Lessons as a mystery job applicant

READER Ronnie (not his real name), after reading my previous article, asked many questions about my experience as a mystery job applicant more than 30 years ago when I was a young and a highly-motivated human resource manager.

I was gainfully employed, loved the management style of my boss and the friendliness of my peers and other workers. There was also lot more in terms of many unquantifiable benefits. In other words, I was happy, so why leave? Headhunters were after me but I kept them at bay.

However, there was something that was pushing me to move out of my comfort zone. At one time, I succumbed to a headhunter’s offer to try an interview with a major retailer. In less than 15 minutes, I knew that I would not be happy with them due to many invisible things that most applicants would not have noticed or choose to ignore.

I then turned myself into a mystery applicant, not for purposes of getting a job but to get insights from supposed management professionals and to learn the best practices of organizations. The first step of the process was to identify job vacancies. My biggest source were ads in the Manila Bulletin and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

This was the time when online job-hunting platforms were not yet in existence. The “Jurassic” approach suited me and I chose only major companies that were geographically located near other each other, like those along Ayala Avenue and within Makati.

I clipped the ads and brought at least 10 copies of my curriculum vitae. My rule of thumb was to investigate the background of my “prospective” employer before going into an interview. I didn’t rehearse for interview questions and relied much on casual, unadulterated top-of-the mind answers.

I would file an application for a one-day vacation leave when I was ready to take in two to three appointments in a day, giving myself a comfortable lead time to digest what I learned from previous interviewers. Taking a leave from work was necessary as I didn’t want to cheat my boss who had mentored me and given me all the freedom to do my job.

I made sure to be dressed for the occasion, approximating the dress code of my “potential” employer. Unlike other applicants, I was mentally ready with a list of all the invisible things to watch out for starting with the following questions to help identify an ideal employer:

– Is there seamless efficiency in the ingress of visitors? Job applicants, regardless of their age, gender, physical features and apparent economic status in life must be treated like valuable customers. No exceptions. Respect is imperative. Security personnel or the receptionist must be proactively informed so that waiting times are minimized. Everyone is busy and you can’t use that as an argument.

– Is there a convenient visitors’ lounge or waiting area? Does it offer a welcoming atmosphere? Are you instead forced to wait in the company parking lot or security area, which feels like a penitentiary? More importantly, do they have reading materials in the lobby like employee newsletters and annual magazines where they share milestones and major activities? Browse the pages and you’ll know if

the organization is to your liking.

– Do you see a broken wall clock? How about a dirty floor? Can you smell where the toilet is located? How are they practicing 5S good housekeeping? This is too basic to be ignored by their management. A broken wall clock, dirty floor or a smelly toilet are low-hanging fruits that can easily be solved without management having to spend much money.

– Was the interviewer punctual? There’s no such thing as Filipino time, only unprofessional managers. It’s their office so there’s no reason for their being tardy for the interview. I would come 45 minutes ahead of the agreed time. If an interviewer failed to meet me in five minutes, using their company wall clock as guide, then I’d abandon the interview right away.

– Do you see horseplaying employees? How about gossipers and standbys? Flirting employees? Listen in on their stories and you’ll know many things about that organization. There’s no need for you to take down names. Do that and you’ll only appear suspicious.

– Lastly, are they receptive to answering your questions? Inquire about the reason for the job vacancy. Was it a voluntary or involuntary resignation? Why are they hiring an external candidate? Why can’t they promote someone from within? What’s the problem with the one next in line? How robust is their succession plan? Most important of all — what’s the management style of your “potential” boss?

Whether you’re a mystery job applicant or a genuine job hopper, you can learn many things in the interview process and make it a means of gauging a potential employer. This is not a scientific approach. Whether this is helpful for you or not remains to be seen, if and when you try it. Be on guard about your potential employer as much as they are in weeding out poor hires. It’s better than doing quiet quitting after you’re hired.