We hear a lot of things in the work world that feel an awful lot like lip-service because it feels too good to be true. Some of them are rather simple and full of nuances while others are telling of larger systemic issues.
1. Headhunters and recruiters exist
Headhunters and recruiters, from my educated Canadian perspective, are like Bigfoot. I have heard many stories of their existence and yet, they do not find you and they are very difficult to find. I was told of international opportunities being available by university recruiters and yet, its an invisible pipeline to me (and likely many others).
2. Businesses are crying out for work
Oh really.... what kind of work? what kind of hours? what kind of rate of pay? They may be crying out for workers but are they paying enough to even afford to go to work? Would you get up to work that job? Do the hours coincide with school hours to encourage working parents?
3. There are always jobs in those fields
Why are there always jobs? What is so unsecure about the field that they are always looking for folks? Is it the hours? the lack of benefits? Is it the pay?
Turn it Around
So here are the questions to ask when looking into career fields to avoid these mythical pitfalls:
1. Who does your hiring? Is it all in-house or do you use recruiting agencies?
2. How does a person start out in jobs are your company? Part-time or full-time? Casually or permanently?
3. What are the rates of pay? Is there room for upward mobility, even within the same role? Is it paid salary or hourly (or in rare cases, by the piecework)?
4. What benefits are available and what requirements must be fulfilled to have them? Ask about allied health, dental, pensions, etc. Some may even reveal their providers. They will provide this information if you ask upon a job offer.
5. What hours are you expected to work? Daytime, nighttime, shiftwork, weekends?
6. How are medical appointments and family obligations negotiated in the workplace? Again, this is a good question to ask upon a job offer. Asking to in advance can sometimes flag the recruiters for some strange reason.
7. and more...
All these questions apply to any type of employment, at all levels. There are not right or wrong answers either as its a matter of being information resilient. The more you know at the outset, the better it is to have realistic expectations rather than becoming resentful. You may find a job that is part-time, regular hours, with some benefits or at least supports, that is perfect for you. By asking these questions as a student looking at career prospects, as a person with disabilities applying for funding and requiring to contact companies to prove employability, or as a future employee. Heck, I even encourage recruiters and business owners to litmus test themselves with these questions.
Thank you for joining me in another myth-buster type blog post to help in everyday life matters that truly matter!
The unLibrarian
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