11.10.2002

Don't Believe Everything A Recruiter Tells You

Back in the early to mid 90's, the economic climate was similar to today's. People were being laid off and fired as companies downsized. As a recruiter, you get calls all the time from people in this situation. What I find interesting is that I cannot remember the last time someone told me they were fired. Now I don't want to imply that everyone ever laid off was really fired for performance, but I find it interesting that no one believes they had anything to do with being let go. The attitude today seems to be that the stars somehow aligned in the wrong direction and now they are out of a job. They were either right sized, downsized, position eliminated, politics as usual or standing in the wrong place at the wrong time but never fired. When someone like this calls me, and they start whining about the unfairness of the situation, I want to reach through the phone, grab them by the collar, lift them up and scream, "Take control, be a donut maker".

Now can you imagine, you were recently let go, and you call someone that is supposed to be an expert recruiter in your field and he tells you to go make donuts. Your response would probably be to tell the recruiter to go jump in a lake and hang up. Before you too hang up, let me tell you a story.

Back in the early to mid 90's, Houston had a flood similar, but not nearly as bad as the one in 2001. As I was driving to work that morning, listening to the radio, I heard public announcement from large corporations and government agencies that were closed for the day. I thought it must be nice to have a paid day off because of some rain. However, as I was driving, I noticed some businesses were opening. There was a donut shop I stopped at occasionally and I knew when I drove past, that the place would be open. I knew this because this business and others like it did not have stockholders and taxpayers subsidizing their closing for the day. I also knew that the place would be packed with people. I find it ironic that the same people who had such a hard time getting up and going to work had no trouble going out for donuts. But the reason these people were at this donut shop was because they knew the store would be open, clean and there would be a wide selection of freshly prepared donuts. This shop owner has what makes America great - a strong work ethic. This shop owner is the type of person that shows up every day, goes in early, stays late, and is productive while he/she is there. So when I say be a donut maker, what I am saying is to adopt the donut maker's work ethic.

There seems to be an attitude in America that successful people were born smarter, inherited the right genes, or won the lottery. I am sure there are some people like that, but the successful people I know are successful because they work hard at it. I recall a successful man who was based in the West Coast. If you saw him, you would say, "Well, of course he is successful, he is smart, tall, presents well, speaks well and has a full head of hair. If I looked like him and spoke like him, I would be successful too." I called him one day at 7:30 AM C.S.T. (which is 5:30 AM P.S.T.), to leave him a message. He answered the phone. It turns out that he is in his office at 5:30 AM every day. The man is successful because he is a donut maker. In other words, he shows up every day, he goes in early, he stays late, and he is productive while he is there.

My suggestion to those of you who might be concerned about your job or being promoted is to adopt the characteristics of the donut maker: Show up every day, go in early, stay late and be productive while you are there. You will notice over time that the concern is no longer on your shoulders but the shoulders of your employer. They will be concerned about how to keep you and how to keep you happy. Next time one of your acquaintances starts complaining about their jobs or careers, do what I do. Look them in the eye and tell them, "Take control, be a donut maker"."

<Note from The Job Fairy: You need to be more like a donut maker than this recruiter could ever fathom. This article made me laugh until I almost wet my pants... And you want to know why? Because the whole point is about economic incentives...

The first problem I have with the article is that the recruiter, somehow or another, wants the laid off employee to take responsibility for having been let go. That's not always the case. Often, especially in a bad economic climate, such as we are experiencing now, whether or not you can retain your job is beyond your control. Even if you are a Job Fairy, with our finely honed skills! In fact, Shocking Pink has been laid off four times in the past eighteen months. She's good at finding another job quickly (and has one now), so there wasn't much down time, but even someone with hot technical skills and ultra-sensitive political antennae can lose a job. Is it your fault if your company goes out of business? That they borrowed too much money during the boom and are now having their own little economic hangover? McCain is blaming the victim.

The second problem I have with the article is the reasoning behind why the donut maker mentality is the best one to have. It all has to do with why they behave the way they do. If you are the business owner, you have every reason in the world to show up early, stay late, and make every minute count. You want to make money off every possible customer, and to sell to everyone you can. Plus, if you're the business owner, your political difficulties are minimal at best. You're in charge; you call the shots. There are no uncooperative colleagues who never help you except when the boss is looking. You are the boss. You can fire those whose performance is substandard. That's why the Teal Fairy puts in as many hours coding on her own software products as she does. She's in charge and there aren't any petty little baby games going on. Job Fairies are united in their hatred of office politics.

The third problem I have with the article is the simplistic attitude towards what comprises the successful person. Success is something you define, not that others define. If it's the ability to spend more time with your children and still afford the house payments, then you're a success. If it's owning a company, freedom from stuffy corporate culture, or the opportunity to take off and ski whenever you want, then that's success. Being on the job from 5:30 in the morning is not my idea of success. In addition, early hours are no guarantee that you're going to climb the corporate ladder. Ask the cashiers on the early shift at a 24-hour convenience store!

The fourth and last problem I have with this piece is the belief that hard work and productivity are the key to retaining your job or being promoted. They never are, and never will be. Your supervisor's level of social comfort with you, the way you fit in with the corporate culture, and how well you are perceived to have done your job are what counts. No, your employer is never going to be concerned about how to keep you unless you have an esoteric skill that is difficult to replace. Even then, supervisors have a need to control more than anything else, and even if it doesn't make business sense, they'll get rid of you anyway just to show that they can. Moreover, if anyone ever comes up to me and gives me such asinine advice as to be a "donut maker", I'll smack some major sense into them with my Fairy Wand. Do they really think any of us enjoy the daily b******t of corporate politics? Would I be working for someone else if I were well funded enough to strike out on my own? Would I suffer the pompous, overbearing ignorance of recruiters such as this one graciously if I didn't have to? Hard work is a factor, but not the only one. A simplistic approach such as McCain's is misleading, and can lead to people beating themselves up over factors which are not in their control. Just remember which ones are, and master them.>