“F” Words

F is for food

…or facility
…or functionality
…or a variety of other professionally accepted words.

I’ve been recruiting for 24 years and yet I’m constantly having new experiences. Last fall I asked the same question I’ve asked thousands of times and got a quite shocking answer. “Why do you want to leave your current job?” For the first time, I heard the other “F word” come through my phone from a potential candidate.
As a recruiter, I want to help you portray yourself in the most positive light. I like to coach people on how to describe and explain difficult situations in their past employment. I truly enjoy the “candidate side” of my business.

However, I am paid by my clients. They are the ones who give me work. And, they judge me by the performance of the candidates I send to them. In essence, your first interview is with me. Admittedly, I’m usually a bit of a softie. But, I’m still a gatekeeper for my client. If your conversational skills stop with “my employer is all F-d up,” I don’t want you anywhere near my clients.

So, remember, sometimes even in what seems like a casual conversation, your professionalism is still being judged. Represent yourself well!