One of my clients recently shared the interesting way his previous firm would determine whom they hired and whom they did not.
As with most companies, a candidate would come into the office and be greeted by the receptionist. The candidate would explain that they were there to interview with the company president about a position.
The receptionist would ask the candidate to have a seat while she notified the president that his appointment had arrived. While waiting, the receptionist would engage the candidate in a few pleasantries and offer them something to drink. The president would come and get the candidate from the reception area, interview them and after the interview escort the candidate back to the reception area and thank them for their time.
None of the candidates knew what happened next.
The president would then ask the receptionist what she thought of the candidate. The president and the receptionist had worked together at this company for more than 30 years—since she was in high school. He valued her opinion and perspective above anyone else’s when it came to potential hires.
Whether or not a candidate was invited back for a second interview depended, in a large part, on how they treated the receptionist. Ultimately, courtesy (or lack of courtesy) toward the receptionist could determine if they got a job.
There are other versions of this story.
At Zappos, out-of-town job candidates get a free ride from the airport to Zappos’ headquarters. Van drivers pay attention to how the applicants act and how they treat the drivers. After the interview, a recruiter asks the driver for his or her take on the candidate. No matter how good the interview was, if the candidate didn’t treat the shuttle driver well, they would not be hired. For more on Zappos’ interviewing process, go to https://read.bi/2OkepF0.
I’ve heard parents tell their young adults to pay attention to how their date treats the servers at a restaurant. That’s a good indication, they say to them, of how that person might treat their future spouse. I’m telling my own kids this, too.
The point of this story is: Everyone is deserving of common courtesy. And I mean everyone. Even those folks we have only fleeting contact with like van drivers, cashiers, the person taking your dinner order at a restaurant or the receptionist you might meet at a job interview.
You never know when someone you meet could have an impact (positive or not) on your own future personally and professionally.
My advice is to treat everyone as if your job depends upon it. Sometimes it really might! Do that, and you’ll do what you do better.