What goes into Hiring?

So it’s been a month since I’ve been off, and still no work. Sorry to beat the subject again, but I think I have to just a little. So let me tell you what happened yesterday. So a few nights back, I decided I’d send off an e-mail to one of the employers that I had an interview with for internship. This was for Epson in Japan, and I got out the e-mail, sent one over because I knew the girl who got the offer turned it down, and they decided to take away the offer from the guy who was ranked second (thus would have had chance to go). So of course, either they had no money, or something else happened.

So I sent it in the afternoon knowing that if the guy was in Japan, it would have been early morning (around midnight) so he should not send me anything back soon. So the along came midnight for me, and I get the e-mail back from this guy. He was so rude in his e-mail. He was like “ESD (Epson) need coop students who have an experience for SOFTWARE Development. Unfortunately you don't have an experience for SOFTWARE development. So ESD does not accept your offer.” I was thinking to myself, aw man, diss. He made it a point to tell me in capital letters I have nothing he likes and thus we’re not going to hire you. Buh BYE!

I think it was those capital letters that made me think about what he’s saying to me. It’s like “we know you have some skills, just nothing we like”. Anyways, even though some may think I am reading too much into this, I can because it’s my reply, and it’s e-mail.

So again, what goes into hiring. Many people say it’s the marks that get the interview. I believe this, especially for this PEY (internship) program at UT. I can just go through those interview lists and see who gets the most interviews, it’s the ones with the top marks. Personally, I don’t think that’s fair. Maybe I’m bitter because I don’t have the top marks, but still, it’s not all about the marks. But in any case, once you get to the interview, most people would say it’s those interview skills that count now. Again, I would say, that is true to some extent, but again still, in A LOT of cases not true again. But I won’t talk anymore about marks.

Personally, I found that in the interviews, what they want to know is if they can work with you. So once you past that test, how do they judge after that? It all comes down to the marks and experiences. So every time I get the line that I don’t have enough experience in what they do, it frustrates me. Why? Because I don’t feel I’m being given an opportunity to show them I can do the job just as well as anyone else. Sure I’m complaining, but otherwise I’d just be keeping it inside of me.

All I want is to be given the chance. I don’t have the top marks but I did go through the same courses everyone else did, and I was taught the same stuff. My marks don’t reflect my abilities.

So what is it about experience. I understand that when someone has experience doing something, it shows they can do it. I have worked before, sure it’s not in a nice Engineering firm like I would of wanted, but like they say, it’s supposed to harder the first few years, and get easier the years that follow. See what I have to say about that from my first blog. But even if it’s not in an engineering firm, I still gained a lot of skills that speaks a lot at CIBC (that’s where I’ve worked).

So let me tell you something about hiring. Last summer I did some hiring at CIBC. My supervisor and I sent out the postings, reviewed them all and hired some people for the project. When you go into hiring mode, you become so critical. We were in a rush, so we don’t ask for resumes, it was internal hiring as well, so we just had them answer a few questions. The hirer becomes so critical and thinking back at it, it’s sick. You look at everything so meticulously, every word, every sentence. So even though I’ve gone through that experience, I can’t say it’s easy to adjust to. All I can say is I learned that if I ever get the chance to hire again, I won’t be so critical. But then you run into the problem of being too nice, and that’s not the point of hiring either.

So even through all this, I am still applying to jobs. For some reason, don’t really have desire to apply anymore, it sucks. I think I’ve almost lost hope. But let’s hope not. I think I’m kinda like Job in a way:

"What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient?”
Job 6:11

I think I’ll read Job. I think it’ll do me some good. I’ve tried like Andrew Ma (UT) said to me when, reflecting on when he was in same boat, just trust in the Lord. Place all thing in His hands. So just so I don’t set of any lights, the thoughts above were previous thoughts. Although still I do not understand is there a common way to hire (if I did I’d be employed), and I can’t say I understand why they hire who they do, all I can do is wait my turn.
On a brighter note, I have read Romans 4, read the NIV and NLT. I’ll tell you what I feel after Sunday.

Current Events Today:
- See below blog, same day