The Ideal Candidate
Do you think employers have realistic expectations about the Ideal Candidate for their job?
After looking at several jobs posted on online boards, I’ve concluded that most job postings are employers' wish lists. The items frequently involve mismatches in the educational requirements, types of experience and technical skills.
Jobs requiring master's degrees abound. Proficiency in computer skills, especially certification, is a popular requirement even though the actual job may not require it. A position described as having a great deal of responsibility only requires 2 years' experience. "Multi-tasks in a busy environment" is a common catch phrase that means, "does the job of two people in a place that doesn't plan very well or at all." The ideal candidate must have "excellent communication skills" usually because the hiring manager doesn't have them.
My fellow blogger Andy Davidson says he's seen some IT jobs require a ridiculous level of experience and skills. A job that listed requirements such as skills in DBA, software design and testing, project management, as well as packaging and deploying entire projects would call for a whole team of workers, not a one-person IT shop.
Global companies tend to prefer bilingual candidates even though they won't have to use the languages on the job. How many people do you know are fluent in both Spanish and Japanese? (I'll have salsa with my sushi; thank you very much.)
If you think I'm being cynical, read what Ms. “Shoots from the Hip” who used to be a recruiter and an outplacement counselor says about what hiring managers really mean when they say that the ideal candidate:
After looking at several jobs posted on online boards, I’ve concluded that most job postings are employers' wish lists. The items frequently involve mismatches in the educational requirements, types of experience and technical skills.
Jobs requiring master's degrees abound. Proficiency in computer skills, especially certification, is a popular requirement even though the actual job may not require it. A position described as having a great deal of responsibility only requires 2 years' experience. "Multi-tasks in a busy environment" is a common catch phrase that means, "does the job of two people in a place that doesn't plan very well or at all." The ideal candidate must have "excellent communication skills" usually because the hiring manager doesn't have them.
My fellow blogger Andy Davidson says he's seen some IT jobs require a ridiculous level of experience and skills. A job that listed requirements such as skills in DBA, software design and testing, project management, as well as packaging and deploying entire projects would call for a whole team of workers, not a one-person IT shop.
Global companies tend to prefer bilingual candidates even though they won't have to use the languages on the job. How many people do you know are fluent in both Spanish and Japanese? (I'll have salsa with my sushi; thank you very much.)
If you think I'm being cynical, read what Ms. “Shoots from the Hip” who used to be a recruiter and an outplacement counselor says about what hiring managers really mean when they say that the ideal candidate:
- Does what is necessary to get the job done (Works 100 hours a week without help and without spending any money)
- Travels 50% of the time. (Read: 100% of the time. Employers ALWAYS lie about this.)
- Works well with others. (Puts up with non-productive people who the manager doesn’t have the balls to fire and expects you to do both jobs while not pissing anyone off)
Is it any wonder that recruiters and employers have a difficult time finding the Ideal Candidate?
posted by Frieda Lipschitz (Audrey Choden) at Tuesday, June 14, 2005
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