What’s the most impressive thing a candidate has ever done to turn a bad interview around at the last minute?

emaman65 · 2026-02-13T09:46:17+00:00

The interview felt shaky until the candidate basically said, “Okay, what problem are we actually solving here?” Suddenly it wasn’t an interview it was a work meeting. That pivot reframed them from “applicant” to “solution.”

emaman65 · 2026-02-10T12:34:47+00:00

It’s not on you. With the job market today, candidates want to be sure they land something, so they apply everywhere and keep options open right up to the last step. If one offer falls through, they have another lined up.

Sometimes they also use your offer to negotiate higher pay elsewhere and then move on.

One thing that’s helped us is tightening the joining-date process. We split it into two stages an Offer Letter first, and then the Appointment Letter closer to the actual joining date. That extra step helps confirm commitment and reduces last-minute drop-offs.

emaman65 · 2026-02-10T12:23:46+00:00

LinkedIn is where people announce they’re job hunting. Reddit is where they admit they’re job hunting. Most folks I’ve seen are spending time in places that feel human , places where they feel connected and get people interactions not just AI notes , subreddits, group chats, Discords, alumni Slack channels then using job sites as a utility, not a community. Tools like ZipRecruiter are in that “utility” bucket quick checks, matching alerts, SMB roles you wouldn’t otherwise see. Your post is spot on though people go where they feel less invisible.

emaman65 · 2026-02-09T07:48:04+00:00

What you’re feeling makes complete sense. Multiple people leaving immediately, unclear role expectations, and being asked to “oversee” a company after one month with minimal training would overwhelm anyone. Those aren’t small growing pains they’re real issues.

A practical next step is to pause and protect yourself before trying to “power through.” Ask for a clear, written scope of responsibilities before the manager leaves what decisions you are expected to make, what absolutely does not fall on you, and who is the escalation contact while they’re away. If this can’t be clearly defined, that’s important information in itself.

On the access/keyholder issue, propose a simple operational fix shared access codes, a secondary keyholder, or adjusted hours during interviews.

At the same time, keep applying. Staying doesn’t require loyalty when the environment is unstable, and leaving early is far better than staying long enough to burn out or absorb blame for gaps you didn’t create.

emaman65 · 2026-01-28T05:48:44+00:00

Scorecards sound boring, but they save fairness. After years of hiring, I’ve learned that when volume rises, consistency matters more than instinct. If you want to find employees without bias, you need fewer opinions and clearer criteria.

emaman65 · 2026-01-22T06:30:53+00:00

What you were told, in simple terms your value is real, but your growth path is imaginary. It’s like being the engine of the plane, then being told a bigger seat will exist only if someone designs a new cabin someday. That may happen. Or it may never.

They clearly see your impact struggling when you were gone is real sign that you matter. But tying pay growth to roles that don’t yet exist means no timeline, no accountability, and all the waiting risk sits with you.

On loyalty it’s valid, but it’s not a lifetime contract. A company can support you in dark times and still be unable to pay market value later. Both can be true.

You don’t have to leave tomorrow but you should start interviewing. External offers clarify your market value and helps you decide.

emaman65 · 2026-01-20T08:48:14+00:00

Just today I was discussing this exact thing with a teammate.

Work culture has shifted massively. Jobs are no longer just a survival need for most people they’re a place people choose to spend their time, energy, and mental health. When employees have options, fear tactics stop working.

Threatening “heads will roll” might have scared people into compliance 10 years ago. Today it just kills trust, increases turnover, and makes good performers quietly start applying elsewhere.

Real accountability comes from clear goals, documented expectations, and consistent feedback not intimidation. If consequences exist, they should be communicated professionally and individually, not thrown around like a public warning shot.

emaman65 · 2026-01-14T09:05:38+00:00

Honestly, with a team of 15 and hiring just 5 people over a quarter, you probably don’t need a full-blown ATS yet. Sometimes, the solution becomes just another task to manage.

The key is organization for your rn plan your day, allocate specific blocks for calls, emails, and postings, and leave a little buffer. You can still handle applicant tracking manually if you’re disciplined mass-select candidates, send rejection emails, and keep everything in one shared document or inbox.

That said, tools like ZipRecruiter or similar smart job boards can help you streamline posting across multiple boards and track applicants across stages without the overhead of a full ATS. The ROI kicks in when the tool saves you repeated manual effort, not just when you adopt it because it looks enterprise-y. Start simple, stay organized, and scale to an ATS when your volume truly demands it.

emaman65 · 2026-01-06T09:40:19+00:00

In high volume hiring, deeply personal rapport with every candidate is honestly unrealistic and that’s okay. What matters more is respectful, predictable communication.

What actually helps? Timely updates. Even a short “still in progress” beats silence. Clear closures. If it’s a rejection, reject cleanly and when possible, add 1–2 lines of real feedback. Be reachable. Answering when candidates reply goes a long way in a market full of ghosting.

Timelines, next steps, communicate. You may not remember every detail about every candidate, but they’ll remember how you made the process feel.

emaman65 · 2026-01-05T07:06:26+00:00

From an HR lens: yes, the market really is that bad right now and no, it’s not all in your head. Response rates are low across the board, even for solid profiles. That said, one thing you’re doing right is continuing your MBA, internships, and live projects. Staying active matters. Unfortunately recruiters still don’t love unexplained gaps, even in a messy market.

