Abeer Ali’s Post

The Value of Self-Reflection in Hiring and Recruiting I believe that truth always comes out, which is why I stick to it, irrespective of potential consequences or ramifications. You may have noticed my recent posts addressing inappropriate, inadequate, and even shameful disrespectful behavior by recruiters, hiring managers, and employers. Let me share a real-life event, with all identifying details hidden. A financial expert was chased, hunted, and lured into moving to a large global organisation here in Australia. The recruiter, hiring managers, and selection panel were all blindsided by the impressive career trajectory, prestigious employers, and knowledge and expertise presented during the recruitment and onboarding process. However, after signing a six-figure contract and commencing work, the truth surfaced. The "perfect organisational fit" candidate, whom everyone went out of their way to recruit, was revealed to be rude, unprofessional, and disrespectful to everyone around him, including his superior managers and the agency recruiters who advocated for him. He was terminated less than three days after starting his job. This incident highlights that a shiny personality and a CV full of buzzwords, titles, and outstanding career trajectories do not guarantee organisational fit or predict job performance. Answers can be memorised, interviews can be prepared for, and disguising the real self behind a mask of political correctness and politeness to impress is apparently easier than it seems. To this end, I know for a fact that with me, what you see is what you get. My CV reflects my skills, knowledge, and expertise. My directness and assertiveness are sincere; I don't bother hiding, and I don't lie. If people are uncomfortable with an honest person, well, that's on them. Every time you ignore my applications or ghost me after an interview or screening call, remember this: I am as honest as one can be. I never lie, hide, or deceive; my integrity is intact. If I seem direct and assertive, it's because I take accountability and never throw anyone under the bus. When I say something, it reflects reality. I don't dance around the truth or sugarcoat it; I just say it as it is.

Wasted time, high staff turnover, inefficient use of resources, demotivation, and a general decline in your business's operational efficiency — these are just a few of the consequences that can result from hiring poor-quality candidates. Of course, it’s nearly impossible to anticipate and identify all risks 🙌 However, from our own experience, we’ve learned that certain “red flags” during the hiring process can serve as timely warnings for employers, helping to prevent costly mistakes. Here are a few: 🚩 СV doesn’t match actual experience: candidates exaggerate their achievements or experience; lack specific examples of previous work or projects; or are unable to explain their responsibilities in past positions. 🚩 The candidate knows little about your company: a lack of preparation or willingness to research your company prior to the interview may indicate carelessness and a lack of attention to detail. 🚩 The candidate is ready to start immediately: of course, if they are unemployed, this might not be surprising. However, if the candidate is unwilling to serve the proper notice period at their current job and ensure a smooth handover, it’s a sign that they might do the same to you. 🚩 The candidate only speaks negatively about previous jobs: while it’s possible that their past jobs were truly problematic, maintaining a balanced and neutral tone when discussing former employers reflects professional ethics and a mature attitude. 🚩 Mismatch of personal qualities with your values: if the candidate’s communication style, behavior, and personal traits don’t align with your values during the interview stage, you’re likely to encounter difficulties in the actual working process as well. What other red flags would you add to this list?

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗢.1 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗧.   It’s a 4 letter word…   𝗧.𝗜.𝗠.𝗘   👉 Streamline your 'time-to-hire'   Its the time it takes from the start-to-finish of your recruitment process   The longer it takes… the lower your 'candidate engagement' And the higher your chances of candidates dropping out   --------   𝗪𝗛𝗬?   Put yourself in the shoes of a candidate...   When a process drags on, the mind plays tricks on us. 🧠   If an employer isn't moving quickly then doubt starts to creep in…   ❌ "Maybe they're not interested in me?" ❌ "Its probably not right for me anyway" ❌ They persuade themselves out of the role   But the solution is simple…   ✅ Feedback promptly (good and bad) ✅ No more than a 2 stage interview process ✅ No more than 5 days between stages   Then when you're ready… offer promptly.   ------   ⚡️ 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.   But it doesn’t need to affect quality when done right.   TIME is a precious commodity when recruiting. In this case... absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder. 😅   𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱?   -------   I’m Leo Hewett.   Click my name + follow + 🔔   I’m the founder of Core3 | B Corp™, an Ethical Recruitment Agency committed to changing the narrative.   DM me to learn more about how we help organisations hire and retain top finance & accounting talent.

