Buzz of the Week
The Recruit - As I look at all the craziness surrounding LeBron James and where he'll play basketball for the next 5-6 years, I imagine what it would be like to be recruited. I am starting a new job in the coming weeks where I'll be working with folks who are looking to enter/reenter the workforce. I am very thankful for the opportunity and I believe my skill set will serve me very well there. With that being said, I wasn't recruited. Damn sure wasn't recruited like LeBron! Without special circumstances, 99.5% of us will never experience any recruitment similar to that.
You know what though? I want to be heavily recruited at least one time in my life! I know that my odds increase tremendously with a college degree. That is why I am working (again) towards a college degree. Maybe it's an ego thing for me...so what! Because I am "uneducated," I've been turned down many times from jobs I would have been great at.
It's one thing to have a particular skill set and it is another thing to have tangible proof that you possess a skill set. Because of my personality and laid back demeanor, there are those who think I've received everything I ever wanted. That couldn't be further from the truth. I very rarely show that I'm down, if I'm feeling that way, so folks assume that everything is okay with me...all the time. The silver medal has been draped around my neck plenty of times. Imagine someone telling you how great you are, but without a degree, they cannot hire you.
Maybe it will never happen, but I want to be wined and dined one day and offered an opportunity they others would kill for. Then again, there are those who'd kill to be in my current position (I have to keep that in mind). So although I am grateful for my blessings, I'm working hard to be recognized as a talent, worthy enough to be sought after. We shall see.
I really appreciate the new readers, as well as those who've been reading since day one. If you keep reading, I'll keep writing.
Keep working the way you have been and the positive things will keep coming to you. Congrats on the new job buddy.
ReplyDelete-Jake
Not sure I understand the importance of being recruited. Is it the idea that people "want" you around? If that's the case, then you don't need to be recruited. You just need to work your butt off and prove that you deserve to be there. Hopefully climbing the ranks and cementing your position in the company.
ReplyDeleteThe glory will come when you get pay raises, respect from your co-workers, job security and experience. With experience comes a more refined resume which gives you the means to go elsewhere if need be. This gives you security in life. A real talent that can take you places. You'd be surprised at just how well job security and respect in the office can make you feel.
It's also important to talk to other people in the industry. If you're a superstar at your company, and you start talking to other people in the industry, and you get all sorts of recommendations, there's always the chance that another company will try to steal you away.
Yeah, LeBron was recruited. Technically, he's a freak of nature. He's one of a handful of people that every team in the NBA was trying to get. He has a natural ability that only comes at birth. He lucked out. If you look at the lower tiers of players, they get recruited too. Everyone gets recruited in that industry. It's just the name of the game.
In the real work world, people advertise a position and you apply. If they want to hire you, it'll be after they interview you and accept that you would be perfect for the position. Otherwise, how are they going to know? Being hired is simply being recruited. You were chosen ahead of everyone else that applied... all of the other free agents.
A college degree is a safeguard for the employer. It shows that you're smart. It shows that they have a valid reason for hiring you. Plus, most of the other people working there likely have college degrees as well, so to hire someone without a degree would be unfair to everyone else. Definitely follow through with this. Make sure you don't overdo it and let your grades slip. Employers will look at GPA. You're better off dropping a class early on and getting a refund, then trying to tough your way through it... coming out with a bad grade in the process.
Nathan,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comments, but I disagree on a couple of points: You mentioned that if an employer hires someone w/out a degree, it wouldn't be fair to everyone else? I believe you hire the people that you believe will do the best job, regardless of education. What's not fair is hiring someone just because they have a degree.
Secondly, my wife has a degree and she has never been asked for her transcript. Ever. Never. She has never even been asked for her degree.
I know that I am talented. A degree won't make me feel more talented, it will just be tangible proof that I have particular skills. Truth be told, there are some educated fools out there. A degree for me will give me options for a new job (if I decide to go that route), or promotions inside of my current company.
My dream of being "recruited" may never happen, but don't rain on my parade! LOL. If you've never been told you're not good enough, it sucks. Has it affected my confidence? Nope. But I use it as a reminder to never get too comfortable as long as someone else is signing my checks.
Haha, didn't think I was bursting any bubbles! Just pointing out that being hired, moving up in the company, job security and pay raises all represent the same benefits to the psyche as recruitment.
