April newsletter: Questions candidates are asking in 2021

Spring is in the air, the days are getting lighter and there’s hope on the horizon. And right on cue, the hiring scene is really picking up. 

In this month’s newsletter: questions candidates are asking in job interviews this year, the two biggest mistakes hiring managers make and why supporting employees’ mental health is so important.

Questions to Expect from Candidates in 2021

“So, Scott, do you have any questions?”

You’ve been asking prospective hires this question in interviews for years, and you always get more or less the same responses. But suddenly, you’re getting different kinds of questions. 

The tail end of the pandemic is seeing a new flurry of questions from candidates as they interview for jobs. I hear more and more questions like:

“How did your company manage its way through COVID? Did anything change for the business?”

“How do you keep employees safe?”

“What are your wellness benefits and health policies like?”

And, of course, “What’s your remote work policy?”

Are you prepared to answer these kinds of questions? Thinking them through ahead of time ensures you can deliver confident replies that will make candidates feel excited about the role, your company and your leadership.

The Two Biggest Mistakes Hiring Managers Make in Hiring

Have you ever hired the wrong candidate? If so, you’re in good company. Most senior managers will admit that at some point in their career, they made a rash hire and later regretted it. 

The two biggest mistakes I see hiring managers make when choosing a candidate are:

1.Hiring for halo: This is when you become so enamored of a candidate for one single reason that you ignore red flags in other departments. Perhaps this candidate has some rare technology experience that’s hard to find — but they’re also incredibly difficult to work with, it turns out.

2.Trying to clone oneself: It’s human nature to think that if you have a ton in common with the candidate, they’ll be great to work with. Not always the case — and not always the right fit for the position.

Need a second opinion on hires? This is a great reason to work with a recruiting firm like Maverick Financial Group. www.maverickfinancialgroup.com

Leading to Reduce Stress and Boost Productivity

Is your leadership focused on reducing the stress of your employees or increasing their productivity? This is a trick question, of course. When people are less stressed, they are automatically more productive.

A poll by Headspace claims that 25% of employees lose about an hour of work a day because of stress. While that may not sound surprising in a time like we’ve been witnessing over the last year, it’s not right, either. So what can you do?

As a lot of companies are realizing, providing employees with mental health tools and resources is a critical benefit. Creating a healthy workforce means investing in the wellbeing of individual employees. 

I’ve noticed a huge uptick lately in the focus on mental health in HR circles, and that’s a positive development. Support the mental wellbeing of your workforce, and you’ll automatically have more productive teams.

Of course, it’s equally important to support your own mental wellbeing. If there’s anything I can do to take the load off your hiring endeavors, don’t hesitate to reach out. Maverick Financial Group is a nationally recognized Mortgage and Financial Services recruiting firm. We place Professional Loan Officers, Branch Managers, Underwriters, Processors, Wholesale Account Executives and C-Level Executives. For candidates...we are fortunate to have many Top-Tier Mortgage Companies as Clients and would love to introduce you to great new opportunity! Please reach out if we can be of service. www.maverickfinancialgroup.com

Scott Crutcher

President / Owner

Maverick Financial Group

512-284-4602

[email protected]