This seems to be a really popular mantra these days. In the past two weeks I’ve heard it at least five or 10 times and here is what followed:

  • “I’ll go on the interview but you know I want at least $20,000 more. I know that I’ve been out of work now for three months, but if I go backwards in my salary I’ll never be able to make it up.”
  • “It’s just too far to drive. I know it’s a better job than I’ve ever had and the company is really good, but it’s 15 miles more and I’m driving 10 miles now.”
  • “Well, it’s simply the first offer that I’ve gotten and I read where I ought to get three to be able to choose from.”… (even in a Covid economy?)
  • “Well, we know your candidate is the best one we’ve seen, but why would a candidate this good want to come to work for a company like ours?”
  • “That just doesn’t sound like the kind of company or job that I’d really be interested in. I’ll keep doing my part time job until a better interview comes along.”
  • “I’ve thought about the interview that you got me, but my husband thinks I can find a better situation.”
  • “We can’t pay your candidate $65,000 because the guy that we are promoting out of the job is only making $60,000. I know it’s taken us a month to find him, but I guess we’ll just have to keep looking”.
  • “I’ve never really had any luck hiring someone I didn’t know. But my boss told me to call you since we’ve been looking for three months and can’t seem to find anybody. Just want you to know how I feel….just never hired anyone I didn’t know.”
  • “I know you set up a face-to-face interview for me, but I’d like to talk to them over the phone first to qualify them to see if it’s what I want.”
  • “Smart, personable and humble” on the very top of the resume

Being “transparent” may at best to be ignorant and at worst, stupid. We always give the benefit of the doubt to ignorance, even though it’s very frustrating.