nick,

just to let you know how much i enjoyed your site. despite being insanely busy, i spent several hours this evening reading your articles and i thought your advice was unusually balanced and practical.

i am on the hiring side (rather than job-hunting side) of the equation. i run the IT department of a uk-based web development company that's growing very rapidly and i'm responsible for building the technical team. i feel that a huge part of my responsibility is building a fair, inspiring environment that makes good candidates want to join us. i was heartened to read much of your advice and think "that's what i already do when i interview people!", but i still have much to learn and i found a great deal of useful advice on your site.

i was amazed to learn from your writings how the hiring process works in some firms, and it became slightly clearer why some recent team members chose us over some of our competitors. when i like a candidate i am often perhaps too honest with them and describe the concerns that face us, gaps in our company's capabilities and skill-set, the challenges (good and bad) in the role that the candidate is applying for and other matters that makes me sometimes think "i shouldn't be revealing this stuff". but your articles reinforced my view that this is mostly ok, that honesty and mutual respect is the best approach and overall, i think i've learnt a bit more that will help us attract and keep great people.

i would like all the candidates that choose to talk to me to have studied your articles in order to start from a more mutually-respectful, clued-up position.

thanks again,

steve g.