Employers Accused of "Window Shopping" ... Look at the Other Side

In one situation or another, we are all or have in the past been “window shopping” depending on the extreme – new position, bonus structure, title, manager, not to mention the personal aspect of our lives – house, car, etc… I would like to believe there is more to it.

Here is what I have seen, a mini step by step of the last year:

Company downsizes several positions into one or a few jobs or has put off hiring for quite some time just to wait and see (don’t want to hire just to lay off)
Finally the Company has ability and approval to hire posts job

***Critical Point: The executive team may or may not have critically reviewed the current people working, the positions that are filled and the ones that were eliminated. Then review and run assessments both of skill/talent gaps and overlaps to really understand what the needs are up front for the position they are hiring for. Why – let’s face it, most have been waiting for quite some time to get the opening and working short staffed already didn’t make the time.

Resume review/Application Overload
Referrals, LinkedIn, Networking Ensues as do opinions
Interviews Commence which is when the interviewer(s) & decision makers start to identify additional areas of need or existing skills/abilities that they have with current staff and the “wish list” changes

***Critical Point: Job Description Changes not on paper but within the confines of the organization

Mini recruitment happens whether word of mouth or otherwise; review of candidates that applied previously one more time
In this step one of 2 things happen
Someone gets hired (after a few more interviews)**
The position is put on hold because things have changed and must be re-evaluated

**Why so many interviews: Because employers have held on to underperforming employees and lost individuals to competitors more often than not in their hiring history so over the last 15 months there has been some down time to analyze what not to do in the future, they are going to take their time and make sure that the person they are hiring is in fact the perfect fit. They are who they say they are and can help solve the problems they are looking for the candidate to solve (have you uncovered them?)