Hiring managers can gain a great deal of insight into job candidates without even seeing them. A craftfully and creatively designed job application can give you an invaluable quick snapshot, first glimpse into their mind and motivations. If they have something on-the-ball, or not, the response to even one imaginative question may save you time or tweak your curiosity. Here’s how.

One hotel includes the following question on their job application “Why are you qualified to perform the job/s for which you are applying?”

The responses have been interesting. And over the years they’ve compiled a list of the most humorous. Some of the best are quoted below:

• “I’m very professional and generally in a good mood.”
• “I’m a mother and I am very clean.”
• “Working in a hospital has given me some experience in dealing with patient care.”
• Well, I believe I’m qualified not mentally but physically for the job functions.”
• I stay on task and love laundry (just the smell).”
• I got two plagues for 24th and 11th place for state in bowling”
• I have two kids and one messy boyfriend so I know how to clean really good.”
• “I’m qualified to be a terrorist because I know food service.” (The job was as a busperson for their buffet - served on the hotel’s terrace.)

To meet ever-increasing guest expectations hiring authorities must delve into the motivations of - and judge deliberately - each candidate’s potential to create value.  And never fail to select quality over quantity.

(By the way, some of the quoted job candidates were hired and performed successfully.)

Mr. Gravish is a human resources professional with over 25 years leadership experience in numerous customer-service organizations. He is an advocate of building profitability and success through, and by, people – first.

Joseph M. Gravish
jmgstlouis@hotmail.com