Advice Hub

Christmas Podding: Day 12 – Wrapping Presents, Wrapping Interviews, and Carol Singers 🎄

Video

Welcome back to the We Do Grotto, where today’s episode brings festive frustrations, recruitment tips, and some light-hearted laughs.

First up: Wrapping presents – do you DIY or delegate?
DIY struggles: Sellotape on your knee, lost folds, and wrestling with awkwardly shaped gifts (looking at you, Lush Snow Fairy bottles).
Top tip: Stick it all in a box – easier to wrap and less stress.

But what about wrapping up interviews that aren’t going well? Here’s our advice for clients:

  • Be polite and direct. Thank the candidate for their time, explain why the fit isn’t right, and avoid wasting anyone’s time – including yours.
  • Give people a chance. First impressions matter, but nerves can get in the way. Some candidates may take time to warm up, so don’t rush to cut things short.
  • Use tools to streamline. Pre-interview video clips from candidates can save time and ensure alignment before the first meeting.

And finally, the ultimate Christmas conundrum: what do you do with carol singers?
🎶 Let them finish? Shut the door? Bribe them to stop? We’ll leave that one up to you.

More from our Advice Hub

Insights

The Truth About Salaries, Expectations, and Why Your Applications Aren’t Landing

6 min read
Published 2 months ago
Man on phone

Few topics in recruitment get people more defensive than salaries. Everyone wants transparency, but when it comes down to it, very few people are fully honest – with themselves, their...

Read More
Insights

The Political Race is Recruitment 101

4 min read
Published 2 years ago

A successful recruitment process is always defined by the quality of the shortlist – that’s a fact. Drawing parallels between political races and recruitment strategies offers insightful...

Read More
Insights

Why CFOs Are Ghosting You (And What to Do About It)

5 min read
Published 1 year ago

You’ve Been Left on Read… Again.
You found the perfect CFO candidate. They tick all the boxes—strategic mindset, commercial acumen, leadership skills sharper than a fresh Excel formula. You...

Read More
Insights

Why Finance Candidates Are Ghosting You (And How to Stop It)

5 min read
Published 10 months ago
Ghosted

They Were Excited About the Role… Then Suddenly, Silence.
 
You had a great interview. The candidate was engaged, enthusiastic, and seemed like the perfect fit.
Then… nothing.
 
📢...

Read More
Insights

Ask These Questions to Hire the Right Finance Candidate

5 min read
Published 4 months ago
Interview

Hiring someone who’s ‘good with numbers’ isn’t enough.
What really matters is whether they understand the story behind the numbers — and can use that insight to guide smarter...

Read More
Insights

What Every CFO Secretly Wants to See on Your Finance CV

6 min read
Published 4 months ago
Man reading a CV

Let’s be honest — most finance CVs look like they were written with the same template or just copied and pasted. “Strong analytical skills.” “Results-driven.” “Team player.” Sound...

Read More