A Rose By Any Other Name Still Smells As Sweet

…but if your parents got creative with your name, expect to become a string of letters and don’t expect people who have only met you over the phone to know that it’s Souix and not Sue. Your differences are important, but during the interview and hiring process, expect to meet people that don’t know how to spell or pronounce your name. At the same time, don’t let them call you Joe if your name is Harvinder. Politely correct them and they will learn in time. Get testy about it and they will remember you as they throw your resume in the trash can.

Don’t Take My Word For It

There are a lot of great recruiters out there and there are a lot who need, well….some help.

If you are a job seeker, don’t assume your recruiter knows what they are doing–jump right in and help them. But go gently. They too have pride.

Good recruiters don’t believe anything you say. They ask for examples and then they verify them. That’s what your references are all about. A weak recruiter will let your references say that you are a great person and leave it at that. A really good recruiter will quote you from your interview and ask your reference to recall the situation, your role in it and the value you added to it.

Have three references for your last three positions (or 10 years, which ever comes first). Name, working phone number, where they worked with you and what their working relationship was with you at the time.

So if you want to get the job, be ready. Call your references before the recruiter does. Tell them about the job you are applying for and remind them of the cool things you did when you worked together–especially any projects/teams that came up in your interview. That will prepare your reference for the “interview” the good recruiter is about to conduct with them.

If they get a call from the weak recruiter, make certain they have the correct dates of employment and, of course, that you are a “great person”.