What’s trying to happen in Corporate America? What exactly is the right job? …and who is the right candidate? There are bits and pieces of truth that come from various sources, but the main problem I continue to see points straight back to EGO.
EGO – We all have it.
a.k.a – Rank, Title, Status and Privilege. We all have it. But it’s how you use it that will determine whether you stay focused on the “bigger picture”…or get lost in your own subtle dialogue of what’s right or wrong. Whether you’re the professional in HR seeking to find the right candidate for the job, or you’re the prospect on the other side of the table – I URGE YOU TO GET OUT OF YOUR EGO!
How Ego Got in the way of the perfect job
About a year ago, I went on an interview for a recruiting position. I was originally called in to the agency for a management job that I applied to. Apparently, the agency saw something in me that changed the end game. The new goal was for me to become one of them – A recruiter! Within the week, I had met with 4 different people back-to-back. The high-rise office space I would have been working in was beautiful…expectations of the job were discussed…And the folks I met had great, up-beat personalities. They loved my work history, were complimentary of my presence and openly stated that they couldn’t wait for me to join their team. I was flying high! There was one problem though – The last person I met with. At first this dude seemed legit. But then his ego started to swell.
After a very easy-breezy conversation where this guy got to know me, the make-up of my family and my husband’s unemployment situation (yup, I was transparent when he asked what my husband did for a living)…he asked what “number” I would need to make the move. From the very first meeting, I was honest about my current compensation package. This was now the third time I was asked for a number. I re-stated that I needed a base of $50k. He came back with, “I’m going to need you to commit to me for at least 2 years.” He then asked, “If you could pick your dream job, what would it be?”
3 point checklist for your dream job
I told him that the title didn’t really matter as long as the job had 3 components to it.
- I need to have a job where there are goals to meet…we can’t just be pushing peas around a plate. Without goals, there’s no sense of accomplishment.
- I need to be in a challenging position where I’m going to learn and have opportunity to grow. …Because learning is a life long journey.
- I need to have a sense of value and belonging to the company…because your job is your second family.
When my 4th interview was over, I felt like I had reunited with an old group of friends planning a new mission. This job was going to be great!
The next day I got a low-ball job offer. The attitude had shifted and now it seemed like the agency was doing me a favor. Hmm. Was it the fact that I was authentic and divulged my husband’s unemployment that caused the insulting offer? Needless to say, I turned them down. The relationship felt dishonest. How can you build upon that?
WHAT WILL MAKE ORGANIZATIONS SUCCESSFUL?
Times might change but CONTROL will always be humanity’s struggle…and it’s killing both sides of the employment story line. Don’t live life by your rank, title, status or privilege. Let your character define who you are – not your job.
Keep it simple and create an organizational plan around my 3 point check list. It’s time to get back to old school methods of rebuilding America.
Have you ever experienced a hiring process that just felt wrong?
