll have guessed I’d have a lot to say on the subject, although I’m not here to beat up on recruiters.  I simply want to spin this around to a more positive vibe, so that everyone gets the best recruitment experience.  For me, this is about candidates being prepared and employers understanding what really makes their organization successful.  I’m encouraged by employers bravely recruiting for shared values and positive attitude, as well as employers who recognize that turning an interest into a modest income stream demonstrates entrepreneurship.  I’m convinced that the greatest insight will come from positive interview questions and an open dialogue. 

Here are a few of my suggestions:

• What did you learn about yourself during the challenges of the pandemic?

• What has been your greatest achievement during the past 12 months?

• When things have been tough, what has motivated you?

• How has the pandemic influenced your career choices?

• What was the toughest challenge of homeworking for you?

• And what did you do to [make that a little easier] [overcome that challenge]?

• How has your [working] [leadership] style been impacted by [homeworking] [the pandemic]?

Right now, my best advice to candidates is to consider the above questions and likely answers to each of them as a minimum.  I’m also advocating the inclusion of a, “keeping busy during lockdown” summary on your CV and/or a few lines under Achievements to counterbalance any lack of work activity since, e.g., Spring 2020.  And remember, this doesn’t need to cover every single short-term activity, so that the key focus of your career is relegated to a second page. 

Here are a few examples:

Pandemic Portfolio

During furlough I created a journal where I recorded all the new experiences gained from not working.  I learned that homeschooling, though essential, was not to be my new career although working with vulnerable adults could be.  This stemmed from volunteering within my community, alongside job search once I heard my role was redundant.

Achievements

• Balanced the needs of homeworking (reduced hours) with homeschooling and other caring responsibilities

• Created a project plan which enabled me to systematically monitor the jobs market and stay focused on my career aspirations, while undertaking part-time and contract assignments

[i] Political, Environmental, Sociological, Technological, Economic, Legal