Hiring: be honest

[Anonymous]

Family Friendly can mean long hours, travel, 100 percent in person

My one firm literally paid 110 percent higher than other firms and had amazing family plans for insurance.

It was family friendly as 95 percent of spouses of employees with kids did not work as our salary so high they did not have to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you are interviewing applicants do you take into consideration things that you’re not technically allowed to consider? Like for example the fact that a woman just got married at 35 and is probably going to have children soon and therefore either taking maternity leave or quitting to stay home? Or someone highly qualified has dyed pink hair and therefore may turn off your conservative clients? Just examples. Anonymous forum here so curious about what decision makers are really thinking, especially small business owners where the one hiring is also the one most invested in the success of the company.

Yes, I generally don't like to hire female big law refugees who are looking to come be government lawyers and have their babies. I have no problem with government attorneys who have already put their time in and want to have children but I've experienced too many women in their mid 30's/early 40's escape to the government and then be on the fast track to motherhood because they feel like they are running out of time. I understand it though.

Huh. I think those hires are great because they appreciate how good they have it in the government and knock it out of the park.

Seriously, that is like most of my office. There are dozens of us, biglaw refugees who wanted to have kids or had young kids. We all have excellent credentials and are the ones that stick around because it’s a good gig. A No one in my office worries about a few 4-5 mos maternity leaves. We’ve even hired people while they are pregnant.

[Anonymous]

We've had applicants come in in bootie shorts. They are a no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Do you think that being fat looks unprofessional? No snark; genuinely interested in your answer.

In general, no, as long as the appearance is otherwise neat, but I wouldn't want a fat person as a receptionist at a weight-loss clinic or doctor's office. It sends the wrong message to customers.

For what positions do you consider marital status?

None for which I have hired. I could see where it would make a difference for, say, a job that required significant travel away from the home. Or had significant on-call or after-hours work requirements.

But that would be the applicant’s concern. None of the employer’s business.

Have you people kept up with employment law at all???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had coworkers who didn't want to hire someone because she had children. It was the only time I have ever said "shut up now" to anyone at work.

I would say, loud and clear “that would be illegal.”

[Anonymous]

Appearance matters. So if a person shows up and doesn’t appear to have put sufficient effort into looking their best at an interview, then that makes you wonder.

If a person lives far away and asks a lot of questions about telework, that’s a red flag.

If a person discloses they are in therapy and need a flexible schedule for appointments throughout the week, that makes you wonder.

Visible tattoos, lots of piercings, and extreme hair/makeup/clothing make most professionals question their judgment and maturity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing that has changed is 25 years ago a newly married man about to have kids with his wife’s was your best employee. They took their job very serious as now a wife, kids to support and a mortgage.

Today they are your worse. Between paternity leave, running out door day care, snow days schools, coaching teams. They are a horror show.

I have one working for me a 45 year old male with two young kids. I actually told him I wish I could hire your wife instead of you. He is a man child. I think he might grow up by 60

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My big boss has to sign off on new hires and will not allow face/tongue piercings other than ears. I once had an awesome candidate with an eyebrow piercing get denied. I always wondered if I had asked her if she would consider removing it what would have happened. But once the boss saw, it was an automatic "no."

That would be an automatic no for me, too.

I would be fine with a small stud or ring on the side of the nose. Eyebrow would be fine, too.
Septum or tongue - ew, no.
Ear piercings can also be different. Stretched lobe piercings are disgusting.

You're disgusting. How much of a judgmental a$$hole can you be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GenX person here. I am a lawyer very involved in hiring for my Federal government legal office. Of the things that have been mentioned here, I would not hire someone with a stretched earlobe piercing, because I’m squeamish and that makes me feel ill to see. Not a fan of septum piercings or tongue piercings for the same reason, but could overlook for the right candidate. Don’t care about hair coloring or tattoos or other piercings.

Vocal fry is so incredibly grating, but we recently hired a 30 year old woman with both a terrible case of that plus statement-as-question-disorder. She’s excellent, so I’m training myself to deal.

Mostly I look to avoid people who are smug or arrogant. I would not have thought to avoid this candidate type, but we once had an interviewee so confident that she would get the job that did the University of Arkansas hog call to wrap things up. I hope she landed somewhere good, but we were unsettled/ terrified.

You should not -as many others on this thread should not- be in any position to hire people. It's unbelievably grotesque how some of you judge people for positions based on things that are borderline illegal, or just plain irrelevant to the positions. You are really horrible people.

[Anonymous]

i hire the person with the best skill set. They can be any color of background. I want the work done.

[Anonymous]

I always assume that fat applicants are great because they got where they are without being conventionally attractive! They probably had to prove themselves more.

Having said that, I try to assume as little as possible, or at least not to let my assumptions affect me too much

[Anonymous]

I hired someone and she started/worked for 2.5 months before she went on a 6 month paid paternal leave. I believe if she didn't come back she would have to pay it back, but I am not HR so not my issue.

I have a bunch of female friends (I am female, married, kids) who don't want/have kids. Some are married, some not, all late 20s-early 40s.

A man who was interviewing my (single-never wants kids) sister talked about his young kids (?) in a question way, so she discussed never wanting kids. She got the job, but how bad is that? She knew he was asking an illegal question in a roundabout way, but didn't directly ask either. I told her she should have told him what he was doing was illegal or make a complaint, but them's the breaks (unfortunatley).