Managing Candidate Expectations

I can’t stop thinking about this. If you invest in your people from day 1, they’ll invest their talents in your company tenfold. It sounds obvious, but I’ve seen firsthand how often this gets missed. I joined companies and startups with zero training: - no documentation - unclear processes - no real onboarding I was expected to figure it out as I went, and honestly, it was brutal 😭 So here’s what *actually* sets people up for success: —— 1️⃣ What does a new hire need to know but feels awkward asking? Think back to your first 30 days. ↳ How do things actually work here? ↳ Where do I go for answers? ↳ What mistakes should I avoid early on? If the answers live only in someone’s head, that’s the gap. ✅ Document anything you explain more than once. —— 2️⃣ Where are people guessing instead of being guided? When training doesn’t exist, people improvise. ↳ Clicking the wrong thing ↳ Following outdated steps ↳ Copying work that isn’t quite right That’s how errors and rework happen. Tools like Tango make this easy by turning workflows into step-by-step guides. ✅ Record one common task this week and turn it into a reusable guide. —— 3️⃣ What tribal knowledge needs to be documented? You know it’s a systems problem when there are: ↳ Constant pings ↳ Repeating the same answers ↳ Little time for deep work ✅ Have your strongest team member document one core process they own. —— 4️⃣ Are you onboarding people or overwhelming them? More information doesn’t mean better onboarding. People need: ↳ Clear priorities ↳ Time to practice ↳ Space to build confidence ✅ Use a simple 30-60-90 day framework for all new hires —— 5️⃣ Are expectations clear or just assumed? When expectations are vague: ↳ People second-guess themselves ↳ Feedback comes too late ↳ Performance feels personal instead of fixable ✅ Check in early and often and schedule 20-minute check-ins with your manager or onboarding buddy in the first 8 weeks. —— When you give people the right tools, training, and support, you get: → Faster onboarding → More consistent processes → Fewer mistakes and support tickets → Happier, more confident employees 💙 You can’t expect people to thrive without setting them up properly. Set people up to win and they will 🫶 Do you agree? #TangoPartner

Most companies frontload onboarding into the first week, then wonder why great hires quit after 2 months. Here's a framework that fixes this: THE 30/60/90 ONBOARDING PLAN Days 0-30: Orientation → Belonging Goal: Make them feel part of something - Welcome kit + preboarding touchpoints - Set clear role expectations and team charter - Buddy system + manager syncs Quick Win: Schedule a values-aligned storytelling session with a company founder Days 31-60: Integration → Clarity Goal: Understand how their work fits - Role-specific training - First project delivery - Cross-functional intros Quick Win: Create a "map of influence" showing who to talk to and when Days 61-90: Acceleration → Impact Goal: Start delivering results - Feedback loop with manager - Career path preview - Culture check-in + stay conversation Quick Win: Ask "What's one thing you'd change about our onboarding?" Why this works: - Week 1 onboarding creates anxiety relief but not engagement. - 30-day onboarding builds belonging but lacks direction. - 90-day onboarding creates clarity, confidence, and measurable impact. Most companies frontload everything into the first few days, then abandon new hires to figure it out. The result? Talented people leave because they never felt integrated or clear on their impact. TAKEAWAY: Your onboarding process is a 90-day audition. Not just for the new hire to prove themselves. For your company to prove it's worth staying. The companies with the best retention don't just hire great people. They systematically integrate them into something they want to be part of.

