I love Halloween, and after living in Ireland for a year, I love it even more. Halloween is a national holiday in Ireland, both children and adults alike get the day off to celebrate. Halloween is the only holiday when it’s good to be scary and watch scary things. So, in honor of Halloween let’s talk about a few of the scariest things about Recruiting and HR:

If You’re the HR Manager or Recruiter:

1. Interviewing someone who had a great resume and cover letter, but bad hygiene, manners, and unprofessional dress upon meeting them in person.

2. Creating a job opening, posting it on numerous  job boards, and not receiving any  (good) applicants.

3. Being turned down or having an offer rejected by your first choice candidate and back up candidate, and not knowing why.

If You’re the Employee or Job Seeker:

1. Having the HR Manager or Recruiter avoid questions about benefits or salary so vehemently that you begin to think you are applying for a volunteer position.

2. Going to a Recruiting firm for an interview and finding the building to be sketchy and in (or next to) a less than desirable neighborhood.

3. Realizing that you will be working for 2/3rds of your life, which to a young professional in an entry-level position… feels like the rest of forever.

Happy Halloween!