I Hate HR

Most people use their network to find job openings, but you shouldn’t stop there. If you’ve already found a job opening, you should use your network for more information on that job opening.

Last time I was looking for a job, I saw an exciting job opening and I mentioned it to a colleague. That colleague then informed me that the company’s local branch recently laid off more than half of it’s staff and that several of the HR staff had quit. Good to know.

This weekend I mentioned a job opening to my grandfather at his birthday party. This job opening was at the company he retired from so I was joking about having to deal with him as a retiree. Later a relative I see every five years asked me if there was seriously an opening in HR at the company. He then proceeded to tell me about how the HR department at the company is fractioned and that I wouldn’t want to work there. Turns out he used to be the Union Rep at the company. Who knew?

On paper jobs often look good and it’s difficult to get the real deal in an interview. The only real way to know more about what’s happening in a company is to get inside information. Many people think that their network isn’t useful because they know where their network works. However, they overlook the fact that each member of their network has a network of their own. Knowledge is power and your network has it. Don’t stop using your network once you’ve found the job listing, use it until you’re happy in the job.