Guilt Issues

[La Lioness Priyanka]

so i have been interviewing people to hire at my company. i am only 25. and have only one job as work experience. i am interviewing people who have been in the job market for 20 odd years. they are far far far more qualified than necessary for this position. they are far more qualified than me (and i will be their boss). it breaks my heart everytime i interview an older person who is well spoken, extremely qualified, has tonnes of experience and yet willing to work under me for very little money and crappy hours.


i blame bush for this. had this been the economy during clinton such qualified people would Never have to apply for this position. consequently i would not have to interview them and feel like utter crap,


rant over.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

1. yeah

but "its not their god given right to have a job" in the first place so they should suck it up and be thankful they were even considered.

sarcasm over.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

2. it really makes me feel like shit

i like interviewing but not when i see the desperation out there.

[leftyandproud]

3. Why are you still interviewing?

Hire someone! Give them a job and let them put that experience to good use.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

14. i have to employ someone

most suited to this company.

[NightTrain]

4. What kind of company do you have?

Just curious....

[La Lioness Priyanka]

19. a young internet food procurement and billing service

[Dookus]

5. I understand entirely

I'm on the other side of the desk now. I have 20 years of experience in my field being interviewed by young'uns with 4 years of experience.

But I've been on the other side, too... during the last Bush recession ('89 - 90ish) I was interviewing PhD's who were looking for entry level positions.

Don't feel bad. Just give a job to somebody who needs one who will do a good job for you. I've worked for people a lot younger and a lot less experienced than me - it's not a problem.

[TheWizardOfMudd]

6. Hire the most needy

The one with the most number of kids, obligations to others, taking care of elderly parents, spouse has cancer, etc. . . . .

. . . whatever the circumstances that would benefit the most people by your hiring her or him.

[Dookus]

7. sorry...

I can't agree with that.

Hire the person who will do the best job. Need should not be the criterion.

Having children, having a lot of debt, having bad teeth, etc., should not be the criterion.

[TheWizardOfMudd]

8. They are all more than qualified for the position, remember?

Therefore, other criteria should ultimately be applied. There is nothing wrong with exercising a little social policy in job hiring decisions. In fact, its good.

[Dookus]

9. As a gay man with no children...

I resent the idea that somebody with children deserves a job more than I do.

In fact, your argument was used for decades to deny decent jobs to women - the men were given priority because they were the "breadwinners" and therefore more deserving.

Fuck that.

[TheWizardOfMudd]

11. Gay people have children, too.

:)

[Dookus]

12. Of course they do

and that's irrelevant to the discussion. I was speaking "as a gay man with no children".

Why should somebody else's lifestyle choices entitle them to a job over me? Should somebody with huge gambling debts be more entitled to a job than me? Should somebody who took on a crushing mortgage be more entitled than me? Explain why.

[TheWizardOfMudd]

13. Uh Huh

I see.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

16. i am in agreement with you somewhat

[La Lioness Priyanka]

15. thats is very true

its also very sad

[TXlib]

20. RE: Hire the most needy

The one with the most number of kids, obligations to others, taking care of elderly parents, spouse has cancer, etc

That person is the one who is going to need the most time off, as well.

These are considerations that, as an interviewer, you can't ask about, anyway.

If you want to run a charity, run a charity. If you want to run a business, then run a business. The two are not entirely mutually exclusive, but pretty darn close to it.


Related issue:

I've noticed that at the last company I was at, and at this one, there is a correlation between being single and/or childless and getting bigger than average bonuses. Discrimination? Hell, no! Those with dependants typically couldn't put in really long hours and work weekends. If I'm giving out bonuses, my question is: "When it came down to crunch time, was Dave there for the company, or not?" Unattached individuals are more likely to be able to do that.

Personally, as somebody who has dependents, and being unable to work late or work weekends, I'm glad I can trade off some bonus for that flexibility, rather than just get fired and replaced by somebody single.

[VelmaD]

26. There is absolutely NO WAY...

to know who is "most needy" from the interview process...at least no way that is legal.

Hire the person with the best qualifications, who impressed you the most during the interviews, and/or who you think will be the best fit to your office.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

31. yes i am not even getting into who needs it the most

thats in my opinion not a judgement anyone can or should make

[BlackVelvetElvis]

10. That is hard.

Alot of times these people in middle age decide to go back to school and learn some new skills. That's when I get them. They always (without fail) have a great attitude but their computer skills can be lacking. I really take my time with them and try to teach them everything I can. They are always displaced (laid off) but respectful, kind and willing. Good people with plenty to give.

[Vladimir]

17. It ain't a pretty situation to be in

but better for them to have a boss who understands their sitation and feels uncomfortable about it than some yuppie wanker who would get off on humiliating them...

[La Lioness Priyanka]

18. thank-you

thats a nice thing to say

[BigMcLargehuge]

21. think of how good it will feel to hire them (eom)

[La Lioness Priyanka]

22. overqualified people

can be just as damaging as underqualified people. so i cant say that i will be able to hire someone who fits the profile that depressed me. also i am paid to hire the perfect person and i have moral/legal obligations to not let me personal feelings enter this process.

[BigMcLargehuge]

24. I understand that

I never understood "overqualified" as if that somehow prevents someone from doing a job well.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

27. people get bored and distracted

when the job is beneath them. they are looking to manage and teach as opposed to be managed. i have had this problem before

[BigMcLargehuge]

32. I dunno

people get bored and distracted irrespective of the job (hell, I'm bored now). Are you suggesting that a former manager simply can't accept a position where they aren't the manager? is there ever a chance that this overqualified person will be later moved to a more suitable position?

Overqualified people need to eat too.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

33. no this is a very entry level position

and will be that way for a while. its a smallish company.

[Vladimir]

25. I've never really understood this

why are overqualified people such a problem? As a student, my experience of the job market is precisely nil...

[La Lioness Priyanka]

29. chk my post above

[Vladimir]

30. Cheers, makes sense n/t

[lapislzi]

23. I just went through the same experience

I even had to interview an unemployed friend. It is a gut-wrenching process to be sure. Sometimes candidates shoot themselves in the foot, and that makes it a little easier. Sometimes it wrecks you for days. I interviewed a very pleasant woman, obviously in Salvation Army clothing, who was re-entering the workforce (homelessness? drug addiction? couldn't tell; didn't ask), and I felt terrible afterwards. Despite a good resume and interview, it was clear that she wouldn't be right for the position. I still think about her, of all the candidates (her, and the chuckleheads that couldn't add 3 numbers in a column).

The best you can do is to treat every candidate with compassion, and to remember that you could easily be in that person's shoes. I remember when I was returning to the workforce as a domestic abuse survivor. I hadn't had a job in 4 years, or a decent job in more than 10. I am in the position I am in because someone gave me a chance. I remember that every day, and it humbles me.

It's nothing personal. Although I can understand why you feel like crap (I did, too, although I am older than you and my history is probably very different), there is no need to. You are qualified to do the job that you are doing, and there is no need to feel guilty for that.

It just goes that way sometimes. And it gets easier.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

28. thanks

and yes i often think that the person i am interviewing could easily have been me.