5 Cartoons Illustrating Common Recruiting Fails

Every new year, it’s time to reflect back on the successes and failures of the previous year. Unfortunately, we tend to see some of the same trends over and over again as a result. Even though recruiting and human resources have shifted over time with the impact of disruptive new technologies and lots of talk about the future of work, some things are still failing.

Here’s a look at five cartoons that truly depict some of the common recruiting fails we all hope will fall into a deep, dark black hole soon.

Many companies still struggle with diversity

We’ve been talking about Diversity and Inclusion for a few years now, but many companies are still struggling to hire a diverse employee-base. Some high-profile companies like Google have taken proactive steps to showing personal accountability for their hiring practices by publishing an annual diversity report.

Candidates jump through hoops just to apply

It’s no surprise that candidates still complain about the application process. After all, it tends to be cumbersome, asking unnecessary questions, and requiring the candidate to personalize a cover letter and resume each and every time. More companies have started to see the importance in providing a positive candidate experience, and it includes creating an easy, user-friendly, quick application process as well. This is one of the easiest recruiting fails that should’ve ended yesteryear.

Companies put too much weight on social media

Today, it’s pretty uncommon to talk to candidates who aren’t on social media. From Facebook and Twitter to LinkedIn and Instagram, it’s also not unheard of for companies to blur the lines of personal information. If a candidate is drinking a beer on their Facebook page, is this really a reason to consider not hiring them for a position? There’s still a blurred line there.

Hiring practices lead to more of the same

There’s some misconception on hiring for culture in companies. Unfortunately, many companies follow a practice of hiring more of the same. That’s not necessarily building diversity. More companies like Facebook have worked to end culture fit and focus more on culture add. Who will add another flavor to our already great ideology?

There’s still too much emphasis on the college degree

Unless you are hiring for a position that truly requires a completed degree (i.e. such as a doctor), there’s no reason to delimit a candidate based on whether or not they have a college degree. In fact, companies like Apple, Whole Foods, E&Y, and Google are looking past the college degree, and more at the individual.

What other outdated recruiting fails do you still see happening out there?