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that tangible proof is based on your degree and work experience (resume). A single interview makes a difference, but if 30 people all interviewed and HR is deciding amongst them, all HR has left in front of them are the resumes. The employer is thinking long term about who has the necessary tools. The resume must impress. If that piece of paper says you have a degree, it's a big improvement over not having one. In fact, you would be surprised at how big of an impact the actual format / style of your resume has. You leave a single tiny typo in it, it will likely be thrown away.
The degree goes on the top of the resume. I've been asked for a copy of my transcript once. My GPA wasn't bad so I put it on the resume as reinforcement. There's no need for them to ask for proof. In fact, I believe employers can call the school to verify your degree, so the actual diploma / transcript isn't necessary. Could be wrong.
My current boss took my word for it. Since I had ~2 years of work experience, he delved into that rather than my education. Having a recommendation from one of his employees didn't hurt either. (All in who you know) This company receives just a few applications. If I were to have gone up against 30 people w/ master's degress, chances are I wouldn't be here. Instead, I think I was the only person interviewed.
Big companies are likely receiving hundreds of resumes each day, so the degree is a pre-req. They want to make sure you've gone through the paces necessary to take on the career. With the degree, they already know all of the applicants have a certain skill set.
You definitely hire the people that you feel will do the best job, but you also have to cover your own butt. If the guy without the degree is hired and doesn't work out, the question becomes why he was hired in the first place. Given equal work experience between two people, the person with the degree has proven that s/he has all of the background necessary to do the job and move up. They've proven that the are smart enough to complete four years of college.
If 99% of the people at the company have degrees, and a person without a degree nor experience is hired in, I could see some resentment and questions being asked. However, like you said, the college grad may not have been the best choice, but with the limited knowledge the interviewer has of both of you, how could they know that? The non-grad my actually be smarter that 99% of the grads, but again, the interviewer may not be able to determine that just from your resume and the interview.
Just a cool story, I was lucky to have received a second interview from a big company that I was really interested in. During the first interview, we barely talked about the job. Instead, we talked about poker. Sometimes it's just a matter of convincing the person that you would be someone that they would have fun working with. ;) That got me the second interview... straight question answer phone interview.. not so good...! :(
Haha, didn't think I was bursting any bubbles! Just pointing out that being hired, moving up in the company, job security and pay raises all represent the same benefits to the psyche as recruitment.
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that tangible proof is based on your degree and work experience (resume). A single interview makes a difference, but if 30 people all interviewed and HR is deciding amongst them, all HR has left in front of them are the resumes. The employer is thinking long term about who has the necessary tools. The resume must impress. If that piece of paper says you have a degree, it's a big improvement over not having one. In fact, you would be surprised at how big of an impact the actual format / style of your resume has. You leave a single tiny typo in it, it will likely be thrown away.
The degree goes on the top of the resume. I've been asked for a copy of my transcript once. My GPA wasn't bad so I put it on the resume as reinforcement. There's no need for them to ask for proof. In fact, I believe employers can call the school to verify your degree, so the actual diploma / transcript isn't necessary. Could be wrong.
My current boss took my word for it. Since I had ~2 years of work experience, he delved into that rather than my education. Having a recommendation from one of his employees didn't hurt either. (All in who you know) This company receives just a few applications. If I were to have gone up against 30 people w/ master's degress, chances are I wouldn't be here. Instead, I think I was the only person interviewed.
Big companies are likely receiving hundreds of resumes each day, so the degree is a pre-req. They want to make sure you've gone through the paces necessary to take on the career. With the degree, they already know all of the applicants have a certain skill set.
You definitely hire the people that you feel will do the best job, but you also have to cover your own butt. If the guy without the degree is hired and doesn't work out, the question becomes why he was hired in the first place. Given equal work experience between two people, the person with the degree has proven that s/he has all of the background necessary to do the job and move up. They've proven that the are smart enough to complete four years of college.
If 99% of the people at the company have degrees, and a person without a degree nor experience is hired in, I could see some resentment and questions being asked. However, like you said, the college grad may not have been the best choice, but with the limited knowledge the interviewer has of both of you, how could they know that? The non-grad my actually be smarter that 99% of the grads, but again, the interviewer may not be able to determine that just from your resume and the interview.
Just a cool story, I was lucky to have received a second interview from a big company that I was really interested in. During the first interview, we barely talked about the job. Instead, we talked about poker. Sometimes it's just a matter of convincing the person that you would be someone that they would have fun working with. ;) That got me the second interview... straight question answer phone interview.. not so good...! :(
oops, double post...
ReplyDelete