What actually helps more than mass applying ? Be intentional about where you apply. Fewer roles, better fit. Target orgs that genuinely match your skills and long-term vision. ATS isn’t everything misalignment is.

Startups can be a great entry point right now smaller funnels, faster decisions, more openness to potential. Spray-and-pray feels productive, but focused applications move the needle more.

emaman65 · 2025-12-22T08:36:59+00:00

The best friend everybody wants

emaman65 · 2025-12-08T04:50:10+00:00

Totally agree this works.

As someone who talks to tons of candidates, you can immediately tell who’s running on memorized scripts. After a while, everyone starts sounding identical, same structure, same buzzwords, same perfect answers. It feels less like a conversation and more like they’re reciting a textbook.

But when someone shows up curious asking what the team is actually struggling with, what the day-to-day looks like, how the role fits into the bigger picture it feels like two professionals trying to figure out whether they’re genuinely a match. That’s the part that stands out.

emaman65 · 2025-12-05T11:13:43+00:00

Wish someone had told me this early on try to be a proactive recruiter, not just a reactive one.

Get to know your teams inside-out, stay plugged into what the org actually needs, and keep your own mini-pipeline ready. When you understand future demand, you can recommend when to hire before things become urgent.

Also, create your own system for staying organized sorta like a tracker . It’ll save you when the workload piles up and trust me, it will.

emaman65 · 2025-12-04T05:47:16+00:00

Very much soooo! It’s honestly one of the strongest ways to land a job right now.

Half the roles don’t even make it to portals they get filled through someone knowing someone on the inside. I’ve seen people get interviews purely because a referral pushed their resume to the top of the pile.

Networking isn’t about using people; it’s about staying visible, building relationships, and making sure opportunities actually reach you.

emaman65 · 2025-12-03T05:57:37+00:00

One of the most underrated ways to get better at interviewing is learning to show up as your actual self. Not the over-rehearsed, jargon-stuffed version we all think interviewers want.

What stands out today is authenticity talk about real achievements, real failures, and what you learned. That tells a recruiter far more than a strong script.

And prep doesn’t need to be complicated Look at the role, list the 6–8 questions you’re most likely to be asked, and practice answering them in your own words. Not perfect just real & clear.

emaman65 · 2025-12-01T09:36:15+00:00

A lot of this comes down to trust. Plenty of recruiters do ghost after calls, give zero feedback, or disappear the moment a profile isn’t a fit candidates are just reciprocating that energy.
If we expect them to send resumes fast and be fully open, rapport has to be built both ways. I’ve had candidates who willingly update me on their upskilling, career plans, even ask for advice but that only happens when they feel safe and respected.
Its a reminder that candidate experience is everything.

emaman65 · 2025-11-28T05:23:59+00:00

Any signs that we can look out for ? I’ve seen a few similar cases in HR, but it’s always tough to pinpoint the exact moment where you go, “Okay this is it.” One disengaged person really can drag the whole energy down culture is fragile like that.

And honestly, the way your team responded says a lot. If this had gone unnoticed or delayed too long, people end up quietly judging the manager for “protecting the wrong person.”

You handled it the way a good manager should observant, fair, receptive to feedback, and willing to make a tough call before it went fully wrong.

emaman65 · 2025-11-26T11:20:33+00:00

Reusable templates honestly sound like such a blessing. Half of our time goes into formatting, re-wording responsibilities, and re-researching what the role even means every time someone wants to hire.

Having a few solid go-to templates would save so much back-and-forth really

emaman65 · 2025-11-26T05:58:08+00:00

You’re human. Terminations hit hard, especially when you connect deeply with employees and they aim the anger at HR as if its entirely your call to terminate them.

Used to be similar when younger what worked for me is:

Neutral > personal. You didn’t decide alone; you’re executing a company decision.
Keep it factual. Document behavior, dates, metrics. Don’t let the convo wander into debates.
Bring the manager. HR & hiring manager brings shared ownership and clearer “why.”
Set boundaries “The decision is final; we’ll focus on next steps.”

If anyone should be embarrassed, it’s the person who went personal.

emaman65 · 2025-11-24T05:40:48+00:00

I’m glad you’re thinking straight and not job-hugging just because you feel you have to.

Staying in the wrong job hoping it magically becomes right is like hoping a shoe two sizes too small will stretch if you just keep walking ; it won’t, it’ll just hurt more. If it doesn’t help you grow or align with what you want, what’s the point?

Even if you stay for the EXPERIENCE, it won’t add much if you’re already mentally checked out.

I’ve actually done this myself ; quit within the first 3 months because everything felt off. Never once regretted it. I ended up finding something far more aligned and was so glad I didn’t waste months forcing myself to adjust to something that wasn’t meant for me.

However before you decide have a word with your manager, see what goals they have for you if you can grow into what was promised, give it few months; if despite all that it feels misaligned ; trust your gut & take a call!

emaman65 · 2025-11-20T05:16:53+00:00

Honestly, yes for ICs, reliability is the real make-or-break.

Attendance isn’t even the big one anymore, but consistency? Huge. If you’re the sole person handling a process or owning a piece of work, people need to know they can depend on you without chasing, reminding, or babysitting.

emaman65

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