Case in fact: I changed jobs. My new manager asked if I knew of anyone who was looking for a legal secretary position, as they had an opening. I contacted someone that I respected and asked her if she wanted to apply. Now, I was new to this firm and it was a completely different type of law that was practiced there and secondly, the culture was like a dry desert as compared to the firm she was at, however, she interviewed and got the job. She hated it from the start and her attorney was not happy with her performance either. My manager came to me and indirectly held me accountable for this hire. Whether it was right or wrong for her to do this, I felt bad and had to watch my friend, get written up basically terminated. Guess what? I will never do this again because it is just not worth it.
Another story, case in fact: About seven years ago, I worked in a law firm and managed two offices. I was looking for a receptionist. My sister had a best friend who was looking for work. I interviewed the gal and hired her, as she was intelligent and had great potential. Unfortunately, this hire fought with the other employees and told my sister, who of course told me. If she was mad at me for giving her a poor performance review, I heard about it from my sister. Her performance was so substandard that I had to terminate her employment with us and even though my sister understood, it was a very unfortunate situation for all. Hiring a previous colleague is just too uncomfortable based on having a prior relationship or connections with the referral. I have tried this twice, without success.
Bias toward the Unemployed: After reading an article about the unemployed, there is a belief that the unemployed are discriminated against by prospective employers who say that if a person is unemployed than maybe they are unemployable. With this being said, “[T]he basic flaw is this simple assumption: Companies never terminate qualified people. This just isn’t the case when companies are letting people go by the tens of thousands” Smith (2011). This bias exists among employers, regardless of the reality of the recession and the high unemployment rate. Personal and professional biases must be confronted before any interviews are conducted, otherwise we could miss a great hire. Acting on false assumptions is a missed opportunity and an act of prejudice against this group. Continuing education for human resources and or those involved in the interview process is needed; classes and education in workplace biases in employment hiring practices.
New Entrants: People that are entering the workplace are sometimes seen as inexperienced. In my office, those that have passed the bar and are newly appointed attorneys, are inexperienced in the practice of law. They are mentored by seasoned attorneys and their best buddy is their legal secretary, who knows procedure. Remember Della Street
When looking for candidates, I would like to look for talent in the local colleges or even from paralegal internship programs or college graduates depending on the position, or those getting out of high school that will work while going to college. A new entrant could be a young mother who is entering the work force; it just depends on the position that needs to be filled.
Currently Employed: These workers are seen as vibrant and employable unless they have extensive jobs on their resumes, which could mean a lack of job stability or frequent layoffs. Case in point: I know a well-educated, very likeable woman, who has a great resume, however, she has been laid-off repeatedly, so much so, that I started to wonder about her. A human resource manager that I know said that when lay-offs occur, a lay-off could be seen as a “freebee” or not having to terminate a difficult employee. Now legally, there are boundaries, but I am sure that lay-offs are used to eliminate those that are costly to the company. When interviewing, I would want to know why they are changing jobs at this time and why so many positions within a short period of time. To note: with a poor economy, many employees want stability and even though change can be good, it can be suspect.
Talent can be found via social networks, a referral from a current employee, recruiters, Craigslist, word of mouth, colleges, etc. I have a recruiter call me frequently wanting to know if I am ready to change jobs. I say to her, “what do you have?” and we talk.
Reference
Smith, S., (2011, August 25). The Myths about Hiring the Unemployed. HR Examiner. Retrieved from http://www.hrexaminer.com/three-myths-about-hiring-the-unemployed
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