Jobless column sparked interest from both sides
by Jan Quintrall, President/CEO, BBB jquintrall@spokane.bbb.org
for the Spokesman Review, 2/20/11
My last column addressing how some unemployed individuals are abusing the unemployment system received feedback from varied view points. That Sunday morning, I already had six messages by 7:30am. Comments posted at spokesman.com were all quite negative, further reinforcing my theory that the only people who comment on internet news sites are “anti” mostly everything. But back to what I heard from those who took the time to connect with me:
- There are a lot of people aggressively seeking a new job who have been unemployed for extended periods of time
Our jobs define us and when that part of our identity is taken away, it is a blow to our self-esteem. Many of the emails from those who would never consider turning down a job, and can’t wait for the day they get off unemployment. I know you are out there, and my comments of two weeks ago never intended to put everyone in the “scamming the system” bucket. I do understand how sensitive you become when you have interviewed and applied for all sorts of positions with little success.
- Many businesses have, indeed, experienced the same problem of people not showing up to interview or turning down a job because it pays close to what they are earning on unemployment.
Most memorable were the nasty messages from people questioning my grasp of reality, assuming I have never been unemployed, and continuing to think it is an elitist attitude that makes me write all this stuff attacking the underdog! However, nearly half the comments I received came from business people echoing my frustration over those who abuse the system. A handful of business types and Human Resource professionals felt so strongly they even picked up the phone and called.
Then, I heard from a few people who had family or friends who were simply going through the unemployment motions and really liked getting those checks and not working.
- Many thought our elected officials needed to read that column and fix the loopholes in the system.
I can’t guess how many people actually sent the column to those who represent us in Olympia and Washington DC, but I did hear from one senator’s aide that they did “get the message” from Spokesman Review readers.
- There are job seekers from industries or careers looking for a change and they feel overlooked.
Reality is some industries will never come back to the halcyon days and individuals from those industries might look overqualified for your position, but having someone with MORE skills than you require can be a very good thing for your company.
Why would we as business leaders not hire someone who brings more to the table? We’ve heard the rumor mill of excuses: “As soon as the economy improves they will be gone,” or “They’ll get bored with this job,” or “They might want to take over the department.”
How lame these comments are! So, you have a talented person for a year or two before they leave. You’re most likely better off. Don’t we, in one way, want staff to get somewhat bored and push for more responsibility or perhaps help to revamp our processes to stave off that boredom? Regarding those who might want to take over, what is it with businesses that won’t hire those they think can replace them? This is exactly what drives us all to be more effective and continue to grow.
As usual, there are always two sides to the story—sometimes MANY sides to the story. Thankfully, the majority of job seekers out there seem ready and willing to help us move our companies into success in 2011, and beyond.
Too many are working at staying unemployed
by Jan Quintrall, President/CEO, BBB jquintrall@spokane.bbb.org
for the Spokesman Review, 2/6/11
With so many looking for work these days, hiring has become an opportunity to offer someone a way back into the workforce and that feels good. My best gauge of the improving economy is neither lending nor building, but hiring. Lately, conversations with business leaders on the subject of growing staffs have taken an ugly turn. Seems we need more people in our potential employee pool who actually want to work!
All-too common scenarios include:
- The position is posted, resumes are received, interviews are scheduled, background checks are conducted and after sorting through nearly 70 applicants, the company offers a job to the top candidate. The salary is over $35,000 per year plus a nice benefits package. A month or more has been invested, including multiple interviews involving many stakeholders so the right choice is made. After the job is offered to the potential new team member, the employer sits back, feeling good about taking one more person off the unemployed roll. But the satisfaction is short-lived: The applicant turns down the offer. You see, they’re making about the same amount on unemployment and think they will hang out and remain unemployed for a while longer. You have got to be kidding! Really!? Yes, it happened twice to us here at the BBB and we are not alone. Other business people report the same problem, and in more than an isolated fashion.
- Another position is listed—a bit more entry level than the first example. You screen the applicants through phone interviews and written tests before scheduling interviews. Having set aside two full days, you take a deep breath and get ready for eight interviews each day. You know some of the interviews will last only minutes because the person is a clear reject due to unprofessional dress, showing up late or having general hygiene issues but you are certainly geared up for a couple of long days. It’s worth it because at the end there will be one or more individuals coming off the unemployed list. But wait! You have scheduled 16 interviews, and only six people actually show up. Do the no-shows really want a job or are they just sending in applications to fulfill the requirements for unemployment? Cynicism tells me they’re simply going through the motions.
Now I know there are still a large number of people who are unemployed or under-employed and really looking for a new place to work. But there also seems to be a growing number of people who enjoy not working and are making a career out of job avoidance. Businesses are paying for this, and it makes hiring staff more expensive.
OK, off my soap box and on to how we can address this abuse:
I have a simple idea. When you are on unemployment, you are required to apply for a specific number of positions each week. While many job seekers really do apply as required, others just lie as their journals are only randomly spot-checked. And some who have specific skills waste time applying for jobs they are not qualified for. But what if there was a way for employers to report anyone who turns down a job to the unemployment office? And how about a simple reporting mechanism for people who do not bother to show up for interviews? They too would lose the weekly check. Accountability would change the mindset of the recipients, I’m sure!
Sometimes we measure and ask for the wrong thing. In the world of unemployment, measuring applications is not working. Let’s snag the abusers while keeping the safety net for those who need and deserve it.