As the recession staggers along, candidates continue to amaze me at how unwilling they are to be flexible. Of late, I have been told that, even though out of work for two years, the option of a 3-6 month assignment will not be considered. Also, since this one candidate is the best in their profession, recruiters should be willing to drop everything and do a customized search! Finally, having never commuted more than 10 miles each way, a 15 mile commute is out of the question (imagine the response if I had suggested a 25 mile drive).
These are a few samples of why unemployment numbers are still too high. Yes, jobs are very, very hard to find but candidates absolutely need to realizes they have to meet the hiring company a bit more than half way right now. I dislike this reality as much as anyone (in fact, it gets under my skin daily) but I go back to a term I learned as a management trainee in the very demanding retail field over 30 years ago: WIT - Whatever It Takes! Hopefully, the day will return when the pool of available, high quality candidates is thin again and employers will hustle to hire the best regardless of price but that is not even close to reality in the relatively near future.
Showing posts with label professional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label professional. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Friday, May 28, 2010
Minimum Wage or Bust?
Three people wrote me this week saying they are so desperate to work that they will accept minimum wage. One told me he would only accept this for exactly the same type of work he earned six figures for as recently as two years back and another said he would work for that amount as long as some of his skill sets were utilized.
Marketing a seasoned professional into anything other than an unrelated, part-time job at minimum wage will not work. While all employers are very aware of the messy world we live in, they are also very wary (and rightfully so) of trying to get something for almost nothing. Looking that desperate could easily brand a candidate as a disaster area and could ruin them professionally for the rest of their
work-eligible life.
Marketing a seasoned professional into anything other than an unrelated, part-time job at minimum wage will not work. While all employers are very aware of the messy world we live in, they are also very wary (and rightfully so) of trying to get something for almost nothing. Looking that desperate could easily brand a candidate as a disaster area and could ruin them professionally for the rest of their
work-eligible life.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Missing In Action
Are you out of work?... Have your unemployment benefits run out?... Do you have a ton of unpaid bills?... Were you forced to take a low paying job just to stay somewhat afloat?... Without any doubt, is this the worst time you have experienced in your professional life?...
Let me guess, many of you answered yes to most of these questions? If that is true for so many people, why on earth are folks not showing up for interviews? I know of at least four cases in the last month where people with great backgrounds and skill sets simply never appeared for scheduled meetings. Life happens and emergencies develop but that is why cell phones and email were invented (well at least one of the reasons they came along)!
Keep in mind that the person you bl0w off today might hold the key to opportunity somewhere down the road. I remember being blow off years ago and putting the key in my back pocket a few years later!!
Let me guess, many of you answered yes to most of these questions? If that is true for so many people, why on earth are folks not showing up for interviews? I know of at least four cases in the last month where people with great backgrounds and skill sets simply never appeared for scheduled meetings. Life happens and emergencies develop but that is why cell phones and email were invented (well at least one of the reasons they came along)!
Keep in mind that the person you bl0w off today might hold the key to opportunity somewhere down the road. I remember being blow off years ago and putting the key in my back pocket a few years later!!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Dear Hiring Manager
The following is a message I want to send to all decision makers at companies of all sizes and types any where and everywhere on behalf of all the hardworking unemployed folks out there waiting for a chance to help your organization:
Dear Hiring Manager;
Your company posted a job opening over 2 months ago for a professional with five years experience in my field. Since I have about ten years of most of the required skill sets, I sent you my resume, emailed a follow-up one week later, left you a voice mail the next week, and finally received a one line email stating I was overqualified. When I tried phoning again, your assistant told me that with so many people out of work you saw no need to hire an over qualified person. As you saw in my cover letter, my last employer went bankrupt over 18 months ago. Rather than collect unemployment, I have taken a series of part-time jobs somewhat related to my field. The chance to re-enter my industry is much more critical than the pay rate right now. If you have been unable to hire the perfect candidate for the last two months, please consider at least meeting with me to see if perhaps I would be suitable for the open job.
Respectfully,
Available to Work
Dear Hiring Manager;
Your company posted a job opening over 2 months ago for a professional with five years experience in my field. Since I have about ten years of most of the required skill sets, I sent you my resume, emailed a follow-up one week later, left you a voice mail the next week, and finally received a one line email stating I was overqualified. When I tried phoning again, your assistant told me that with so many people out of work you saw no need to hire an over qualified person. As you saw in my cover letter, my last employer went bankrupt over 18 months ago. Rather than collect unemployment, I have taken a series of part-time jobs somewhat related to my field. The chance to re-enter my industry is much more critical than the pay rate right now. If you have been unable to hire the perfect candidate for the last two months, please consider at least meeting with me to see if perhaps I would be suitable for the open job.
Respectfully,
Available to Work
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