Don’t Let Bad Hiring Managers Get in Your Head

If you’re looking for a new job and actively interviewing, I want to encourage you to hang in there. It’s going to work out. I’m sure of it.

Job searching is like dating. It’s really tough until you find “the one” — and all you need is one good job to change your current situation.

In the meantime, it’s painful. I get it.

I’m starting to think some hiring managers haven’t been watching the news lately. They haven’t heard the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in years. There are no longer enough talented people to go around. The job market has shifted in favor of the job seeker.

Some of the questions hiring managers ask and demands they make may come across as demeaning or disrespectful. Some may even be illegal. I’ve been asked my marital status, my age, and whether or not I have children in job interviews. I’m not kidding!

It’s hard to always keep a positive attitude when job searching, especially when you’re going through it, but the truth is keeping it positive is the only way you’re going to find the right job opportunity.

My hope is that sometime soon all hiring managers will wake up to the fact that the job market has changed. They’ll realize that job seekers are not products to be bought, but real people with real feelings and opinions — and they’re judging the company just as much as the company is judging them.

Either way, don’t let the bad hiring managers get to you. You want to be ready with a positive attitude when the right hiring manager comes along. You can’t let those who are rude get into your head. You have to remember who you are and all the great things you bring to the table.

The right hiring manager won’t simply sit in judgment. They’ll ask you solid, relevant questions. They’ll talk to you with respect. They’ll be prepared. They’ll take into consideration that you’re evaluating them, too. They’ll make time for your questions and give you thoughtful answers in return.

The right hiring manager will value you. They’ll give you an appropriate title and a fair salary. The right hiring manager wants to hire someone good, and they’re willing to pay for it. The right hiring manager will build you up, not tear you down.

To the hiring managers out there: The market has shifted. Talent is scarce. Treat candidates the way you’d want to be treated. Even if they aren’t the perfect fit, be respectful. You may need that job seeker one day.

A version of this article originally appeared on Copeland Coaching.

Angela Copeland is a career coach and CEO at her firm, Copeland Coaching.