When I was managing a team, I obviously did a lot of hiring. Because I worked in the specialty food industry, I dreaded both May and September. Those were the months that the college kids either moved to town in droves (all coveting the same 3 available coffeeshop jobs), or cut down from full-time to part-time (and occasionally I had one that would realize, as if it were a surprise to themselves as well, that "oh yeah, my classes actually start tomorrow).
I hate interviewing people. I'm not good at reading body language. I just want to know a) will you work hard? and b) do I like you enough to see you at least 40 hours a week and maybe get an occasionally phone call from you?
I don't like bullshit. I don't have time to talk about your high school lacrosse coach and why he made you respect authority figures. You clearly do not, because you are texting under the table as you talk to me, your potential boss.
That's why I love the role of social media in the hiring process. One of my favorite Seth Godin lines is this: "I think if you're remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular, you probably shouldn't have a resume at all."
There was a guy that I interviewed for a position last summer. After the interview, I just wasn't sure if I was feeling him or not. Was he being sarcastic when he was laughing about the potential of estrogen in soy products to cause "health issues" in men, or did he really believe it, and what did it matter anyway? If I went with my gut feeling after the interview, I probably would not have hired him. But on his way out the door, he said, "Hey, did ya look at my youtube video?"
"No," I said.
"I put it at the bottom of my resume, maybe you missed it."
"Oh, yeah, here it is. Thanks, I'll check it out, see ya later." And I thought that would be the last time I saw him. But it wasn't.
I went to my desk and sat down with a latte and watched his youtube video. Halfway through, I shut it off, and gave him a call. He was hired.
I was managing a coffeeshop. His video is right here: The Perfect Latte. (It was made as a school project - remember that.)
Would you hire someone with that much enthusiasm and understanding of the culture that they are striving to become a part of? Yes, you'de be an idiot not to. I hate all of these "career gurus" who tell young people to scrub their social media profiles clean of anything semi-offensive (like - gosh - drinking beer). The jobs that are being created right now demand to be filled by people who have original ideas. So stop erasing your controversial blog posts and youtube shenanigans when you are going after your dream job - that youtube video or blog post might just get you the job. And for fucks sake, who cares if you swear on your blog - not me!
Exactly a week after his interview, I put the guy that I almost didn't hire behind the coffeebar. He had never made a real latte before in his life. And he became my best employee.
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