Posted on 08/03/2017 7:06:07 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
That is all good advice.
Problem is, there are people who want to get their foot in the door, and from what I have seen, there are a number of people (especially in IT related fields) who overstate their resume, and it seems to be a common practice.
I have seen some resumes that looked great, but when you start asking questions, it becomes clear the candidate’s knowledge and resume do not match.
Then you throw in the stuff about diversity which has nothing to do with qualifications, it is easy to see how some people get into positions they are not going to do well at in certain aspects of it.
It seems to me unnerving that there are candidates who KNOW they aren’t qualified, but are gunning for it anyway.
When I made a career path change years ago, I KNEW I wasn’t qualified for an IT related job, but I was getting in at the ground level, and knew that my non-IT related skill set would be valuable. I was up front with that. The IT liaison didn’t want to hire me, but the department that was looking for the position did, and overruled them. I did a lot of OJT and self teaching of IT related things, but I didn’t mis-represent myself, and I know they don’t regret it after all these years. I have gone out of my way to provide value, and we all won. Even today, there is much specific knowledge that I don’t have, but in decisions and troubleshooting, I make sure that if it bears on the situation, the people taking my advice know where the limitations and holes in my knowledge are, and that I have leveraged people who DO have that knowledge to minimize or eliminate bad decisions.
And you are spot on with the advice about headhunters. You have to keep their feet to the fire if they send you people that are unqualified and let them know. If they keep making the same poor recommendations...you take your business elsewhere.
Don’t get me wrong, because it is eminently clear that there are women and minorities who ARE qualified and are top shelf. My issue is that race or gender shouldn’t even be in the mix for consideration in any way.
I gathered as much...when you are doing business, you often have to do business as business is being done. You may not like or agree with it, but it is often what has to be done.
“And you are spot on with the advice about headhunters. “You have to keep their feet to the fire if they send you people that are unqualified and let them know. If they keep making the same poor recommendations...you take your business elsewhere.”
My point was that job seekers should not be so dependent upon staffing service recruiters to guide them. The average recruiter can’t do better for you than you can do for yourself when you take control over your own career path and destiny. Don’t give it to strangers and don’t fall into the trap where you’re always having to take the first thing to come along...By then, you are only finding jobs and not necessarily advancing in your chosen profession.
Oh, I didn’t get that from your post. That is on me. Thanks for clarifying it.
Your point on headhunters was good too. They look at resume’s and are supposed to be able to understand what they’re reading and now I find that the average recruiter spends an average of 10-15 seconds taking a cursory first glance at any one job seeker’s qualifications. I just don’t see how that’s at all professional or how it sets up any winning situations for any of the parties involved. Staffing companies don’t care whether you burn a bridge, either. None that I have ever had try to convince me to quit a current contract assignment, expressed concern for the potential of burning an existing or potential bridge back to a previous employer/client relationship. Giving the recommended two week’s notice prior to making a jump (to where the grass is supposedly greener) doesn’t guarantee that the client company and/or the staffing firm will not send you packing immediately. “At will” employment makes that hazardous to job seekers and client companies don’t appreciate having to repeat the process of bringing on additional contract help. To think that they should be hiring people themselves is probably not their idea of a permanent solution. Plus, the average age of the average recruiter/HR person is younger than ever and they much prefer to represent people of their own generation(s). I think we need to affect fundamental change in the way we pursue our career goals and how we come to find ourselves in positions to actually achieve them as independently as possible. Let’s cut out the “middle man” in the proce$$ and MAGA!
Well said, equaviator!
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