FOR APPLICANTS

-Don't keep your cover letter the same – Mary Rose

When you’re applying to jobs, it’s important to tailor your cover letter to each specific position to which you are
applying. While it is more time-consuming to create a custom cover letter for each job, it is well worth it. If you use a
generic cover letter, it’ll be pretty obvious, and will signal that you aren’t willing to put in the extra effort. And if you
aren’t willing to put in effort when you’re simply applying to a job, chances are you won’t be a hard worker at the
company—and that’s definitely not the type of person employers are seeking.
Do your best to avoid the phrase, “Dear Sir or Madame” in your cover letter; it’s very impersonal. Do your research to
find out to whom you should address the letter. Sometimes it’ll be in the job listing itself, but other times you’ll need to
do a little digging. The fact that you took time to find the name will resonate with the employer.
Do take breaks
No one should be expected to apply to jobs for five hours straight. If you do this, you’ll just get tired and zoned out, and
won’t do your best work. According to various articles I’ve read on the subject, it is recommended to take a break after
about 45 minutes of working. Get up, stretch, walk around, and get rejuvenated. When you return, you’ll be refreshed
and ready to continue.
Don't apply to jobs “just because”
It can be easy to catch the bug and want to apply to any and every job that’s out there—after all, the market isn’t stellar.
However, make sure you apply to places where you could really see yourself working, not just to any place you find
along the way. Use your energy for jobs you truly want.
Do take your time - Aaron
If you’re doing them right, applications take time. Make sure you aren’t hasty; check your spelling and punctuation. Be
thoughtful in each of your answers to any questions on the application. Some may seem simple and straightforward, but
don’t take anything for granted or brush anything off.
Don't allow yourself to get distracted
When you’re completing job applications, find a quiet place where you won’t get interrupted, whether that’s your room,
the library, a coffee shop, or somewhere else. You want to be thinking only about your job application and nothing else,
and it’s too easy to let your mind wander when friends or family are around.
Also, when you’re using your computer, it’s tempting to start browsing the Internet. There are some good options that
block access of sites that distract you—social media, online shopping, etc.—for an elected period of time. One that
friends of mine have used is SelfControl, but you’ll find others by searching the Web.
Do follow up
If it’s been a few days and you haven’t heard anything back regarding your application, don’t be afraid to follow up. This
is something that many people don’t do, but it’s an extremely important part of the process. Making contact shows your
persistence and your interest in the position and will set you apart from the rest of the pack, which is, after all, exactly
what you want.

FOR HR
DO create a comfortable environment for interviewing. - Claire
Whether you conduct the interview in an office or conference room, make sure the area is neat and quiet. When the
interview begins, be sure not to take any calls or respond to emails. Offering the candidate something to drink, water or
coffee, is a small courtesy that demonstrates consideration and thoughtfulness.
DON'T ask personal questions.
Be especially careful of this at the beginning of the interview. Although it is important to have a friendly demeanor
when you meet the candidate to help put him or her at ease, engaging in too much small talk may lead you to
inadvertently ask a question that can border on areas that may potentially be considered discriminatory (such as
questions relating to the applicant's marital status, political beliefs, etc.).
DON'T ask discriminatory questions.
Any questions regarding race, religion, age, ethnic group, national origin or ancestry, political affiliations, military service
disability or other sensitive topics may be discriminatory and should be avoided. Also be careful not to ask any
questions that could elicit such information (for example, questioning an applicant about the origin of an unusual
surname). If an applicant volunteers irrelevant or inappropriate information during an interview, disregard the
information and do not write it down.
DO keep the conversation focused on job-related information. - ola
In reviewing your interview questions, ask yourself if the information you are seeking is really needed to evaluate the
candidate's qualifications, skills, and ability to meet the challenges of the job. Ask only for information you intend to use
in making a hiring decision and know how you will use the information to make that decision. You should also be
prepared to discuss the responsibilities and functions of the job opening and your company. Avoid asking questions that
are not relevant to the performance of the essential functions and responsibilities of the position.
DO provide the candidate with information regarding next steps.
After you have finished asking all of your questions, be sure to give the candidate an opportunity to ask any final
questions. To close the interview, provide a general timeframe for getting back in touch with the candidate regarding
any next steps and decisions. Be sure to also thank the candidate for his or her interest in the job and your company.