Let’s get real for a second. That “Open to Work” banner on a LinkedIn profile? It’s not a cry for help. That biased thinking is outdated and disconnected from how the market works today. It's a myth that the brightest and best never get laid off. Entire teams get cut. Divisions close. Funding disappears. It's a business logistics issue, not a talent one. Looking for work is not a character flaw. It's a normal part of a persons career. It’s a badge of courage, a sign of confidence, and a willingness to grow. Signalling availability is not weakness. It is efficiency. It helps the market work. What should matter is your track record. Your outcomes. Your skills. Your reputation. Not a green ring. #jobsearch #jobhunt #candidateexperience

When I started preparing for tech interviews, I made myself a promise. I won’t spend money on expensive courses. I’ll make it with free resources only. At first, it was tough. Too many topics, too many doubts. But slowly, I found a path that worked for me. And with these resources, I cracked my interviews. Here’s what really helped me: ✅ LeetCode – My go-to for DSA. The questions and patterns made problem-solving clear. ✅ Aditya Verma (YouTube) – He made Dynamic Programming, Recursion, and Stacks feel simple. ✅ Striver’s Graph Series (aka Raj Vikramaditya ) – Graphs were always scary, but his explanations clicked. ✅ freeCodeCamp – Anytime I wanted to explore a dev skill, I trusted them. ✅ C++ Basics – W3Schools.com and GeeksforGeeks helped me build my foundation. ✅ System Design (ByteByteGo) – Opened my eyes to high-level design concepts. ✅ InterviewBit Sheets – Perfect for last-minute revision of OOPS, DBMS, CN, OS. ✅ GateSmashers – Helped me rebuild my CS fundamentals from scratch. This list is not random; it’s my actual journey. I stuck to it, practiced daily, and it worked. If you’re preparing, I hope this gives you some direction. #sde #tech #interview #connections #networking LinkedIn LinkedIn News

Rethinking Your Recruitment: Stop Boxing Your Future It starts with a simple truth: "When you box your candidates, you actually box your team, growth, and organisation." Your current hiring criteria are myopic and not future-proof; they are actively restricting your organisation's potential. We need to zoom in on the filters that are leaving critical positions vacant: ⛔Rigid Qualifications: Insisting on a specific qualification or background, overlooking valuable transferable skills, diverse experience, and potential. ⛔Company Rigidity: Only targeting candidates from a handful of "approved" or legacy businesses. ⛔Salary Bottleneck: Refusing to adjust a narrow range or overemphasizing internal equity, thereby disqualifying excellent talent. ⛔"People Group" Bias: Subconsciously seeking a "like us" profile, which restricts diversity and innovation. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 The talent market is fundamentally shifting. We face rising constraints: 🎯Demographic Challenges: The employable population is shrinking due to aging and a smaller younger generation pool. (This calls for reskilling, upskilling, and openness to senior talent). 🎯Policy Restrictions: Tighter work pass controls limit the ease of importing talent, forcing reliance on domestic pools 🎯Market Dynamics: Evolving trends demand we hire for potential and adaptability, not just experience. 🎯Generational Expectations: Younger talent demands flexibility, purpose, and strong values alignment. They prioritise working smart over working hard. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 The immediate consequence of this restrictive thinking is that many positions are unfilled, forcing existing team members to shoulder the burden of additional duties and increasing burnout. The hiring team must move away from the false belief that the department is functioning adequately in its current capacity. It is not. Survival is not sustainability. The mandate is clear: 💡𝐁𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐁𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧-𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝. 💡Make the necessary adjustments to role scope, training, and profile expectations. 💡This includes building capacity into your teams and operations to create a buffer. 💡Stop waiting for the perfect candidate who no longer exists in a tight market, and start empowering your team's success today. What is the single most restrictive criterion you see companies clinging to today, and what immediate action would you recommend to change it? #TalentStrategy #Recruitment #HRLeadership #WorkforcePlanning #Lightwayhr 15Oct2025

