Over the last couple of years, we’ve written more than 40
blogs that that cover the topic of interviewing. While there is much research available on
this topic, some of the best ideas and insights have come from our
readers. Today, I’d like to share
another one these insights.
Al Mirabelli is the Broker in Charge of the Prudential
Carolinas Lake Norman Office. His office
is located in Huntersville, North Carolina.
A couple of weeks ago, a candidate that had recently interviewed in Al’s
office sent their company’s recruiting coordinator the following email:
“Yesterday’s meeting was great. From the time I walked in (amazing the effect
of seeing your own name with balloons) till the time I left, I could see why
Prudential Carolinas Reality would be a great place to work and a good fit for
me. I have a few offers on the table
right now. Prudential feels like the best fit for me. I would just need a day
or to to go over finances to make sure it would be possible right now.”
This peaked my interest.
What did the candidate mean when he said, “amazing the effect of seeing
your own name with balloons?”
Al provided some background later that week,
“At the entrance foyer of the lobby to my office I have a small [whiteboard
easel] that welcomes candidates and other visitors to my office. During the day of this candidate’s interview,
we happen to be welcoming a local group of builders to our office who are
partnering with some of our agents and attached some balloons to the
whiteboard. It was such a hit that they
ended up taking a picture on their way out.
They later said they were very flattered that we would do such a thing.”
Apparently, the candidate was flattered as well and made a
point of mentioning it to the recruiting coordinator during a follow-up call.
Who knew that such a simple thing would have such a great
impact? I must admit, that I was even a
little skeptical when I heard this story.
Maybe this candidate was just overstating their feelings in the initial
email.
But, then I received this email a week later from Prudential
Carolina’s recruiting coordinator:
“I thank you very much for allowing me to meet Al. He definitely has passion for the business,
which drew me in. He was wonderful and
the entire workforce was very courteous.They even had my name on a white board upon entry that said
"Welcome [Candidate’s Name]." It was great! I plan on working
at Prudential and learning the skills necessary so that I can be extremely
successful in the field. So with my
ambitious nature and all the information that Al provided to me, I will be
successful.”
[Note: I
removed/blurred the candidate’s names in the emails and pictures because we did
not get their permission to share their identity]
Al and his staff are onto something—don’t you think? I believe that Al has figured out how to tap
a basic human need—the need for acknowledgment.
I recently read that acknowledgement lets people know that
you have truly seen them. It communicates
we have taken the time to pay attention, to notice, and to speak out loud what
they contribute, what they accomplish, and some of who they are at their best.
Al—great job on figuring this out and applying it to your
interview process! I hope others will
try this as well.
Question: Do you have
interviewing techniques that you’ve found helpful. If so, share them with us, and we’ll publish
your ideas.
Join the WorkPuzzle Discussion at the Tidemark Online Community (TMOC)
Engage in the WorkPuzzle discussion by joining the TMOC private social network. Commenting on a public blog like WorkPuzzle can be a little intimidating, so why not join the discussion inside the privacy of the TMOC discussion group?
By joining TMOC, you'll get to see who else is in the group and your comments will only be seen by those whom you trust. Joining TMOC is quick, easy, and free (no kidding…this takes less than 2 minutes). To get started, click here.
Already of a member of TMOC? If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage. Questions? Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.
Editor's Note: This article was written by Ben Hess. Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.
