Hiring Expert: Why Personal Referrals Can Backfire

28/07/2025 37 min Temporada 2 Episodio 1
Hiring Expert: Why Personal Referrals Can Backfire

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Episode Synopsis

Most job seekers are told to “find a personal connection” to get hired — but it turns out that advice can actually undermine your credibility.In this eye-opening conversation Susanna Williams, a VP of HR and career coach, explains why referrals can backfire, what hiring managers really want to see, and exactly what you should do instead to position yourself as a top candidate.Susanna breaks down:Why personal referrals can be a red flag How to circumvent the "numbers game" and find the perfect matchCrafting a resume versus a cover letter, and why the cover letter is your golden ticketThe "overqualified" trap and how to avoid itA few choice quotes:"Pushing the hiring manager actually doesn't make you more attractive. To me, it's like, 'Oh, you're a little desperate.' And that's not appealing.""It is not a numbers game. It's a clarity game.""What unlocked everything is that I stopped trying to apply to places I was excited about, and thought about places that would be excited about me."Connect with Susanna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannawilliams/Connect with Elisabeth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabethandrews/