Recently, I have been working on marketing myself. I believe I have a lot to offer the right employer, however finding that right employer can be tricky.
I have a new found theory that a job is a lot like going steady, contract labor or temp to hire is like dating and not having a job is like being single. I would like to draw a comparison between working for a company for 30 years until retirement and the institute of marriage, however sadly we all know that now rarely happens. It’s a shame really, as I believe when companies and employees are both not devoted to each other, production and efficiency go down. Divorce applies to all of the job types above and can be just as messy.
When we look for a spouse, we look for someone with common values, someone we believe is physically attractive, someone who we can love and who will love and support us. When we are looking for a spouse, there is a sense of excitement and joy when we believe it is someone worthwhile and it is not until later when you find out the nasty quirks the other person has and the work it takes to build a quality relationship.
Like a date, both parties put their best foot forward for the interview. Its very superficial really, sorta like speed dating – there is no realistic way to determine if it is a match in such a short period of time. Interviewers often do not really know what questions to ask, or worse yet, use the standard interview questions and expect look for the “correct” answer that they got from a book. Job applicants can be either be prepared for this with the “correct” answers or they can wing it. I do not believe well prepared and rehearsed answers to the standard interview questions are any better sign of a good future employee than those that wing it. I believe a well prepared answer hides nearly every trace of the skeletons in the closet, whereas if someone wings it, you can get a better idea of who they really are. An argument can be made that employers want someone well prepared, however in the long term I am not sure it is really that important. If I was on a date, and she had well prepared answers to my questions, I would wonder what the truth really is.
When we start new employment, and believe it will be a fun and worthwhile job, we also have the sense of excitement and joy of future days. It is not until later we find out the nasty quirks of a job. Of course every employee and job are going to have quirks, but how can you find out about them beforehand? How can an employer know the true character of the applicant and how can the applicant know the corporate culture, values of the company? In dating, the best way for two people to learn about each other is to spend time together. In the corporate world, its not so easy. Some companies feel that temp to hire or mass hire and mass fire are good ways to learn about what employees are good and filter out the bad and keep the best. This is the equivalent of the popular high school football jock who dates multiple girls simultaneously and dumps the ones that doesn’t give him what he wants. Sure it may work out great for the football jock, but the girls are hurt. It may work out great for the employer, but at what cost? It can be argued that the girl should of been wise enough to not see the football jock, and that would be a valid point! How as job seekers can we avoid the jocks?
On the flip side, my optimism of believing in people as generally good and hard workers for employers is unfortunately unrealistic. As much as I would like to believe if you put a person in the optimum job for their skills and talent, there are those people who are simply are unreliable, untrustworthy, unteachable, or otherwise not a match. How can a company find quality employees who will be passionate about their job and contribute great things to the company?
For some of us, who currently have a full time job, moving to a temp to hire or a contract job is out of the question. There is a real danger in being single (without a job) when you have financial commitments. Risk and fear prevent me from leaving my current position to pursue a contract or temp to hire job. Ideally, people like myself want to find a company that is willing to commit to me as much as I am willing to commit to them. I believe the truly great companies are few and far between.
When seeking an employer, wouldn’t it be great if you could interview random employees and ask them how they like working there? Wouldn’t it be great if you could review a recent survey that asks what could be improved about the company? Companies rarely admit the skeletons of working at the company and sadly most hiring managers do not even know complaints of the employees. A company that has a lack of collaboration and teamwork is one to avoid.
Questions I am thinking about asking potential employers.
May I interview some of your employees?
What is your turnover rate and how is it calculated or what model is used?
Tell me about your corporate culture.
Does the company believe in investing in employees? If so, describe how.
Does the company pay for overtime hours or reward for extra effort above and beyond? If so, describe how.
Even with the above considered, it is still quite a mystery of the best way to find a great company to work for. I believe finding a great company and a job function that I love would rival having my own successful business and even rival retirement. Yes! You heard that right, my goal is to have a job that I can be so passionate about so much that I would not quit even if I won the lottery or was otherwise financially independent.
Where and How do I find the company that is a match for me?