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 Recently, I was asked by a young professional, “What’s the best skill to have to succeed?” And the answer isn’t what most people expect. We often assume success comes from mastering technical knowledge, building expertise, or learning the latest tools. And while all of that matters, there’s one category of skills that consistently makes the biggest difference… and ironically, we still call them “soft.” But there’s nothing soft about them. Skills like communication, empathy, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and active listening are becoming the hardest to master. Technical skills can be taught. Tools can be learnt. AI can automate tasks. But understanding people, motivating them, building trust, navigating conflict, leading with empathy… now that’s far more complex. And far more enduring. The workplace is evolving too. Not many businesses have rigid hierarchies or predictable environments. People are now collaborating across cultures, generations, and time zones… often virtually. In this world, success depends not just on what you know but also on how you connect, communicate, and lead. These so-called “soft” skills demand awareness, patience, humility, and a genuine commitment to growth — something no degree or certification can teach. Maybe it’s time we stop calling them “soft” and start calling them what they really are… 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. What’s the one “soft” skill that’s made the biggest difference in your professional journey?

United Airlines has been my airline of choice since they merged with Continental, and it's one of the few brands that has my absolutely loyalty as a customer. And currently, they are having success with "oversharing" around their delays - and it's working with greater customer satisfaction since implementing this strategy. This is something I've noticed in recent months. Looking at my texts, I can see where they let me know that we'd be delayed due to limits on the number of flights allowed to land due to construction at SFO. Another was a technical issue, with regular updates on their efforts to find a new plane. Most travelers know that delays are part of the game, and often outside of the control of airlines. I don't think most of us are unreasonable when faced with delays. The issue is often the lack of information - not knowing why the delay exists, what's being done about it, and estimates on when the issue will be resolved. Recruiting professionals out there, take note because we can learn something from this when it comes to candidate experience. Transparency builds trust, and it leads to a better experience for everyone involved. 1. Embrace the "no update update" Sometimes, just being told you need a bit more time to review an application or have scheduled all of the interviews needed can alleviate a lot of anxiety vs someone applying and sitting in an applicant pool for weeks or months on end! At Zapier, we try to communicate every 7 days...we may miss the mark sometimes, but our hope is that candidates are never wondering where they stand. 2. Share "the why" Airlines have always let us know when there's a delay - that's not new. But sharing the "why" behind it is. That can feel scary, especially if the news is something like, "we've extended an offer, but think you're amazing and if it doesn't pan out, we'd love to hire you". But candidates ultimately appreciate it, AND it shows them they can trust what your company tells them. Offering feedback after interviews is another way to do this and leave people feeling a less confused around rejections. 3. Tell people what to expect Let candidates know who they are interviewing with. Let them know what topics will be discussed. Tell them how you plan to set their compensation. The more information you can provide candidates, the better the experience will be for everyone. If any of these seem hard, there are tons of tools out there that can help. candidate.fyi creates a candidate hub making it easy to share this info directly with candidates (and empower candidates in a variety of other ways). Crosschq provides an arsenal of data, and one of my favorites is color-coding candidates so you can see when a candidate needs communication. And most decent ATSs will help you automate those "no update updates". It doesn't take significantly more effort to create a significantly better candidate experience - just lean into transparency!

Most HR teams think their onboarding is solid. → Laptop ready. → Paperwork completed. → First day meet and greet? Check. But here is the truth we see behind the curtain: Most teams skip the parts that matter most for long-term success. Here are two steps most teams forget during onboarding and what to do instead. 1. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 Telling someone your values is easy. Showing them how the team 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 works is the magic. New hires do not struggle with the handbook. They struggle with the unwritten rules. Give them real language instead of vague gestures. For example, instead of asking… "Do you use Slack?" Try saying… "Our team lives in Slack during business hours. We expect same day responses for most messages and a quicker reply if it is from your manager or during core hours." Other examples to spell out clearly: • How often leaders drop in for updates • When cameras are expected on • How people give feedback • When it is okay to block focus time • Preferred communication style (short pings or detailed notes) And pair them with a culture buddy. Someone who can answer real questions like "Is it normal to send a calendar note before messaging the VP?" That saves so much social anxiety and avoids awkward first month missteps. 2. 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 A job title is not direction. People want to know exactly how to succeed. → Get specific. → Paint the picture. Instead of saying… "You will lead onboarding." Try… "In your first 30 days, you will run onboarding for three new hires. Success looks like zero missed system access steps, plus a feedback survey score of 4.5 or higher." Then schedule a 30 day check in. Not to judge. To support. Ask questions like: "What has been clear so far?" "What has been confusing?" "Where do you need resources or examples?" And tell them one thing they are doing well. Everyone needs a confidence anchor early. Strong onboarding is not fancy. It is clear, human, and consistent. Which onboarding detail made the biggest difference for you in a new role? If this sparked ideas, share it with another HR pro building better onboarding. #OnboardingTips #HRLeadership #PeopleFirst ♻️ I appreciate 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 repost. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Click the "𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿" link below my name for weekly tips to elevate your career!

