To think this is a red flag? (When hiring)

[Chattenoire]

We're hiring for a new member of staff. Senior role. No hands on experience, but lots of charisma and transferable skills.

However, when asked this person in question had no idea about what this type of role does. There's plenty of resources about it (even books and software specific to this role).

However the candidate didn't even Google it! My manager doesn't think it's a big deal, but I've been doing this type of role much longer than her, so have more "school" about it let's say.

They've said they're willing to learn.

But why on earth not Google this type of role in the first place?

My concern is that his coming into a senior role, I'd be fine with a mid role, but not senior.

I agree. Plus the boss is likely to dig his heels in and defend this person because he won’t want to admit he insisted on hiring someone who isn’t up to it. This situation has nightmare written all over it.

I'd be so annoyed to be interviewing somebody who hadn't bothered to find out what the job involved that I wouldn't consider giving them the job. It's a very odd situation.

I was on an interview panel recently and one of the feedback points for one candidate was that she hadn’t bothered to email and ask for further info on the job. The thing I asked her about was not only a key element of the job but details of it are on the internet. She didn’t get the job.

He read the job description. But this role is a "discipline" in itself. There are conventions, software, communities built around this discipline. You can even win awards!

It has become very "LinkedIn influencer" type (which I mentioned too) but he thought I literally meant influencing clients.

He’s not demonstrating a keenness to learn if he hasn’t bothered a 10 min google of the role! Also incredibly arrogant.

Why am I not surprised it’s a bloke? Is your boss male too OP?

Ha no. She's a lady :)

Special friend of your boss?

Gosh,

Definitely not!

Sorry. posted too soon!

I meant to say, gosh, so the person did no interview prep at all?! Charisma will only get you so far!

Fair enough :)

i wouldn’t touch him with a barge pole and I’m astonished that anyone in management would either. If she’s dead set on appointing him, then you need to cover your arse and put in writing all the reasons why you think he can’t do the job and it would be a mistake to appoint him so if he turns out to be the bullshitter he sounds like who can’t actually do the job, you can say that you did alert your boss

and make sure there’s a robust probationary period policy in place

It's fairly typical for men to do this.

Would need to know more about the questions asked, find it hard to understand person has no idea about job. Could it be a miscommunication ? Find it hard to understand how could be asked “do you know what this job does?” And person says “no”

Transferable skills are real, in career have seen people bring skills and experience to a job that wasn’t the obvious next in their career ladder. Some people can pull it off.

Everyone will know if it’s a mistake in a few months, it will work out either way.

I've done this by mistake, and got an interview, because I'm rather good at writing applications. (Think, I was mainly applying for finance and operations director roles and got myself an interview for finance director).

I had to rein in my applying last round of interviews I was doing because I secured too many interviews, many of which weren't quite appropriate, but I got a bit click happy on Indeed testing the waters with a new CV/career change.

So they read the job description. And he thought "I can definitely do this!" But again let's say the job is for a "bid manager" and he didn't bother to type "bid manage" on Google.

How long is the probation period?

And who will be training them? You?

I would apply for that kind of role. I am an accounts manager, the industry doesn't matter. You learn the product you can't teach people great people skills they are natural.

If I was interviewing though I would have studied the industry and tell the interviewer I am super interested by it. I am director level in an Accountancy firm came in one level below director 18 months ago never having worked in an Accountants and knowing little about it. It's people management which I am great at, with sales which I am great at. I don't need to know about being an accountant that's not my job.

Six months. And yes most of the training would be me, as I'd be his manager.

Any role I’ve ever been for I’ve looked up the company, their strategy, values etc and made sure I understand the role and have the transferrable skills. Any management position I’ve always been asked about the company’s strategic plan or values.

To not have even looked up the job role to understand what it entails seems either very haphazard or arrogant and I’d be worried those characteristics would carry over into their work ethic.

As a senior manager they need to have some sort of clue as to what the team does, or at least demonstrate a lot of initiative and personal responsibility, which not even googling the role doesn’t bode well for that! I’d be worried you will spend a lot of time carrying this person.

Do you have a junior position to offer them instead to learn the role?

What will this person contribute then, exactly?

Just charisma?

His manager?

Oh no, no no no

Find someone else

Well he definitely can think outside the box and can build relationships which are key to the role.

Just I thought I'd clarify, it's an individual contributor senior role. Salary is north of £50k.