Friday, August 3, 2012

Face to Face. Where did it go?


It continues to amaze me, those seeking job opportunities, will never really benefit from the ever-changing technology. 

Although a rhetorical question, What ever happened to old school method of someone greeting you from the job opportunity company's HR and a representative from the requesting department spending at least 15 minutes with you?  
I know, I know, we have recruiters and website software that supposedly interprets our resumes. But really, unless that recruiter "knows" you or the software really interrogates/comprehends the resume contents, I don't have faith that a large portion of the job seekers will successfully benefit from this technology devoid of face-to-face/human contact.
There was a time around the late 80's that many companies suggested that marketing/sales correspondence needed to be limited and face-to-face was really the only way to maintain a relationship.  So, this is what I am suggesting to HR and recruiters get a face-to-face.  No not a telephone interview. face-to-face.  It’s hard to gain any perspective of how an interviewer is reacting without eye-to-eye contact.  Many would agree. 

Sure, there will be many who suggest  the telephone is a quicker method to limit candidacy consideration but I would too say this. My Manager chose me based on  about 40% of what was in the resume, the deciding factor was based on a face-to-face. He said he knew no one walks into most positions and immediately provides the required bullets form the job posting.  Why?, because it goes back to story of the manager asking the employee to bring him a rock.  The employee brought a rock.  The manager said, "that is not the rock I wanted".  
It takes management a period of time (short or long) to mold the individual to there expectation.  I too believe many would agree with this excluding such positions in medical, Fire & Police, engineering etc.  Professional Services and others are ones that take shape.
Maybe some day we’ll see the return of face-to-face at many levels during the consideration process.