This week’s posting comes from Miroslava Barcova, Statutory Director at Delta Consulting Group/ Kennedy Executive Search Prague:
“Dating and finding a new job: Two completely different things, different life situations, personal life and work. Do they really differ so much or can we find any similarities common to both of them?
First of all, they both are relationships. Let’s have a closer look at the other aspects:
1. Job boards/ LinkedIn and dating services:
Both, job boards and dating services have many things in common.
You load your profileWait until somebody contacts you based on the specification you fill in, the better the photo, the better partners, the better the CV, the better job offers, the better the advert, the better candidates. Be honest, we all want to look good. It does not matter if they use Photoshop or tune their CV, using words they would never use in their ordinary life. Almost each employer offers nice working environment, an outstanding corporate culture and superior possibilities to make career. I have never seen a job advert saying we all argue here, nobody cannot stand your future boss and our offices are dark and cold.Checking profiles on a dating service is like checking CVs on a job board. Just looking for a match.Nobody likes rejecting others. How many employers did not reply to your CV? But also, how many potential partners did not reply at all?
So, shall we expect Tinder for job seekers and employers soon?
2. Headhunters and professional matchmakers:
They both are looking for a perfect matchThey both interview potential candidatesThey both are trying to reveal expectations and “reasons for leaving”
3. The first meeting in person:
A first date with your future soul mate is like a first job interview. It does not matter if it is a job interview or a date, when you meet for the first time, there must be sort of chemistry between the two parties. More or less, it is about the following:
Do I want to see this person once more or not?Do I like him/ her?Could we fit togetherDo I feel good when we are together?Does the person meet my needs? In this case the criteria are a little different, however there are still some common things. How many times were you asked about your hobbies at an interview and about what you do for living at a first date?And last but not least, negative feedback. Employers often tell just a half of the truth as a feedback. Just, you are not suitable for the role, or we need a different type of skill set. How many times have you heard the magical sentence: “We will call you” but the phone never rang? After the first date, people usually do not say: “I do not want to see you again because I really do not like you physically at all, you are ugly” or “You are totally stupid, it is not worth of my time to see you again”. Or are we being said “I will call you” and then the phone never rings even though you think you both had a great time?
4. Attraction and presentation
It does not matter if it is a date or an interview, if somebody likes the other one, he/she is trying to make the best impression.
When going to the company for the first time, you look at the web page, you prepare for the interviewWhen going for the date and you know the person likes something you do not have a clue about, you just look it up, to make the right impression.People in 90% of cases dress better than usually, carefully choosing what they should wear. Women wash their hair and do a nice make up, to look pretty.People smile at the partner (and do so more than after half a year of being together, no matter if it is a partner in life or a boss)People do not say negative things and do not speak about their failures, unless asked to do soPeople are trying to show they are successful and interesting personalities full of enthusiasm, positivity and drive. Employers are showing the bright side of working in their company.
Conclusion:
Do some of the examples given sound familiar? Can you see the analogies? And how can this posting help you to better hire or perform better in your next job interview as a candidate?
Stay tuned: this was only part 1. Make sure to be back in two weeks for part 2 as there are more surprises to come!”
About the Author:
Miroslava Barcova
Miroslava Barcova Is Statutory Director At Delta Consulting Group/ Kennedy Executive Search Prague. She Has Been Working In Recruitment Since 2000, Both In Executive Search Firms And In Companies In HR Functions.
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