What Would You Do? Is It a Red Flag?

By John West Hadley

The Stepping Stone, November 2023

Here is our next entry in the “What Would You Do?” series. Write to me at SteppingStone@JHACareers.com to tell me what you would do. In a future issue, I’ll compile the responses received (preserving your anonymity, of course), along with what actually happened in the real-life situation.

Help me craft future case studies. Write to me about your own challenging, surprising or nightmarish situations involving business, leadership, management, or any of the topic areas covered by The Stepping Stone, and what lessons you learned from them. I’ll collaborate with you on turning your situation into a simple case study, being careful to ensure no one is identifiable. And share your own thoughts (pro and con) on the series as a whole at SteppingStone@JHACareers.com.

Is It a Red Flag?

Franklin was a senior actuary, interviewing candidates for an open role on his team. With only two candidates to go, Franklin interviewed Samantha, who had received really good feedback thus far. The first fifteen minutes were great. Samantha gave good answers by citing specific examples to behavioral interviewing questions, had a very relevant background, and had excellent communication skills. Then Franklin noticed that her current job title was a level higher than the current opening. He asked if she had spoken with the recruiter about the compensation range, to make sure there was no mistake.

Samantha answered yes, but then went on to say that she actually felt ready for a job title even higher than her current one, and that Franklin should consider posting the position two levels higher. They finished the interview and she followed up with an email re-articulating that point, suggesting that Franklin pull back another open posting in order to re-post the job she had applied for at a higher level, with direct reports.

Franklin checked with the other interviewers, and this discussion had not come up with any of them. Their ratings reflected that Samantha was an excellent candidate. This left him wondering how much he should weigh her comments against the rest of the interview where she had performed very well. He then talked with interviewers from a different role Samantha had previously applied for, and found she had made a similar push with them.

If you were Franklin, what would you do? Would you consider Samantha’s “push” a red flag, or a professional negotiation to seek an upgrade?

Statements of fact and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of the Society of Actuaries, the newsletter editors, or the respective authors’ employers.

John Hadley was an FSA for many years, and now works with job seekers frustrated with their search. He can be reached at John@JHACareers.com or +1 908-725-2437 or via LinkedIn. Find his free Career Tips newsletter and other resources at www.JHACareers.com.