Is it who you know?

[pesoto74]

I read this this morning and thought it might be worth a discussion.

Later, many years later, I did clerical work and I found out the dirty truth – good jobs go mostly to people who know the right people. I used to ask, upon meeting a new hire, “so, who do you know?” The vast majority of the time they knew someone, in 7 years I can count on both hands the people who didn’t have an inside contact who were hired at that multinational.

Oh yes, we’re all supposed to pretend it has something to do with merit, and it does: your merit is based on knowing whose ass to kiss and how to present yourself. Or, more elegantly, on your “relationship management” skills.

................

Success in our society is, in the vast majority of cases, about relationship management. It’s about securing your place, pleasing the right people and everybody scratching each others backs. I’ve even come to see the ways in which it makes sense, and how if it doesn’t devolve into complete corrupt cronyism it can work. (After all, you don’t want to recommend someone who doesn’t work out, do you?)

http://www.bopnews.com/archives/005114.html#5114

[nancyo]

There is a lot of truth to that. Through the years I have heard of so many good jobs that never hit the Classifieds - someone one the inside knew someone who was looking for work and the position was filled that way.  Some work sites are probably more geared towards those who will go with the flow and brown nose but I think in most, if you can't do the work, you aren't kept no matter who got you the job to begin with.

[Bingo]

I would like to think your last statement Nancyo is true, but where I work it really isn't.  One of the 'directors' is a real tyrant. She was hired straight from college 20 years ago, went after the executive director, and discarded him after breaking up his marriage and getting all of the promotions she wanted. She has lined herself up with some yes people. One woman had a GED and day care experience when hired to do social work with juvenile offenders. Another had a master's in some sort of Bible lessons and became a supervisor of another multi program group. They have been promoted several times. One of them has taken many online courses to remain 'qualified' for her new promotions. Each of them lined up their roommates, their friends, etc. Some were and remain capable, others never have made the grade. Now I am also in this inner circle and hopefully have done my job but she and I butt heads frequently.

My middle daughter was also hired right out of college, was promoted a couple of times, and was working with us for five years. I believe she was doing a good job, and peer agencies offered her positions over the years. Our inner circle are still calling her, though she has moved on.They also hired my youngest daughter to do part time work for one of the programs and she worked with them a couple of weeks and said she couldn't take working with people so unprofessional.

My middle daughter was told of her current position by a young woman who used to work at our agency. I don't think they interviewed anyone else.  I have seen it work and I have seen it be tolerated without really working.

You know it is called networking now.

[Pretender]

I think who you know is the most important factor in employment and promotions. Qualifications come second. It's the same in Federal employment. Although Human Resources has to have so many applicants interviewed........if there is someone that the interviewer wants then the interviewer gets them.

[Bingo]

When I looked over my post and see where I say I am part of that inner circle -- it sort of went like -- I started there many years ago when the person who is now boss had been there a couple of years. I had girls of babysitting age and they sat with her daughter and helped her with sleep over parties and other birthday parties.  She and her daughter were caught up in a tragedy a few years ago and my girls offered a lot of support to hers. They also tutored her in Algebra and let her shadow them at work hoping she would want to finish school and do the work her mom and friends have done so many years. So while our director had no part in hiring me, I think because of the open arms extended to her daughter in and out of their other family troubles, has kept me in her circle.  i don't think that is kissing butt, cause she and I do not see eye to eye on many things. But she frequently calls on me to ask points about grants, foster care homes, shelter care, and other placements. I feel that she respects what I know and do even though I don't tattle to her and keep her informed on who is eating lunch together.

[Team Player]

I think in a lot of cases it is who you know most times you hear threw a friend or a acquaintance of something comming open. I have also worked in social services off and on in my years more on than off. I had supervisors I shared differences of opinion with. However I see this is a strength in the team if everyone  agreed then most times maybe the whole picture has not been seen.
 
to me when you are dealing with at risk families so may varables come into play. If the team that is working on the case is truly dedicated then in most curcumstances there going to be different opinions of how or what should be worked on.
 
working social service I seen different people with contrasting styles that see things differently,with meeting of the minds so many great things can be accomplished.
 
I know I went off the beaten path a lil bit. however my thoughts on this is. I am OK with knowing someone as long as who ever is hired is capable of the job they are placed in and not taking up space for someone who wants to do there job to the best they can be

Team Player

[music_man]

Wow spell-check not working?

[Guardian Angel]

I think having an inside contact to get a job is OK if you are capable of doing the job.  However, if a person is hired for a technical job  because of someone he knows and he has no qualifacations to do that job, then it's wrong to hire him and place the burden of getting the job done on his fellow employees because of his lack of knowledge.

[Anna]

I agree with you on that one GA. What really burns me up is when someone is hired, unexperienced, and uncertified, and gets to work where you were supposed to work, because she or he gets along with those people better. I've had that happen to me recently. I've complained about it too, but it has done absolutely NO good.

Or when you know for a fact that some one has a bad work performance and yet still gets hired to work with kids again, and you know they got fiered for mis-treating kids and adults in their last job.

I've seen that happen before too, and complained about it, they told me they checked this persons background out thoroughly and NOTHING came up that was BAD about them. HUM? Something is not right there either.

Am I wrong to think like this? Or is it really about who you know? And being treated fairly in the work place?

 

[Oops Did I Do That]

There a few places around here that have hired several relatives,and I don't know if its right but I believe they should go by qualifications and background not who you know or who knows who.I am sure many well qualified people have lost jobs due to this.I worked in a place once that was almost all people whom were friend s are friends of friends and relatives,I got lucky (if you wanna call it that)getting hired.You sure get alot more slack than the friends of theirs who you work with 

[Butterfly]

When I was divorced and needed a job, I applied at Lauhoff because friends who worked there told me there was an opening.  I had to go through the usual interviews and take all the tests such as typing etc.  I don't believe I would have been hired if I wasn't qualified.  I was promoted within a couple of months and worked there for almost 10 years.

On the subject of getting along. After working there for a couple of months, I was asked to apply for a job in the accounting department because they had trouble finding someone who could work with this one lady.  She and I became good friends and things went a lot more smoothly.  I think it is important to get along with co-workers.

[Guardian Angel]

I think everyone should have hard copies of policies and procedures.  All of Wal-Marts are on a computer and have to be reviewed.  The employees have nothing to refer to for information......So where ever you work....request copies.  It will benefit you in the long run.