FOR APPLICANTS
1. Do  NOT  lie or misrepresent anything.   - ola
Given the speed and ease of accessing online information today, with access to all kinds of information from driving
records and tax payments to college attendance, making a false claim on many things can be easily discovered. So, to
avoid making a bad hire, many employers double-check information provided by the job candidate using Google and
LinkedIn as well as your references. False claims are deadly, so don’t risk it.
  2. Do  NOT  trash your employer or any co-workers.   emeralde
Answering questions honestly is a requirement, but do not be negative about a current or former employer or co-
worker. This is one of the biggest mistakes job candidates make. Saying anything negative is deadly.
Focus on the most positive aspects of the job and the people, even if you hated working there, with those people. When
you are negative, the assumption typically made is that there are the proverbial “two sides to every story,” and the
other side of this story may have something very negative to say about you.
  3. Do  NOT  talk or text on your smartphone during the interview.  
Focus completely on the job interview. Turn off your smartphone, and do not access it during the interview. In fact, keep
it turned off until you leave the employer's or recruiter's office.
  4. Do  NOT  ask questions about background checks and drug tests, or raises, holidays, and vacations -- until the
job offer negotiation.  
Asking about the timing and intensity of drug tests and background checks make you look like you have something to
hide, raising big red flags for the interviewer and, most likely, ending an opportunity.
Until you are negotiating a job offer, focus your questions on the contents and requirements of this job, how this job fits
into the organization, who you would be working for (and with), and how it all works together. Remember your goal is to
learn as much about the job as you can so that you can determine if it is a good job for you.
Prematurely asking questions about benefits, raises, etc. makes you look interested only in time off, not the content of
the job and whether or not it is a good fit for you.
  5. Do  NOT  forget to send a thank you note after the interview.  
A good well-written thank you note is often essential, even when sent via email, but fewer than twenty-five percent of
interviewees send them. Remember, the interview, and how you handle the whole process, is a sample of your work.
Demonstrate your understanding of the process, the rules of common courtesy, your commitment to complete a
"project," and your ability to communicate in writing by sending a thank you note (or email) immediately after the
interview.

FOR HR
Diane1. Prepare and Plan the first stage: Gain complete clarity about the job vacancy and the role that is created and start by
understanding the team/company requirements and expectations from the specific candidate. Understand the skillset, expertise, and
experience that the prospective employee needs to possess and accordingly create a detailed Job Description. It is the most critical and
first step towards getting the right talent on-board.

2. Create an interesting Job Description: If you want your candidate to stand out in the crowd, a creative and engaging job description
always helps. Take more effort in stating the obvious in an intriguing way that will catch a reader’s attention. A boring JD always lags
behind, however interesting the position might be! Use a hook phrase or other innovative techniques like video descriptions. Add some
humor and wit to make the job sounds exciting to the youngsters.

3. Pay attention to advertisements: While looking for prospective employees, companies often go overboard with advertisements
without investing a proper thought-process, which makes the copy sound either over-confident and over-promising or totally distrustful.
In either case, it fails to serve the purpose of engaging the right audience. Rather, write the adverts in a clear yet catchy way, keep
away from discriminatory language and over-exaggeration, keep the tone of the advert reasonable and write in a language that is
unique and attractive.
Melanie 4. Look beyond professional skills: Effective recruiting/hiring process is a one that also pays equal importance to candidate’s
interpersonal and people’s skills, real-world problem-solving expertise, and behavioral approach. Understand if the particular role
requires a candidate who has more than just professional experience and expects other competencies like leadership and
communication skills, level of confidence and knack for extra-curricular and so on. Understand what values the candidates can add to
the team and the company as a whole.

5. Make informed decisions about shortlisting: Make sure to know the candidate inside out. Feel free to find information about him/her
from social media sources like LinkedIn, online platforms like personal blogs, references mentioned in their resumes and other
legitimate ways. It sometimes becomes necessary to judge and evaluate the skillset, reasoning ability, intelligence, presence of mind,
subject matter expertise and required experience through conversations, aptitude tests, written tests, personality, and behavioral
assessment tests.

