If you missed Part One of The Plastic Owl Chronicles, where I shared how a plastic owl in our horse barn became more of a bird concierge than a deterrent, you can catch up at https://collectioncomplianceexperts.com/the-lesson-of-the-plastic-owl/.
Welcome back to our wildlife-inspired journey of hiring practices in the debt collection industry. Today, we’re focusing on the first step in making sure you have the right person in the right role — the resume review and interview process. This series will share real-life experiences that Ken Evancic and I have gathered throughout our careers in the collection industry, offering insights into how to build a strong, effective team.
The Plastic Owl Effect: When Resumes and Interviews Create the Illusion of Expertise
Resumes and interviews often act as little more than window dressing—they can create a false sense of expertise. The polished words on a resume or the confident answers in an interview may not always reflect a candidate’s true qualifications.
I learned this firsthand during my time as a collection manager at a retail company. Our human resources department was responsible for reviewing resumes and conducting initial interviews with potential collector candidates. If a candidate passed HR’s screening, I would be called in to conduct an on-the-spot interview.
A bit of background about the retailer: we offered a proprietary credit card, accepted personal checks for merchandise, and even allowed customers to visit the cashier’s office to write checks for cash.
One day, a candidate was brought to my office for an interview. I skimmed through his resume—it looked solid, full of relevant experience that seemingly made him a great fit for the role. Then I looked at his name.
It hit me. His name was all too familiar. In fact, he was more “qualified” than I could have imagined—we had an active warrant out for his arrest for passing bad checks. What began as an interview quickly turned into an arrest.
This experience taught me that true expertise isn’t validated by what’s on paper—or, as I learned from the plastic owl in my barn, by glowing internet reviews.
It’s proven through consistent actions and tangible, verifiable results.
Spotting the Plastic Owl before the Interview
Avoid scheduling same-day interviews whenever possible, allowing yourself time to thoroughly review the candidate’s resume and application. Use this window to identify any areas requiring clarification, such as employment gaps or vague descriptions of roles and responsibilities.
Don’t take the resume at face value—verification is key. Investigate gaps in work history, cross-check professional profiles on platforms like LinkedIn, and confirm educational credentials directly with the institutions listed.
When it comes to references, don’t assume they’ll all be glowing endorsements.
I’ve encountered plenty of cases where references provided by the candidate offered less-than-stellar feedback. Take the time to contact each reference and ask insightful, open-ended questions to gain a clear picture of the candidate’s work ethic, reliability, and overall fit for the role.
Thorough preparation before the interview ensures you enter the conversation informed, focused, and ready to make a well-rounded assessment.
Verifying Candidate Information: How to Ensure Accuracy and Prevent Fraud
Most companies conduct some form of background check during the hiring process, often as required by state statutes. However, the real challenge lies in confirming that the information provided by the candidate is not only accurate but truly reflects their identity.
Consider the case where a Notice of Charges for Order of Prohibition was issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), involving an employee who allegedly used her sister’s identification to secure employment.
This incident highlights the critical need for employers to go beyond standard checks and validate that the candidate is, in fact, who they claim to be.
Looking Beyond the Illusions
Just like the plastic owl couldn’t truly protect the barn from birds, a resume and a rehearsed interview don’t always reveal the real person behind the polished facade.
As we continue this series, we’ll explore how to move past these illusions—diving into skills testing, performance evaluations, and ongoing training to ensure you’re building a team rooted in genuine talent and ability.
Stay tuned for the next installment, where we’ll offer practical skills on how to spot red flags to make sure you have the right person in the job.
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Author: Bev Evancic
Bev.Evancic@ResourceManagement.com
Bev Evancic is a Senior Vice President at Resource Management Services, Inc. Prior to employment at RMS, Bev worked as the Collection and Recovery Manager at AT&T Universal Card, Citi, and Federated Department Stores. Bev started in the collection industry as a collector at an upscale clothing store in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a returned check and private label credit card collector, Bev gained a basic understanding of the collection industry that has not changed with the introduction of regulations. Her collection philosophy begins with the idea that businesses and customers benefit from preserving the customer relationship. First, collectors need to attempt to contact customers when it is convenient for the customer to discuss his/her financial condition and willingness/ability to pay. Second, you never collect money by intimidating or threatening customers. Third, businesses must make sure the debt is valid.
She has managed all phases of collection and recovery operations, including automated dialer units, bankruptcy, and legal units, skip tracing units, internal collections, outside collection agency networks, and Consumer Credit Counseling. As a Consultant for Resource Management Services, Inc., Bev has spearheaded collection and recovery best practices reviews for many top credit grantors. Her articles on dialer operations, agency management and bankruptcy best practices have been widely publicized.
She is well known and regarded as a specialty expert in the areas of: Repossession, Bankruptcy, Estate, Litigation, as well as Pre- and Post- Charge-off. Prior to joining Resource Management Services, Inc. in 1995, Bev managed the Recovery Department for AT&T Universal Card Services where she developed the bankruptcy, probate, internal and litigation processes.
She is the author of “Recovery Management: Collecting the Uncollectible Account.”
