Dear Employers, Please Make A Difference - Call After Interviewing
January 18, 2008 | In Connecting With Others |
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, this year I’m looking for a new position. I’ve actually been looking for a few months now. And, while I’ve had several interviews, I haven’t had an offer yet. The reasons are varied, and some of them I never did find out - the person who interviewed me just never got back to me. Not all activism involves environmental efforts; sometimes it’s as simple as relating to another person with friendliness and courtesy. So, I was wondering how much better the world would run if employers gave interviewees a response within 24 hours?
Now, this is just a theory, based on my own feelings and extrapolating to the world at large, but I believe that this would do several things:
1. Raise individual’s confidence in “big business.”
I don’t know about you, but I view many large companies with suspicion. I wonder what they are doing to the environment, as well as to their employees. I’ve heard horror stories from people who’ve worked for organizations who were unethical in their business practices as well as their employment practices. It appeared that the owners of the company cared more about making money than they did about people, both customers and employees.
Now, I don’t believe all companies are like this. In fact, the optimist in me believes that they are the exception, rather than the rule. However, when an employer doesn’t get back to an interviewee, I wonder if they lack more than just common courtesy. On the other hand, when an employer does get back to me, even with a no, then I have a better view of them. I know that even though I wasn’t the person they were looking for, I can be sure that they are nice people. I just get a more positive view of them as a business.
In today’s highly competitive world, no one is really selling a new product. Instead, they are selling themselves as the provider of that product. Therefore, reputation is more important than product. Doesn’t it make sense to have common courtesy when dealing with people? After all, even “big business” is made up of a lot of individuals.
2. Lower levels of aggressive driving.
At any given time an individual is looking for a new position. That same individual is more than likely a commuter. And, if that person is anything like me, they use the quiet space in the car to do a lot of thinking, and occasional yelling. But, I’m only in the mood to yell when I’m mad. And if I’m mad, I’m also less forgiving of people in traffic who cut me off and don’t use turn signals. I probably drive a bit faster and am more aggressive myself.
Although I don’t have statistics to support this, I’m sure someone has compiled the statistics on aggressive drivers and on folks unsatisfied with their jobs. Usually only those unsatisfied with their jobs are looking for another one (excluding those who are unemployed - they may have been fine with a job, but are now looking through no fault of their own). So, I would be very surprised if the numbers of folks unsatisfied with their jobs didn’t correlate to the number of aggressive drivers.
Again, this is all just theory on my part, but it makes sense. I see the most aggressive drivers during rush hour traffic, not when traffic is light. These folks are either heading to work or home from work. Either way, I bet the way they are driving is related to their feelings about their jobs.
I’ve talked to lots of people who aren’t happy with their jobs because of the attitude of management. Management gives the impression that they care more about the executives than about the “little guy”. If, instead, management was made of folks who have more courtesy, I bet a lot more people wouldn’t hate their jobs so much. When management is nice to people, whether that’s their own folks, or interviewees, they are much better liked. And companies who are better liked, are better to work for. And, if the place is better to work for, you are less likely to be aggressive when commuting to and from work.
3. Raise levels of common courtesy.
Years ago, I heard a piece of a speech about “kicking the cat.” I believe it was Zig Ziglar, but it went something like this:
President of company gets mad. President yells at Vice President, which makes the Vice President mad. The Vice President yells at the manager, who also gets angry in turn. Manager then yells at his secretary. Because the secretary doesn’t have anyone under her, she sits on her anger until she gets home. At which point, the cat asks to be fed and she kicks the cat. The clincher is, “Think of all the trouble that could have been saved if the President had just gone to the secretary’s house and kicked the cat himself.”
Of course, I don’t recommend kicking cats. In fact, I very much like cats and mine is sitting next to me right now. The point of the story is that the discourtesy starts at the top and it just snowballs on down the line. On the other hand, if the person at the top had taken the time to be courteous, no matter what he felt, then the rest of the folks in the chain of command, especially the cat, would have had much better days.
So, if interviewers would get back to candidates within 24 hours, those same candidates would have some closure and wouldn’t be snarky with friends, relatives, or the store clerk. In my case, I’m sure that I’ve been down lately, in part because I seem to be hitting dead ends with job hunting. At times, I know this has resulted in tense conversations with others in my life.
Well, there you have it: Cathy’s theory of how the world could be a better place if employers called interviewees within 24 hours. So, as I work on big ways to help the environment, small ways to make a difference appear. I do my best to treat others with courtesy. I just wish others, especially employers, would do the same.
Do you agree with my theory? Think it has holes? Any thoughts of your own on the topic? Please leave me a comment below.
Old British Telephones Photo by givepeasachance
Cell Phones Photo by jurvetson
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