Whether you are a job seeker or an employer, uncovering the deeper aspects of any potential fit is only possible when both parties feel that they can talk openly.
Building transparency and confidence is definitely a mutual effort. When there is a relationship of trust and honesty, employers feel able to share crucial (and often confidential) information about the corporate vision and strategy and candidates can more readily explore their imperfections alongside their awesomeness.
Great recruitment certainly doesn’t consist of telling the perfect story. Our many years of experience have shown us that the most successful placements come about when employers and executives understand that (by chance, not design) their respective stories match. As recruiters, our role is to help encourage the most suitable and authentic fit.
So, employers and candidates, don’t be scared to offer a glimpse into your source code.
What truly goes on behind the scenes?
By all means, be selective about what you share, but don’t hold back on offering relevant insights into your career story or the inner workings of your employer brand. The more depth that you share, the more meaningful the outcome.
Just as individuals mirror behaviours and language, so two people in a conversation will tend to mirror the authenticity and honesty of what is being shared. When a candidate is sharing an emotional and compelling vision of their career it is hard for an interviewer to ignore the compulsion to share a bit more about themselves.
Transparency breeds transparency
This starts well before the interview. CVs and job descriptions can either set the scene for a revealing and insightful interview, or they can indicate that there is “nothing to see here.”
Executives should make sure that their CV highlights the depth of their achievements, including information that will serve as a hook for further discussion at interview. When talking to recruiters, they should use the opportunity to build on these unique hooks and get a recruiter on board with their story. You should expect a recruiter to relay your thoughts to an employer, so don’t hesitate to open up and be yourself from the first chat.
Employers, on the other hand, need to craft the job description as if an employee were describing their activity, free from corporate jargon and full of as much intimate detail as possible. Yes, certain candidates might be put off by some things, but are they really the ones that you want? Employers should trust their recruiter with as much detail as you are comfortable sharing – even the smallest nuance can make a difference to the shortlist.
In the current situation, when much of the process is virtual, deeper conversations are more elusive, so it is even more important that your story is compelling and transparent. You will be more likely to get the right job or attract the right person if you have put your cards on the table and said “this is who I am.”
