OK HR types Gotta vent Gotta ask
Ok here it is and you'll understand why I am asking HR types....
Do you listen to the field people? or is it that some cannot think the field personnel don't have any clue as to their needs to accomplish the work. Before I am skewered lumping all HR types heres the situation. I know not all of those are like this, just take this as what not to do.
Taking matters in my own hands and at a Goveernment Base site, I decide to stop by and inquire what, if anything their needs are. Hey Going the WEBSITE thing isn't working, but I need to hit the street.
Seeing my resume at the site they say, "Oh man, yes we do need a QA./QC" so I stay on base and follow-up with other firms after being told the guy I needed to see wasn't there yet.
In order to follow-up I drove across town the following morning at 5am and met the person who I was supposed too. Met the guy, and he said, "Yeah we need a couple of QA/QC people really bad", took my resume and said "Oh yeah I'll fax this to the HR guy right away" which he did
(Yeah I am thinking, Got a job FINALLY!!!!!!!) We spoke at the field office, and he knew I knew my stuff and it had to go to HR first. He said to follow-up with him after it is sent , and I go on my way waiting for a "just fill out these papers". I contact the HR person that afternoon who said they'd look at it and will respond as he received the fax. No problem. right? Wrong........
Well, while on the phone with another prospective, I get an unknown and let it go to VM. I get a VM on my phone from the HR guy saying that I wouldn't be a good fit (for every reason I would), Apparently he didn't READ into or it at all, It was as if the field people DON'T know anything" I know better these are a few left on my VM.
1. Your not a degreed engineer (NO but I have a 2 degrees, have been involved with your client FROM THEIR END and have been doing engineering QA/ QC with YOUR client and others in the Middle East for 4 years and have been "kudoed" for my work, and getting shot at to get it done!!!! 2 ) The client has specific requirements (Yeah D.A. read the resume, I know better what the client wants, have all their qualifications and know what their needs are than probably any one) The other were so ambiguous at best I wanted to vomit..
But the kicker was this gem: "and besides, we couldn't pay you what you were making in the Middle East anyway"...WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!????????? (Of course you cant DA< I don't want to work there anymore and would dig a freakin ditch to earn some money at this point!!!!!!!!!!)
Question is this, if a Field Superintendant / PM says "yes we need you, you have what we need", isn't that enough to say from HR "Our people in the field know what they are doing and wouldn't have sent it if they didn't know???????
Just looking for some settlement, (I wanted to call him up and ask for his Boss) ANYONE HAVE INSIGHT
In many companies, no, it is not enough that the guy in the field wants to fill a position, nor is it enough that the guy in the field wants to hire you. In many companies, cooler heads prevail and sometimes that means HR has a veto vote, sometimes it is another boss or (god forbid) a committee. This is a good thing when the guy the field guy wants to hire is his no good brother in law. This is a bad thing when the guy the field guy wants to hire is you.
In this specific case, you're dealing with a government job. Government hiring is all about rules. Put the staple here (note the two dots for the holes). Attach this form and nothing else. Meet this criteria, not something else, meet this. This is how they believe they are being fair. Is it fair for you? No. But it is fair in the big sense because all people in your position who, for example, don't have a degree specifically in engineering, are turned down. The only people that pass go are those that meet the requirements exactly. Unless the posting says that they will consider this in lieu of that, they won't, period. That's how they get what they believe to be an even field. Then, from there, they chart and graph the people to death, assign scores for everything, make them take tests, interview with exactly the same questions to all, record each answer verbatim, and select those with the highest scores. From that, they develop a list, from that list they take the top person, or anyone in the top 3 or top 10% or whatever the criteria is for that particular list. The list is either for this one opening, or for any opening in that category for a period of time (weeks to months to years).
So, you can complain all you want but it won't help. Unless there is an epiphany somewhere along the line (we haven't been able to fill these positions in the last 5 years, maybe we should adjust the criteria), it won't happen. If you apply for government jobs, you have to meet all the criteria exactly. If they allow for exceptions, they'll say so in the posting. If they do, you have to connect all the dots for them in your cover letter and documentation so that they can see how you match up. If you don't, you go straight to the round file. I know this is frustrating but you've got a lot of experience working with the Government. You KNOW how they are- they're exactly like this. That's the nature of the beast you're dealing with.
As to the money issue, that's also relevant. Many companies don't want to hire people that are used to making a bundle more. They feel you'll be be bored and unsatisfied in a week and complaining (and if these boards are any indication, that does happen a lot). If they were willing to interview you, you could explain yourself and say that you understand that you made a premium amount, but you were also in a combat zone and have no interest in doing that again and are willing to make that trade off (or whatever).
Keep slugging for the right spot. It is out there somewhere.
Tess