All show, no go
Written by Verne on October 7th, 2007The for-hire industry is being damaged everyday with the existence of individuals who are all show but no go, ruining the reputation for those who aren’t, and the experience for those who hire.
So ask yourselves this:
As a hiring manager, have you ever hired somebody onto your team that greatly impressed you during the interview process but ended up a flop once brought on board? If so, how do you avoid this?
As a freelancer, do you put the same amount of effort into executing a project as you do to secure the project in the first place? If not, why?
The last question is a little more rhetorical than the others, but certainly the most important to consider for the well-being of the market.
As both those who hire and those who seek to be hired, we need to be aware that this phenomenon exists. When it happens, we’re all responsible. But no need to point fingers, let’s figure out how to avoid it instead.
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Aaron Cruikshank
October 9th, 2007 at 1:06 amAs a freelancer, I certainly put more effort into the the “go” than the “show”. The “show” is something that most of my clients have little time for - which suits me just fine. A little pizzaz in the final report is always a welcome surprise but any case where you’re spending more effort on selling yourself than doing the work will ultimately be disastrous.
I have, on several occasions, been a disappointing employee and it’s not because I over-promised and under-delivered. In fact, in just about every case, it’s been the employer that has under-delivered. Case in point - I was hired as the marketing manager of a small Canadian bilingual magazine. They were running out of grant money and needed to get in some serious ad revenue. $1 million. I said “no problem. I need x, y and z to achieve that goal.” They said “Great! We’ll give you X, Y and Z. Can you start Monday?”
Well, I started Monday, asked for X, they said “no. You can’t have X.” On Tuesday, I asked for Y and they also said I couldn’t have Y. Later that week, I asked for Z. They said no. You tell me - who pulled the wool over whose eyes? Of course I didn’t meet my goals for the year. YOU DIDN’T GIVE ME X,Y, and Z even though I specifically said I needed those things and you agreed.
Lots of employers do that kind of thing. I got hired once and they insisted that I needed my Masters. I was about half-way through my Masters and they almost didn’t hire me because of that. Turns out the job was an entry-level job with little or no responsibility. What is the Masters for?
Employers, if you’re reading - two things:
1. Follow through on the negotiated working relationship that is laid out during the interview process. You gave your word. Stick to it.
2. Don’t put ridiculous professional requirements on what are essentially administrative jobs. It’s demeaning and I’m not going to stay in your employ.
I had both happen to me and now you can’t hire me unless you want to draft up a contract and pay me three times what you used to on an hourly basis. FACE!
Verne
October 10th, 2007 at 12:15 amCouldn’t agree more! It’s sort of like how a guy stops working out after they get a girlfriend. It’s just the mentality that the deal is ‘closed’ once the project is acquired, when in reality, it’s just begun.
That’s a good take-away. As hiring managers, we certainly need to provide our team with the resources to get things done, or else we shouldn’t expect that they be done in the first place. You’re not alone in this scenario, so this is an important lesson for those who hire.
Haha, this is such a typical question for new graduates (one that I’m asking myself too). On the one hand, a Masters will edge you over other candidates in the interview process, and on the company’s side, ensures that you’ve got an expensive and well-educated head on your shoulder. On the other hand, more and more modern day companies aren’t looking for fancy letters at the end of your name to judge your talent, but instead look to your experience, something a MBA doens’t guarantee. Justified or not, we have to realize that life just isn’t always about fairness or rationality, but about adapting and exceeding whatever strange bar has been set for us.
But back on topic…
Thanks for providing the excellent pieces of advice and insight!
Aaron Cruikshank
October 10th, 2007 at 3:02 pmI wish it was as simple as getting the expertise. The last 2-3 jobs I had, I came into with 7-10 years worth of experience and was still slotted in at an entry-level position. I thought this was happening to me because I didn’t have a Masters so I went back to school to get my MPP and it still didn’t make a difference. The long and the short of it is employers need to get their heads out of their butts and leverage the talents of every employee they have, seniority be damned.
Verne
October 18th, 2007 at 4:42 amI hear ya, Aaron. There’s still unfortunately a huge gap in thinking between the traditional companies that dominate our world today and the up-and-coming companies that will soon take over because they understand the value of each individual within the organization.