Icks as a hiring manager
What are some common and uncommon icks for someone on the hiring team. Recently had a fellow analyst mention that unexplained gaps on the resume "gave him the ick".
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some common and uncommon "icks" or red flags for someone on the hiring team:
Common Red Flags:
Evasive About Experience:
Rudeness:
Inconsistent Role Descriptions:
Desperation:
Lack of Team Interaction:
Uncommon Red Flags:
Political Relationships:
Unclear Resource Allocation:
Pressure Tactics:
Taking Counter Offers Personally:
Awkward Interactions:
These insights are based on previous WSO threads and the highest-ranked content on WSO.
Sources: Some Red Flags During an Interview?, Superday Advice From a Tired Interviewer, Superday Advice From a Tired Interviewer, FT Recruiting - Compilation of Helpful WSO Posts, Is the Hiring Process Broken?
'icks' in dating aren't actual red flags but little things (typically that go against preset gender norms) that cause you to lose attraction to a man or woman. From a strictly logical standpoint, they seem nonsensical. However when held to the ideal standard of who you want a girlfriend/wife or husband/boyfriend to be, they actually make perfect sense - though are still unreasonable.Tbh though any man who refers to getting an 'ick' about a woman is likely a queer so in dating it goes mostly one way
Example: A girl sees a guy she thinks is hot try and fail to chase a piece of paper blowing in the wind. He looks goofy and less capable doing this, she loses respect, and is no longer attracted.
So the hiring manager in this case is using the term wrong. An unexplained work gap in a resume would be like someone showing up stoned to a date. That's not an 'ick' that's a legitimate, reasonable, and acceptable reason to be offput by someone.
Legitimate resume 'icks'
Honestly your hiring manager gave me the ick for not even understanding a premise that 17 year old tik tok addicts can comprehend
Pronouns in resume, LinkedIn, or email signature are an instant no. Have personally tossed dozens of applications in the bin because of this when we've hired new associates and have friends at other funds who will do the same whenever they're involved in recruiting. Don't care what the rest of their background is, that alone is a big red flag that this person will be a pain in your ass as a coworker.
I think that speaks a lot more about you than the candidate. It's all good though, if you're getting offended by pronouns then they probably don't want to work at your firm anyway
Literally the point of the question is what gives me the ick and makes me not want to work with someone. Of course it's about me dingus. You naïve children always think it's about the pronouns "offending" someone that's otherwise hell bent on being inconsiderate for the sake of being a dick. In reality it's about not want to spend hours and hours of my week working next to and mentoring someone that buys into what is objectively nothing but woke in-group signaling college-tier BS. I want to work with someone I would happily grab a beer with and that's focused on the task at hand rather than one who's going to have an emotional twitter breakdown over something as obvious as whether or not they're a man or woman. If they're sensitive to that they certainly won't be able to handle pressure of the work itself. The old men and women we're buying businesses from aren't going to be sensitive about this silly shit either and it frankly turns more people off than you could possibly imagine in a professional setting. If they didn't want to work here then they wouldn't apply, yet here their applications are and there they go into the garbage. Welcome to life.
Absolutely. Pronouns in bio are such a negative culture indicator. It’s like announcing in bold font that you’re a liberal, which is obviously a strategic mistake in business.
Exactly! To build on that for others who might not get it, one of the biggest parts of this job is being able to mirror a founder/CEO you're talking to to get them to identify with and like you so you can win the deal. I've had to have 1hr+ long solo calls with Democrats in SF and Republicans in Texas, super woke Europeans and conservative southeast Asians. Each time I've had to be somewhat knowledgeable about how to make jokes about "the other side" and how crazy/unreasonable they are to get some of that 1-to-1 bonding. The first deal I ever closed was with a woke CEO who I am the complete opposite of in every way personally, but we get along incredibly well professionally because I keep that shit to myself. The biggest deal I'm working on now with is the complete opposite, a super anti-woke old guy near retirement and on his 3rd wife that's thinking about selling a business worth half a billion+.
You have to be able to dance across the political spectrum. If some dumbass has their pronouns in their bio and is emailing the Republican or conservative founder, guess who's not getting a call back and potentially poisoning that lead for the rest of the firm because they'll see us as woke. I'd react the same way if you showed up to the first interview wearing a Trump hat and I literally have half a dozen of them myself. If you don't know your audience going in, the best thing you can present as is a neutral slate. Someone who is trying to get into PE and doesn't understand that basic aspect of human psychology is already steps behind what we want from a good candidate.
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I don't care so much about Resume gaps, but if their sports achievements at college or any college-level non-internship-related section take up a significant page, yeah, that is an automatic red flag. Trying to get fancy with formatting as well. What are you trying to hide, can't BS your way into a job.
When I was in college and a bar manager, I had someone apply as an underwater porcelain expert, and it was they were a dishwasher. I gave them a hosting position and they turned into a really good bartender.
The easiest tell is some form of "Would I want to hang out with this person?" / "Would I grab a beer with this person?" / etc. If they don't pass that test, the rest of their resume doesn't really matter.
You spend way too much time at work to have to spend it with weirdos.
I'll deal with some weirdness, assuming they are a workhorse. I won't deal with the Nepo. who still doesn't understand fundamentals after a year.
Not exactly an either/or choice here. Plenty of non-weirdos with work ethics and even nepos who care to learn.
Reviewed resumes throughout various levels of seniority for over a decade now.
Most reliable filter is culling all candidates with typos and formatting errors.
It isn't the nature of the mistake but the fault in not correcting it that is a red flag.
Sometimes I am tempted to email people and ask why they do it. Maybe that is why.
One note regarding above comments, I've noticed resume gaps aren't a big deal for junior staff. Not everyone follows the same path.
I conducted interviews at a PE firm and saw many errors in resumes, but it is too time consuming to give the person a heads up on why their resume is off. A quick reject and moving on to the next candidate is the way.
If the person is quality despite some minor formatting issues, I would help them correct their resume before my boss sees it.
Finance as a personality types. Red flags for that are no extracurriculars that aren't case competitions, stock pitches or finance clubs, boring interests or hobbies (sports) etc. A lot of it comes out in interviews when you talk to the person. Bruh, I do this like 12-18 hours a day, the last thing I want to do is shoot the shit about finance with you.
pronouns ick
gamers/magic cards/dungeons and dragons or the like.. ick.
powerlifters unless you're nationally ranked in your weight class .. iick
If the powerlifter is in the 1000 club they should get a pass!
Was thinking the same thing. You typed it first.
I also respect people with a 4:59 mile. It is one feat I haven't been able to reach.
1,000 club as a power lifter? Have to be joking. You can look skelly and achieve that
Not that impressive there, boss.
I think I hit that at 17 and I’m nothing special - just football lifting.
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