6. Effectuate the interview process: Prepare carefully on the day of interviewing the candidates. Exude professionalism and empathy
while inviting the prospective candidates and introduce the company well. Make them feel comfortable so they do away with the pre-
interview stress and tension. Be observant about their body language as a relaxed candidate will sound more confident. Keep your tone
informal, friendly and approachable while asking questions. Ensure your questions are clear and fully understandable. Stay away from
biased, judgemental, prejudiced and discriminatory comments. Be transparent and honest about the job and the company expectations.
Ask relevant and competency-based questions. Let the candidate do most of the talking. Lastly, be a good listener.

7. Have an effective employee onboarding: Remember, a great onboarding makes a lot of difference! Ensure to keep their desks and
equipment ready. Help them set system and user passwords and accounts with ease. Make sure their computers, desk-phones,
notepads, pens and other items are kept ready before they are allotted their seats. Introduce them well to the office, prepare a good
induction plan and allocate each of them with a buddy. Have a prompt and easy training plan ready.

Don’t Ever:
Ednalyn 1. Rush the hiring process: We all work within a specified timeline – so we tend to hurry things up to finish them on time. But
rushing the hiring process for just the sake of recruiting someone can be utterly detrimental for the company. When the wrong people
get hired to just close the positions, it can prove to be a total waste of time, effort and money for the company and the department.

2. Ask insensitive or irrelevant questions: The interview framework reflects the company’s overall thought-process and approach
towards resource-building. Always ensure not to ask discriminatory, controversial, insensitive and irrelevant questions like ‘are you
single or married’, ‘are you planning to have kids’, ‘are you planning to marry’, and so on. Keep away from making politically-inclined
opinions or from conversations around sexual orientation and other controversial subjects.

3. Use ‘one size fits all’ Job Description: Mostly, every job description varies from role to role. Even business requirements and
expectations, employee skillset and expertise-level change over time. It is always advisable to review and edit your job description
before publishing the same on social media and other platforms. Give extra attention to what exactly are you seeking out of your
candidates and their positions.

4. Take the candidates for granted: Remember, the candidates have found your job description and company profile worthy enough to
give you a personal visit or maybe he/she is in need of a good job. Stay empathetic towards their needs and efforts and avoid taking
them for granted through attitudes like long-waiting time before the interview rounds, interviewing them at inappropriate venues, not
asking them refreshments, rude or indifferent tone of language, etc.

Chenie 5. Sound biased and judgemental during the interview: Try to ask questions and hit a conversation by going beyond the details
and facts mentioned in the resume. Sometimes, the CV doesn’t say everything about the candidate. Try not to judge the candidate by
just his/her resume and stay away from biased perceptions and assumptions. Make a list of intelligent and relevant questions to assess
the candidate’s proficiency and try to hit a balance between professionalism and amiability. While interviewing make sure not to sound
over-familiar and over-confident and avoid interruptions between the conversation.

6. Make false promises to candidates: Stay away from making false or doubtful promises to candidates, especially regarding the career
prospects, job profile and salary structure. Be as transparent, honest and candid as possible to allow the candidate to make an
informed and mature decision. Also, it is always advisable to provide full information to the candidate, pertaining to the job,
expectations, office culture and company background.

7. Forget to acknowledge the applications: It is only unfair to keep the candidates waiting for a reply. So, ensure to acknowledge all
their emails/written communications as this makes a lot of positive impressions about the company’s reputation. Sometimes, it might
prove to be really time-consuming but do it anyway. Candidates hate to feel ignored and when their emails go unanswered, it creates a
disturbing brand experience, and bad news spreads faster than the good ones!

