What Really Happened?
You’ve probably had the experience. You had all the right stuff: the skills, the education, the track record... you were practically a shoo-in for the job. But someone else got it. Ever wonder why?
As Executive Search consultants, we have the opportunity to ask the client “Why did you choose one candidate and not the other?”
In most cases, when candidates are all well qualified, the hiring decision is simply based on gut instinct: which candidate seems to “fit” in better, or connect on a personal level with the interviewer. But sometimes the response is surprising, and we felt that a few were worth sharing.
Graham Carver, President, recalls a client who, when asked why an outstanding candidate was rejected for a CEO position after the interview, responded “He brought his wife to the interview”. Carver chuckles, “He didn’t actually bring her IN to the interview, but just having her in the reception area did him in”.
David Howes, Partner, was surprised to learn that one of his leading candidates for a senior international sales position was rejected after being interviewed.
“This particular individual was highly regarded in the industry, but obviously a little too driven” says Howes. “When he interrupted the meeting to take ‘an important call’ on his cell phone, the interview was over.” Howes adds, “Even the most intelligent people can sometimes miss the obvious.”
Peter Shrive, Partner, has seen clients occasionally allow their personal tastes override their objectivity, but few recognize that they’re doing it. Usually they provide several ostensible reasons for rejecting the candidate, but then unwittingly divulge the truth.
Shrive recalls an exceptional candidate who was rejected by a client for a VP, Operations position. The client provided several reasons, but mainly that the style of the candidate’s suit reminded him of “a popular TV appliance repairman”.
Chris Poole, Partner, shakes his head when recalling a client that rejected one of his best candidates for a very difficult senior specialist position because, among other things, “she reminds me of my ex-wife”. Poole asks “How does one respond to a good client with that kind of reasoning?”
Peter Shrive also remembers a candidate who was rejected by a client (unofficially) because he had a beard. To quote the client, “I just don’t trust a man with facial hair.”
Cambridge Partner, Elisabeth Windfeld once had a top candidate rejected for having too much internal support. “We didn’t understand until an offhand remark disclosed that the hiring manager felt threatened by the strength of the candidate’s personal connections” says Windfeld.
Despite our best efforts, individual preferences and prejudices do influence our relationships, both personal and business, on a daily basis. “As an Executive Search firm, our job is to find not just the most qualified candidates, but those who will also fit the objectives and character of the organization” says Graham Carver.
“If employees don’t work together as a team, the organization will eventually fail. So it’s important to find someone who will not only be able to do the job well, but who will be able to do it with the support and cooperation of the other team members” adds Carver.
So what’s the lesson here? There is no such thing as a “shoo-in” in human relations.
You CAN reduce your chances of putting your foot in your mouth by learning as much as possible about the hiring company beforehand, but if your own operating style and personal goals don’t mesh with or complement the hiring company’s, it might be best that you aren’t chosen for the position after all.
By doing your research, you might just be able to make that decision yourself.
Cambridge Management Planning has been providing client-focused
Executive Search and Management Consulting services
across Canada and internationally since 1976.
124 Merton Street, Suite 509, Toronto, ON Canada M4S 2Z2
Telephone: 416-484-8408 Email: mail@cambridgemgmt.com
