HuffPo: "Employers ads specifying that candidates be currently employed elsewhere to be considered"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Laura Bassett
[e-mail] | HuffPost Reporting
Employers Won't Hire The Jobless Because Of The 'Desperate Vibe'

First Posted: 12- 3-10 01:59 PM | Updated: 12- 3-10 01:59 PM



WASHINGTON -- Isang Inokon, a headhunter for Amherst Healthcare recruiting firm, posted a Craigslist job ad on November 18 for clinical pharmacists -- but only the kind who already have jobs.

"Do yourself and favor and start looking now," he wrote in the ad. "When you lose your job, you will interview from a position of weakness."

With the U.S. unemployment rate still soaring at 9.8 percent and 6.3 million Americans having been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer, employers can now afford to be extremely picky about whom they hire. In addition to seeking very specific skills, degrees, and numbers of years of experience, many employers are specifying in job ads that candidates be "currently employed" elsewhere to be considered for the position.

Inokon, who has worked in staffing and recruiting for almost 15 years, said he has trouble placing jobless pharmacists because the reality of today's job market is that employers "want somebody who's wanted."

"When you show desperation in your face and your tone during an interview, management is going to pick up on that vibe. They're gonna feel it and see it and notice something's off," he told HuffPost. "It's like somebody who hasn't been on a date in a while -- they're awkward, and the other person's gonna be turned off. It's always better for a person to interview while they're employed."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/03/employers-wont-hire-the-u_n_791710.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Oh, what a GREAT idea. NOT.

That is just fucking sick.

So what are the jobless supposed to do?

Die?

Goddamn.

:mad:

[TwilightGardener]

2. You'd think desperation would be a good thing. They'll show up on time

and work their asses off if you'd only give them a chance.

[CurtEastPoint]

17. Yes, TG. I would do just that, given a chance. Being old[er] is a plus.

In my mind. So...I'm sorry I'm older, Mr/Ms. Employer, and have experience, but you know what? I'm mature, settled and I'll be there every day, doing bang-up work. Give me a chance! I wish I had the balls to say this in an interview, if I could get one.

[Arkana]

3. Somehow, HuffPo will find a way to make this Obama's fault.

[Edweird]

4. Why is job hunting turning into 'dating'? WTF is up with that?

Who, besides 'consultants', thinks this a good idea?

[Amerigo Vespucci]

15. Because the comment came from an H.R. / staffing person who has a job...

...and most of the people in those positions are assholes. I've worked in that arena. The best part of working in H.R. is when you get out and go do something else.

[savalez]

16. I know. Worse, try finding a job on Craigslist.

Please submit your resume to us - but we won't tell you who we are.

:shrug:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

18. That happens on Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com and the other job hunting sites as well

The listing specifies the city (but not always...sometimes it will just say "Bay Area" or "Silicon Valley"), and there will be a generic description of the business niche...in short, they want to conduct a cattle call, but they don;t want you phoning the ranch.

Networking...knowing someone who knows someone...is still the #1 way to do it.

I have a client who runs an employment service and he told me recently that most of his applicants have been getting jobs lately by going to their Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, resume in hand, and asking their fellow members if they know anyone who works in the company they're interested in.

But the "old way"...submitting a resume, applying on line...these days you have three hundred people in line with you, eyeballing the same job.

[hobbit709]

5. I hope Inokon has desperation in his near future.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

6. I've been unemployed 3 years, perhaps I should...

...change my resume to reflect that I'm currently employed and check the box on the application next to NO you may not contact the employer.

Might as well...

[Dawson Leery]

8. +1

[prolesunited]

7. It's not a fucking vibe

We *are* desperate! I know I blew at least one interview because of it. When you think landing that job is your last hope, it's definitely hard to hide it. And if you've been ignored and rejected repeatedly for months, it's hard even for people with high self-esteem not to end up feeling crushed.

What I don't get is the reluctance for employers not to exploit this or the older workers. If your are unemployed for a time, you are going to start that job fresh and eager to prove yourself. You are hungry, hungrier than any of the other workers they have. You want to succeed and know intimately the consequences of failure. You've lived that life and NEVER want to go back there. Stay late? Work 12 hours? Come in during the weekend? Sure, no problem. Just don't make me go back there.

As far as older workers, imagine the bargain price you can now command for higher education and years of experience and the wisdom that comes from navigating the workplace. Your partying days are behind you and you are not going to waste a bunch of time making plans or coming in tired or hungover, if at all. Your children are probably older and self-sufficient, so you don't have to rush home to sitters or soccer practice. At this point, getting your career back on track is probably the primary focus of your life.

With the exception of IT, what fields change so dramatically that all of your skills are rendered outdated and useless, especially if you can demonstrate that you have kept up with the trends in your field?

Unlike some of the GOP have claimed, the unemployed have not forgotten how to set an alarm, bathe, dress professionally and show up for work. And, chances are, they will be early, eager and ready to embrace the opportunity.

[truedelphi]

9. problem with older workers is the high price of ins premiums

To cover them.

That is one reason why the older workers are now in a special "age ghetto" that they cannot get out of.

older workers lucky enough to have a spouse who is insured should stress that they will not be asking for insurance from the new employer. (Unless you really have a lot of bargaining chips on your end of things, like if you are a brain surgeon.)

[Vincardog]

10. They don't care about our abilities. They only care about not having to wade thru all the unemployed

resumes and people who show up whenever their is a job.

FUCK THEM Show up anyway

[Greyhound]

12. The tyranny of the MBA and the rise of the "certification" corporate welfare programs.

You mentioned IT (a whole different, though related scam) but the disease has spread. More and more, companies are requiring a bushel full of bogus and useles "certifications" for everything from management to filing and basic office equipment operation. If you don't pay some corporation to say that you understand the alphabet, then ipso facto you don't.

Oh and don't even think about asking the company to pick up the tab for this BS paper.

[leftstreet]

13. The working classes face an incredibly hostile environment

And 'they' can get away with it because Labor and the Left are essentially decimated

[slay]

11. So anyone's who's "awkward" OR currently unemployed should what - give up? die?

wtf?!?! this is why the so called "private sector" sucks - they have all the power - and without them we die. we need to start nationalizing the oil industry, the health care industry, etc. we need a MASSIVE government jobs program that won't discriminate against "awkward" or unemployed people. too bad there aren't any real liberals in power who could achieve something like this.

[unblock]

14. this is just one small part of what happens when unemployment is high -- employers can be VERY picky

which means they can and do discriminate, whether sensible or not, whether moral or not, whether legal or not.

given a sense that their dream candidate is out there, why would they bother wasting their time or taking a chance on a candidate that's anything less than 99.44% of what they want?

this then is bad news for people of the "wrong" religion, color, nationality, gender, orientation, height, pedigree, class, age, skill set, experience, whatever.