While some of us can rely on their instincts while recruiting resources, it goes without saying that hiring should be in sync with the
corporate strategy and purpose. Hiring the right people who would be the ‘best fit’ for the company’s culture and growth-structure can
turn out to be a wonderful experience. At the same time, it is equally crucial to ensure that the company is capable of aligning with the
prospect’s career goals. A positive and productive recruitment process not only drives employee longevity and loyalty but also
enhances the company’s brand image to the world. Hence, make sure to foster transparency throughout the process without rushing
things for the sake of it!
FOR APPLICANTS
DOs

Dress appropriately for the industry; err on the side of being conservative to show you take the interview seriously. Your personal grooming and
cleanliness should be impeccable.
Know the exact time and location of your interview; know how long it takes to get there, park, find a rest room to freshen up, etc.
Arrive early; 10 minutes prior to the interview start time [or earlier if the event or employer instructs you to do so].
Treat other people you encounter with courtesy and respect. Their opinions of you might be solicited during hiring decisions.
Offer a firm handshake, make eye contact, and have a friendly expression when you are greeted by your interviewer.
Listen to be sure you understand your interviewer's name and the correct pronunciation.
Even when your interviewer gives you a first and last name, address your interviewer by title (Ms., Mr., Dr.) and last name, until invited to do otherwise.
Maintain good eye contact during the interview.
Sit still in your seat; avoid fidgeting and slouching.
Respond to questions and back up your statements about yourself with specific examples whenever possible.
Ask for clarification if you don't understand a question.
Be thorough in your responses, while being concise in your wording.
Be honest and be yourself — your best professional self.  Dishonesty gets discovered and is grounds for withdrawing job offers and for firing. You want
a good match between yourself and your employer. If you get hired by acting like someone other than yourself, you and your employer will both be
unhappy.
Treat the interview seriously and as though you are truly interested in the employer and the opportunity presented.
Exhibit a positive attitude. The interviewer is evaluating you as a potential co-worker. Behave like someone you would want to work with.
Have intelligent questions prepared to ask the interviewer. Having done your research about the employer in advance, ask questions which you did not
find answered in your research.
Evaluate the interviewer and the organization s/he represents. An interview is a two-way street. Conduct yourself cordially and respectfully, while
thinking critically about the way you are treated and the values and priorities of the organization.
Do expect to be treated appropriately. If you believe you were treated inappropriately or asked questions that were inappropriate or made you
uncomfortable, discuss this with a Career and Professional Development advisor or the director.
Make sure you understand the employer's next step in the hiring process; know when and from whom you should expect to hear next. Know what action
you are expected to take next, if any.
When the interviewer concludes the interview, offer a firm handshake and make eye contact. Depart gracefully.
After the interview, make notes right away so you don't forget critical details.
Write a thank-you letter to your interviewer promptly.

DON'Ts

Don't make excuses. Take responsibility for your decisions and your actions.
Don't make negative comments about previous employers or professors (or others).
Don't falsify application materials or answers to interview questions.
Don't treat the interview casually, as if you are just shopping around or doing the interview for practice. This is an insult to the interviewer and to the
organization.
Don't give the impression that you are only interested in an organization because of its geographic location.
Don't give the impression you are only interested in salary; don't ask about salary and benefits issues until the subject is brought up by the employer.
Don't act as though you would take any job or are desperate for employment.
Don't make the interviewer guess what type of work you are interested in; it is not the interviewer's job to act as a career advisor to you.
Don't be unprepared for typical interview questions. You may not be asked all of them in every interview, but being unprepared will not help you.
A job search can be hard work and involve frustrations; don't exhibit frustrations or a negative attitude in an interview.
Don't go to extremes with your posture; don't slouch, and don't sit rigidly on the edge of your chair.
Don't assume that a female interviewer is "Mrs." or "Miss." Address her as "Ms." unless told otherwise. (If she has a Ph.D. or other doctoral degree or
medical degree, use "Dr. [lastname]" just as you would with a male interviewer. Marital status of anyone, regardless of gender, is irrelevant to the
purpose of the interview.
Don't chew gum or smell like smoke.
Don't allow your cell phone to sound during the interview. If it does, apologize quickly and ignore it. Don't take a cell phone call. Don't look at a text
message.
Don't take your parents, your pet (an assistance animal is not a pet in this circumstance), spouse, fiance, friends, or anyone to an interview. If you are
not grown up and independent enough to attend an interview alone, you're insufficiently grown up and independent for a job.