Walking before starting
A football player recently rejected a transfer at the 11th hour because of the treatment he received on the day. This reminded me of the time where I once withdrew from a role before I’d even had the interview. It wasn't a hard decision.
I was given an allotted interview time and arrived in advance of that. The person at reception had no knowledge of my appointment and when she finally managed to track the interviewer down, they said they would be ‘right down’.
20 minutes later (and therefore 20 minutes after our appointed interview time), they still hadn’t appeared. Of course, I’m aware that things happen throughout the working day, however, it’s very easy to communicate this to someone who may be waiting. However, nothing was forthcoming, so I sat there patiently wondering what was happening, until finally deciding to pull the plug.
If this was the treatment I was to receive, when they were trying to impress me (as much as I was trying to impress them - interviews run both ways), then it felt safer to quit before I had a chance to commit.
Research suggests 36% of candidates decline offers after poor treatment during the interview. I'd wager the true figure is higher, because most of us are too polite to say so. Culture introduces itself at the door and the welcome you receive (or not) tells you everything about what’s behind it.
What experiences have you had that exposed the culture before you started a job?
Download my new white paper ‘Making Culture Change Stick’ to find out more about how you can build, change or retain a great place to work at www.colindellis.com/culture-papers
