The Talent Shortage Myth and Why HR Should Get Out of the Hiring Business

[MadImmortalMan]

I'm trying to fill an open position right now, and I'm surprised how bad the candidates are. One dude put that he's been running a consulting firm for the last seven years. The company has no incorporation status, no business license, no presence whatsoever. He's got a domain name for it but no site. If you theoretically wanted to do business with them, there's no way you could find them. Fake.

At least HR is sending me the resumes. Lord knows what I'd end up with.

[Admiral Yi]

Fake.

Still in the planning stages.

[Josquius]

I'm trying to fill an open position right now, and I'm surprised how bad the candidates are. One dude put that he's been running a consulting firm for the last seven years. The company has no incorporation status, no business license, no presence whatsoever. He's got a domain name for it but no site. If you theoretically wanted to do business with them, there's no way you could find them. Fake.

At least HR is sending me the resumes. Lord knows what I'd end up with.

He didn't say it was a very good consulting firm :p

I'd bring him in just to question him about that.....

[Caliga]

I used to get that a lot.  People that had been unemployed not wanting to admit it and therefore saying they were the 'President' of 'Joe Sixpack Inc.' providing "consulting" services.  Dude, just tell me the truth.

[Caliga]

Speaking of interviews, we did panel interviews today for two sys admin guys.  One of the boys who's based in Chicago couldn't make it down so we set up an audio feed and then the IT Architecture guy busted out this camera so he could see the candidate and he piped the guy in Chicago's voice through the camera.  Only this camera literally looked like an eye on a stalk and could track the candidate's movement... it was seriously creeping me the fuck out as it looked like the candidate was interacting with HAL or that monster from the trash compactor in Star Wars.

[Razgovory]

I used to get that a lot.  People that had been unemployed not wanting to admit it and therefore saying they were the 'President' of 'Joe Sixpack Inc.' providing "consulting" services.  Dude, just tell me the truth.

Why?  It's not going to make you hire them anymore.

[Caliga]

I don't like being lied to.  It's not great to have huge employment gaps, but it's better than lying about your work history.

That said, in the case where someone has serious felony convictions (we've discussed this before in other threads), I do think the best strategy for the candidate is to try and lie and hope the company doesn't bother to run a background check... if you have certain kinds of convictions, such as theft, murder, etc. you will NEVER be hired by a company, ever.

[Ed Anger]

I liked being a consultant.

Easiest job in the world.

[Caliga]

I liked being a consultant.

Easiest job in the world.

I'm not talking about the kind of consultant you are/were, Colonel.  I'm talking about the kind of consultant that isn't actually a consultant.

[Ed Anger]

I know.

I just liked sharing. 

[Razgovory]

I don't like being lied to.  It's not great to have huge employment gaps, but it's better than lying about your work history.

That said, in the case where someone has serious felony convictions (we've discussed this before in other threads), I do think the best strategy for the candidate is to try and lie and hope the company doesn't bother to run a background check... if you have certain kinds of convictions, such as theft, murder, etc. you will NEVER be hired by a company, ever.

I suppose whether or not it's better then lying about your work history depends on whether or not the interviewer buys it.

[Admiral Yi]

This thread makes me think to the time shortly after undergrad.  I was dicking around trying to figure out something to do and I ran into a former dormmate in a Metro station.  All dressed up, flashed me out a business card.  He was president of a consulting company too. 

I was sincerely impressed.  Wondered to myself whoa how the fuck did that dude pull that off so quick?

[Caliga]

 

When I hear the words "president of my own consulting company" I reach for my Beretta.

[Ed Anger]

 

[Ideologue]

I don't like being lied to.  It's not great to have huge employment gaps, but it's better than lying about your work history.

That said, in the case where someone has serious felony convictions (we've discussed this before in other threads), I do think the best strategy for the candidate is to try and lie and hope the company doesn't bother to run a background check... if you have certain kinds of convictions, such as theft, murder, etc. you will NEVER be hired by a company, ever.

How about an eleven year old assault and battery, DUI, and sundries?