Let’s be real for a minute... The recruitment process can be a bit of a rollercoaster 🎢—for both candidates and employers. And in today's competitive market, where top-notch finance professionals are harder to find than a needle in a haystack, you can’t afford to lose talent because your process is, well...dragging. Did you know that a massive 78% of job seekers are throwing in the towel or seriously thinking about it because the hiring process is too long and complex? 😳 Yep, it’s true! So, how do we fix this? Here are some game-changing tips to manage your candidate’s experience and keep them hooked from start to finish: Simplify the Process, Seriously 🛠️ - No one likes unnecessary hurdles, especially your candidates. Simplify your recruitment steps and eliminate anything non-essential. If they have to fill out multiple forms and go through several interviews before meeting a decision-maker, you're likely losing them quickly. Keep Communication Crystal Clear 📱 - Ever applied for a job and felt like your application was tossed into a black hole? Avoid that! Keep candidates informed at every step. Let them know their status, next steps, and timelines. Transparency goes a long way in keeping candidates interested. Show Respect for Their Time ⏳ - Time is money, and finance professionals know that better than anyone. Be mindful of how long your process takes. Fast-track where you can, and if there’s a delay, communicate it quickly. Make It Personal 💼 - Your candidates aren’t just CVs—they’re people with goals, interests, and feelings. Make the process feel personal. Send them tailored messages, address their specific concerns, and make sure they know they’re more than just another applicant. Ask for Feedback (And Actually Listen) 🎙️ - Don’t be afraid to ask candidates how they’re finding the process. Are they enjoying it? Is there anything they’d change? This isn’t just about improving the experience for them but for all future candidates. #RecruitmentTips #CandidateExperience #HiringSuccess #FinanceProfessionals #Impactable #HR #JobSearch

Let’s be real for a minute... The recruitment process can be a bit of a rollercoaster 🎢—for both candidates and employers. And in today's competitive market, where top-notch finance professionals are harder to find than a needle in a haystack, you can’t afford to lose talent because your process is, well...dragging. Did you know that a massive 78% of job seekers are throwing in the towel or seriously thinking about it because the hiring process is too long and complex? 😳 Yep, it’s true! So, how do we fix this? Here are some game-changing tips to manage your candidate’s experience and keep them hooked from start to finish: Simplify the Process, Seriously 🛠️ - No one likes unnecessary hurdles, especially your candidates. Simplify your recruitment steps and eliminate anything non-essential. If they have to fill out multiple forms and go through several interviews before meeting a decision-maker, you're likely losing them quickly. Keep Communication Crystal Clear 📱 - Ever applied for a job and felt like your application was tossed into a black hole? Avoid that! Keep candidates informed at every step. Let them know their status, next steps, and timelines. Transparency goes a long way in keeping candidates interested. Show Respect for Their Time ⏳ - Time is money, and finance professionals know that better than anyone. Be mindful of how long your process takes. Fast-track where you can, and if there’s a delay, communicate it quickly. Make It Personal 💼 - Your candidates aren’t just CVs—they’re people with goals, interests, and feelings. Make the process feel personal. Send them tailored messages, address their specific concerns, and make sure they know they’re more than just another applicant. Ask for Feedback (And Actually Listen) 🎙️ - Don’t be afraid to ask candidates how they’re finding the process. Are they enjoying it? Is there anything they’d change? This isn’t just about improving the experience for them but for all future candidates. #RecruitmentTips #CandidateExperience #HiringSuccess #FinanceProfessionals #Impactable #HR #JobSearch

Doing reference checking well is likely the easiest way to boost your hiring accuracy. It's also the area that most people just "phone in." I'm obsessive about reference checking, and below is a portion of my favorite questions to use as a jumping-off point. The most important thing is to be insanely curious about the reference and really dig and push throughout. 1. Can you share someone (a founder, another investor, etc.) who maybe doesn’t necessarily get along with CANDIDATE as well as you do? Why do you think they don’t mesh well? 2. What type of culture would the candidate work best in?  What kind of culture would the CANDIDATE have a problem with? 3. If you were to design an ideal role for this person, what would it be? 4. What type of advice would you go to CANDIDATE for? 5. Does CANDIDATE tend to thrive as a team player or a lone wolf? 6. Do you remember what your first impression was the first time you met with this person?  Was that first impression confirmed later on? 7. What do you think are the primary drivers for the candidate – what motivates him/her? 8. What are the candidate's key personal values? 9. Have you ever witnessed this person make a deliberate decision that put the organization's or other's best interest above their own? Did you know why they made that decision? 10. If you wanted to build the perfect team around (candidate), who else would you hire to make them successful? 11. Can you give me examples of the candidate giving discretionary effort? Where I loosely define discretionary effort as things somebody does outside of their job requirements. 12. If you had to rank CANDIDATE in the top 1%, top 5%, top 10% or some other percentile, where would you put her/him? (Follow up with… Just curious, why didn’t you rank Top 1%?) I like to do this for a number of the most important dimensions in the role (e.g. conscientiousness, bias towards action and so on) 13. What do you think this candidate is uniquely great at? Not just a strength, but something that they are or could be one of the best in the world at? 14. Can you list any time you were in awe of what this candidate accomplished? If so, what was going on at the time? 15. What were things like in the business before candidate joined and what about after? What specific impact on the business did the candidate have?

𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐉𝐨𝐛? 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐫 🔍 Just like employers conduct background checks on candidates, you should do your homework on a potential employer. Don’t risk stepping into a nightmare job without first doing some due diligence! Here are 5 resources to help you evaluate an employer before accepting an offer: 📌 1. 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫: • 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬: A platform where employees and candidates review companies. • 𝐏𝐫𝐨: Offers insight into workplace culture and interview experiences. • 𝐂𝐨𝐧: Reviews may skew negative and are often unverifiable. 📌 2. “𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐫” 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬: • 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬: Rankings by publications like Forbes highlighting top workplaces. • 𝐏𝐫𝐨:  Companies on these lists are often serious about employee satisfaction. • 𝐂𝐨𝐧: Participation is voluntary, so great employers may not appear. 📌 3. 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: • 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰: Staffing firm recruiters often have insider info about employers. • 𝐏𝐫𝐨:  They know which companies treat employees well - and which don’t. • 𝐂𝐨𝐧: Their opinions may be influenced by their working relationships with employers. 📌 4. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬: • 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤: News aggregators like Google News or local outlets. • 𝐏𝐫𝐨: Find out if the company has made headlines - good or bad. • 𝐂𝐨𝐧: Companies only make the news for big wins or major problems, so context is key. 📌 5. 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞𝐬: • 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐤: Employees past and present know the culture best. • 𝐏𝐫𝐨: Get firsthand knowledge of workplace politics, challenges, and benefits. • 𝐂𝐨𝐧: Opinions can be biased - consider their personal experience carefully. Before accepting that offer, take the time to ensure the company aligns with your values and goals. What’s your go-to method for vetting employers? #JobSearch #CareerAdvice #EmployerResearch #DueDiligence #DreamJob

The current hiring practices in many industries leave much to be desired. One of the most frustrating practices is when companies post job openings even though they already have an internal candidate in mind. While this might technically comply with regulations, it’s ultimately misleading and wastes the time and effort of countless applicants who never stood a real chance. Posting a position that’s already effectively filled doesn’t promote fairness or transparency. Instead, it undermines trust in the hiring process and discourages talented individuals from pursuing opportunities. In many cases, applicants invest significant time tailoring their resumes, crafting personalized cover letters, and preparing for interviews, all for a role that was never truly open. This is not only inefficient but disrespectful to the broader talent pool. A Better Way Forward. There are better ways to approach hiring that respect both internal candidates and external applicants. Here are some suggestions: - Specify That Internal Candidates Are Being Considered: If a company already has an internal candidate in mind, this should be made clear in the job posting. Transparency about the situation allows external candidates to make informed decisions about whether to apply, saving time and effort for everyone involved. - “Express Your Interest” Submissions: For roles where a company wants to have options in case a candidate doesn’t work out, they could implement a process called “Express Your Interest.” This isn’t a direct application but a way for individuals to submit their resumes and be considered for the role if it becomes available. This ensures companies are prepared without misleading anyone about the immediate availability of a job. - Focused, Fair Evaluations: To respect applicants’ time, companies could limit the number of applications accepted per position to a manageable number, such as 50 at a time. If no suitable candidate is found, they could invite another group of 50. This allows for a thorough and fair evaluation of each applicant without being overwhelmed. - Looking Beyond Resumes: A resume doesn’t always tell the full story of someone’s qualifications. Companies should incorporate skills-based assessments, personal statements, and work samples into the hiring process. This allows candidates to demonstrate their abilities even if their resumes don’t fully reflect their potential. Why This Matters. It’s time to rethink hiring practices across industries. Hiring processes should reflect the values of fairness, transparency, and respect for all candidates. By implementing practices that genuinely prioritize these values, companies can build trust with applicants and ensure they’re finding the best talent based on merit and potential.

Some of these are really great. It has amazed me how often these reference calls get fumbled by hiring managers. Some seek confirmation bias. Some do not dig deep enough. If you want someone to succeed, find out what corners are going to snag them and figure out how to deal with that early on (or don’t and don’t make the hire).