Unrealistic Expectations from Hiring Managers

One of the class exercises in our Recruiter Academy Certified Education Program is identifying rebuttals for unrealistic expectations from hiring managers.

The first step in the exercise is to identify unrealistic expectations. Outlined below are a few of the expectations the students have discussed.

Sound familiar? :)!

Whenever I facilitate this exercise, I am reminded how much time, effort and energy is wasted when we are not able to overcome (or more importantly – avoid) these unrealistic expectations.

If you do not consult your managers and educate them on why these are unrealistic (and set realistic service level agreements) . . . your job becomes TWICE AS HARD!

Elite Recruiters are skilled at avoiding and/or overcoming these unrealistic expectations.

If some of these apply to you (see below), I would recommend that you dedicate some time to develop rebuttals to the ones that cause you the most pain :(.

I plan on providing rebuttals to common unrealistic expectations in the near future! So please shoot me an email of other expectations not listed below that you might be experiencing, and any special rebuttals you may use to overcome some of the ones outlined below!

I hope you are having a Perfect Day!

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Unrealistic Expectations from Hiring Managers

ASAP To fill:

• That we will have qualified candidates the day we post the job!
• Wanting a new position filled yesterday.
• Hire a hard to fill job in less than 2 weeks.
• Want position filled ASAP but they don't make room on their calendar for interviews.
• Wanting to offer a position on Thursday or Friday and have the applicant start on Monday.

You work on MY schedule! 

• Wanting you to drop everything for their phone call or email...constant communication.
• If you are on the phone making an offer you can't answer their phone call.

I follow my own process!

• Not really knowing what they're looking for but expecting us to fill the job-they will just know when it 'feels' right...
• Expecting a high quality hire with a poorly defined job (requirements/qualifications).
• Hire someone prior to credentialing being complete because they need someone to start now!
• Give me the information to schedule interviews in the afternoon for the applicants to interview the next morning.
• After I've sent over 15 qualified applications and the position has been placed on hold, the manager wants you to repost the job so 1 person can apply.
• Find me a candidate for this position, but you can't post the job or tell anyone that we actually have an opening.
• Wanting applicants to interview with 10 + executives and have it scheduled in 2 days.

Candidate experience/compensation issues: 

• I want someone who has the most experience, education, skills - but I don't want to pay them that much money.
• Wanting the best qualified candidate, yesterday, and they don't want to pay them their market value!

Other unrealistic demands! Oh by the way, I have a preferred candidate I forgot to tell you about, after you've screened 100 candidates.

• Changing their mind about which specific position they want offered to a candidate after the offer is already made!
• Being responsible for coordinating a large group to interview one person....along with travel time, hotels, airline, etc.