Shelton Criticizes Open Interviews

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Post on Jan 23, 2025

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Shelton Criticizes Open Interviews: My Take (And Why You Should Care)

Okay, so, you know how everyone's obsessed with open interviews these days? Yeah, well, Shelton—my old boss, bless his cotton socks—he hates them. And after my own disastrous experience, I kinda get it. I mean, I'm still recovering. It wasn't pretty.

The Open Interview Apocalypse: My Horror Story

Shelton, he's a traditionalist. He believes in the structured interview, the resume review, the whole nine yards. Open interviews? He thinks they're a complete waste of time. He's not wrong, at least not entirely. He claims they attract the wrong kind of candidates—those who lack the gumption to even apply properly. But honestly, my experience was worse than that.

I'd seen these "open interview" events advertised all over LinkedIn—a chance to network, meet the hiring manager, and get your foot in the door. Sounded great, right? Wrong. Picture this: a crowded room, everyone vying for the attention of two overworked recruiters. The line was longer than a CVS receipt on Black Friday. Seriously. It was absolute chaos. The questions were generic and pointless. "Tell me about yourself!" Ugh. I felt like a robot reciting my elevator pitch. I totally bombed it. I ended up leaving feeling like a deflated balloon.

Afterward, I got nothing. Not even a polite "thanks, but no thanks" email. Just radio silence. Brutal. I spent hours preparing, only to walk away with nothing but a lingering sense of defeat. It was a total waste of my precious Saturday. My weekend was basically ruined, thanks to this highly inefficient recruiting process.

Why Shelton (and I) Might Be Right About Open Interviews

So, what did I learn? A lot, actually. And I agree with Shelton more than I ever thought I would. Here's the thing: open interviews, while seemingly offering a democratic approach to hiring, often fall flat.

The Drawbacks of Open Interviews:

• Inefficient Use of Time: For both the candidate and the company. It's a huge time suck.
• Lack of Structure: Leads to inconsistent evaluation of candidates. How can you compare someone who got five minutes with the recruiter to someone who got ten? It's not fair.
• Attracting the Wrong Candidates: It might attract people who aren't serious about applying for the job.
• High Candidate-to-Hiring-Manager Ratio: You basically end up fighting for scraps of attention.
• Poor Candidate Experience: Leaving candidates feeling undervalued and ignored. It creates a bad reputation for the company.

The Better Alternative: Targeted Applications

I've since shifted my focus to targeted applications. It takes more effort upfront, sure, but the results have been way better. Spend time tailoring your resume and cover letter to each specific job description. Research the company and the hiring manager. This shows genuine interest. It increases your chances exponentially. You'll get more interviews. You'll get more jobs. It's way more efficient.

Believe me; I know the struggle is real. It is tough out there. Job hunting can be a long, painful, and demoralizing process. But avoid the open interview trap. Put in the extra effort on individual applications. It's worth it. Trust me on this one.

The Bottom Line: Open Interviews are a Gamble

Ultimately, Shelton's skepticism towards open interviews is not entirely unwarranted. While they might work for some companies or industries, for most job seekers, they're more likely to lead to disappointment than success. Invest your energy in targeted applications. You'll get more than a bruised ego. You'll get the job.