Talking about money in an interview isn’t awkward. What’s awkward is spending hours in a hiring process only to find out the salary was never even close to what you need. In an ideal world, every job advert would include the salary. But they don’t - and not because employers are being sneaky. It’s usually down to politics, pay structures, or wanting to avoid tough conversations internally. So where does that leave you as a candidate? The very first conversation you have - with a recruiter, HR, or the hiring manager - is where salary has to be raised. If you’re not talking money before the actual interview process begins, you’re wasting your time. Now, I get the dilemma when you’re asked: “What salary are you looking for?” Go too high and you risk pricing yourself out. Go too low and they’ll lock onto that number. So here are three ways to flip the question back on them: “It’s great you’ve brought this up. I’d really love to understand more about the role and the banding you’ve budgeted for, so I can see where my experience might sit within that.” “Rather than giving you a figure myself, I’d be interested to hear what salary range you had in mind for a candidate with all the skills and experience you’re looking for.” “I’d love to understand the salary range your company has in mind before sharing my expectations.” My advice? Don’t sit and wait for them to bring it up. Ask. If it’s within your range - brilliant. If it’s close enough and the culture and growth opportunities make sense, it could still be worth pursuing. The only real mistake is not asking at all. 👉 How do you handle the “salary expectations” question? -- #LinkedInNewsAustralia

“It is crucial for freshers aspiring to secure a place in today’s highly competitive talent market to understand that technical skills, while crucial, is only a part of the skillset required to thrive in our fast-evolving times,” says Shaji Mathew, Chief Human Resources Officer at Infosys. That said, how do LinkedIn’s Top Companies fare when it comes to attracting entry-level professionals? According to LinkedIn’s latest data, entry-level hires account for 45% of the workforce in India’s Top Companies, with more than 5,000 employees. And the figure is 37% at the Top Companies with fewer than 5,000 employees. In fact, among the large companies, the percentage of entry-level roles at Atlassian and Infosys stands at 47% and 35%, respectively. So, what makes these companies a sought-after destination for freshers? Clear career paths, ongoing skill development, growth opportunities, continuous education programmes, competitive pay, and a supportive work environment are some of the ways that Infosys attracts and retains young professionals, adds Mathew. The data also reveals that the average age of employees in both the large and midsize companies is 32. Bachelor’s emerged as the most common degree for 54% of employees at large companies, and for 41% at midsize firms. Among them, computer science emerged as the most common field of study, the data adds. Given this, what qualities do top companies look for in freshers? Employers are increasingly seeking applicants who bring curiosity, creativity, and initiative — soft skills that help professionals adapt and thrive with the rapid pace of AI and digital transformation, Mathew adds.  What skills are you looking to build to get hired for an entry-level role at a top company? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Check out the LinkedIn Top Companies in India with more than 5,000 employees here: https://lnkd.in/INTopCompanies25. And, check out the LinkedIn Top Companies in India with fewer than 5,000 employees here: https://lnkd.in/TC25MidsizeIN ✍️: Shivani Malik 📊: LinkedIn Economic Graph Research Institute 📷: Getty Images #LinkedInTopCompanies #FresherHiring #HiringAlert