“Chinese Democracy”, the highly anticipated “new” album from Guns ‘n Roses (OK, let’s face it, Axl Rose) has STILL NOT BEEN RELEASED! At this point I don’t even care if the damn thing ever comes out… although, my curiosity is still elevated enough to where I will buy it (or illegally download it) when it does come out. It’s been years, eleven I think, since crazy, lunatic Axl Rose started the recording process with this new “masterpiece”. 11 YEARS! 11 FREAKIN’ YEARS! I get pissed at Tool for going 4-5 years between albums so… C’MON… get that damn thing done already!

Axl Rose is a nut-job! I don’t know the man personally, but from all accounts that I’ve read, seen on TV, heard on the radio or overheard he’s… well insert whatever cliché you’d like to use for a crazy person here. The one constant seems to be that he just can’t ever make up his mind. God knows how many line-up changes there have been with this band since the original formation parted ways way back in 1996. The band has included musicians such as Robin Fink, Tommy Stinson, Josh Freese and some guitar player known only as Buckethead (who wears… you guessed it… a KFC bucket over his head with little eyeholes cut out so he can see). Rose has just never been able to get this thing done.

This is how a lot of my clients seem to be throughout the interview process:

• We have a phone call, then a face-to-face interview.
• Then we bring the candidate back for a second interview, to be followed by another phone conference
• Then we have three weeks where no one hears anything.
• Then I get a surprise phone call from someone in HR to get references (ooooh sounds positive right?)
• Then I do references and let the candidate know that I think we’re close
• Then we have a week go by where no one hears anything.
• Then my candidate gets pissed because they feel like they’re being strung along.
• Then HR calls and says that they would like to speak with my candidate on the phone again.
• Then we have another phone call.
• Then no one hears anything for another week
• Then my candidate tells me that they are no longer interested in an agency that has basically treated them like a mule for the better part of a month and ½

Sounds a little nutty huh? It happens all the damn time! The agency just never seems to be able to get it done. And, then I get yelled out because my candidate has backed out of the process. What did you expect? Really!? You got my passive candidate (a candidate who HAS a job already) excited about a job, then made them jump through a million hoops only to have to wait idly by for 5 weeks to find out if the job was still available. Of course they hate you now! You have wasted their valuable time. You’d be pissed if someone did that to you.

Just get it done! You should be able to tell if you want to hire someone from TWO interviews at the most… maybe three for a VP/Director level. There is absolutely no reason that the hiring process should last over a month. It just shouldn’t happen… even if relocation is involved. You’ve got to MOVE on these folks or they will fall by the wayside or get picked up by another agency that is willing to motor along a little faster. Time kills all deals! Ever heard me say that before? I think you have!

By the way, I was kidding about illegally downloading the album. I would never do anything like that… that you know of. Toodles!

“My life continues inching along…”
Eric Hutchinson

[tags]guns-n-roses, axl rose, interviews, HR, candidate, client, hiring revolution[/tags]