Motivation for Change

I've talked about it before but when you're interviewing someone, you have to get this information.

Why are they looking to leave their current employer might be the most important question you ask someone. Or why did you leave previous employers...

How many of you ask these questions?

In terms of motivation for change, I interviewed a candidate recently for a CFO position we're working and she had two reasons for wanting to make a move.

1. Commute
2. Money

So I ask about her commute: "I'm commuting 30 miles each way Monday through Thursday and sometimes it takes me and hour and a half to get to work".

Side note - if you're moving to a new community (like she did), for a new job, please rent for the first 6 months so you can learn the community and commute to different areas.

Me: Where are you commuting to?

She gave me the general location, and guess what, it's right next door to my client. If I looked up the addresses of these businesses, you could probably throw a rock from one to the other.

So I'm not meeting her first motivation for change. I'm actually making it work because my client is in office 5 days a week vs her current schedule of 4 in office.

Second motivation, money. It's a lateral move at best.

So I'm actually making her commute worse, for the same amount of money, and not improving either of the reasons she's looking.

As we go to conclude our conversation, she says to me, "well I'd love to interview with your client, what are next steps?"

If you move this candidate forward, and I don't know why she'd be interested, maybe there is something she isn't telling me, but you're doing your client a disservice because you've theoretically made her life worse and she'll be back in the market in 6 months, if not sooner.