When you’re young, just about to leave school or university isn’t this exactly what you’re looking for in a first job? This particular recruitment advert was accompanied by a picture of an individual standing at the back of a large military transport aircraft in mid flight with its huge rear doors open exposing the vast expanse of sky. On closer examination a safety line was fastened between the aircraft and the figure not that the individual seemed concerned as they stood wide legged and confident admiring the thrillingly unobstructed view. And the strap line ,” No experience required”.
Could your organisation make the same claim ?(Perhaps with a less dramatic picture) Some jobs are just routine like admin in an office or care assistant in an old people’s home. Certainly the adverts for such posts are dull and boring but I will tell you that the most interesting and exciting job adverts in any organisation are for senior management posts. They talk about challenges, they talk about making things happen, they say it’s an interesting but demanding role at an exciting time for the organisation. It’s a stepping stone to greatness an opportunity to innovate in an ambitious organisation that aspires to be a world beater in its field.
How come we say so little about the organisation in adverts for the basic grade posts open to school levers and graduates? Don’t these jobs involve challenges ? Are they inevitably boring ? Is there no expectation to be involved in changes, no scope for good ideas, will people not acquire new skills, be exposed to new experiences, increase their knowledge, become more self confident, and learn to work as part of a diverse team in inclusive environment? And isn’t the job of management to ensure there is?
It’s about being corporate , appreciating that a manager is not just filling a basic grade vacancy in their team but investing in the organisations future and promoting the organisation as the place where a job can become a career.
Blair McPherson former Director author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk
