resumes and recruiting

Subject: resumes and recruiting
From: Joanne Wittenbrook <jwittenbrook -at- ameritech -dot- net>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 10:06:41 -0800 (PST)


Finance has been a factor in business forever. The difference now is that employees are viewed as a "resource" much like a piece of equipment. When you go for the cheapest, you cut expense in the short term, and in the case of some equipment, you can forgoe a little quality and still have the function. But the value of a good employee will increase over time. Our current business culture views people as expendable. When cost-cutting is on the table, layoffs are the subject of the day. Unfortunately the cuts rarely come where they should, at the highest levels. That's where the bad business decisions were made. So we see the constant cycle of growth, layoff, reorganization, growth etc.

That sure puts job seekers in a quandry. You get eliminated for being too good, even if you are willing to work for less. Catch-22. So what should those who are highly qualified and looking for work do? "Dumb down" our resume and experience? Again, it is getting past the gatekeeper. What this means to me is that companies are not as afraid of hiring an underqualified employee as they are of hiring a highly qualified employee that may cost a little more. And if they don't cost more "there is a problem". Sure there's a problem, we now have another "ism". Sexism, ageism and now we have Qualifiedism.

It is a shame that when we have the experience and skill to be at the top of our profession, we suddenly become unemployable in the event of a downsizing. I agree that nepotism is a common practice. The whole market of products and information aimed at job seekers has created an environment where it is easier to hire someone's friend who is partially qualified than to assess a new candidate.

However, there is always contract-to-hire, and every company I have ever worked for puts you on probation for the first three months of employment. Businesses that prefer to look only at the low end of the qualification spectrum are stepping over dollars to pick up dimes.

It is another reason why our recruitment and job search process is broken. It doesn't do what it should, which is get the right person for the right job.
Joanne

------------------------------
> Some of the issues that concern getting work these days is finances.
> Companies got very burned by the sudden growth of technology and
> technology-focused applicants. I think that they are reluctant to
> hiresomeone that might cost too much. So an applicant with an
> excellent resume
> could be too pricey. If that applicant also happens to be willing
> to work
> for a low rate, then there might be a problem with that applicant,
> otherwise, there would be a higher rate.

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