Dec 13, 2010

Job Seekers Find Bias Against The Unemployed

Posted by Wendy Weber

If it isn’t hard enough securing employment in this difficult economy, many job seekers are experiencing a bias against the very fact that they are unemployed: click here.

Many unemployed workers are finding that employers only want to hire people who already have jobs, and that there’s a view that there must be something wrong with you if you’re unemployed.

As with many myths, there is a kernel of truth behind this one. After all, when a company is considering a layoff, there must certainly be some consideration as to who the “best” workers are, and who can be spared. Even when laying off their most “expensive” workers, the expense of a high salary must be weighed against the benefit that worker brings to the organization.

However, this economy has resulted in companies being forced to make decisions that are more extreme than usual. Many good people have found themselves unemployed, through no fault of their own. Given the massive layoffs in the economy, the chances of finding top performers in the current pool of unemployed workers is probably higher than at any time in memory.

Once someone who endured a difficult period of unemployment is hired, they are likely to be doubly committed to proving their worth to their new employer, and unlikely to be initiating a job search any time soon. The newly employed member of your team will fully appreciate the value of employment with your organization. That is why it is important to look beyond the fact that they may currently be out of work, and to carefully review their track record of prior achievement and compatibility with your open position.

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