David Wishinsky
Editor's Note: This article was original published on LinkedIn by my friend David. Although not directly related to veterans I believe it is relevant; it is essential for job searchers to understand all aspects of the process. This is the first of what I hope to be many guest posts related to the hiring process in general. And, if you are looking to hire a brilliant marketer in the SoCal area contact David. Thank you, David, for contributing.
I am an MBA student searching for my first post-MBA job. I am a career switcher going from a career in political fundraising to a career in marketing and though these two things are exceptionally similar, I get that there is a difference on paper. To further complicate matters I am going to school at the University of Colorado in Boulder and am looking for a job 1,000 miles away back home in Los Angeles. Needless to say, I've applied to a lot of jobs and have worried about algorithms.
I have many issues with algorithms that I feel unfairly discriminate against us career switchers and don't really hit on finding talent, but I digress. I just don't like algorithms that insult me and I would think that companies wouldn't want them either. I've discussed in the past issues that companies have with their setups and I've discussed methods of thinking about HR as an extension of sales and marketing but what about these more nefarious algorithms: ones that completely turn off potential employees. Nestle has an algorithm that does just that.
Nestle's career page has a seemingly nice feature titled "LinkedIn Match your skills" and as someone still acquainting themselves with the different roles in business and what they're called and what they expect, this was the tool for me. Then it net me this result:
I have ten years work experience. I have an undergraduate degree from Michigan State. I have raised over $10M as a fundraiser where my title was frequently Finance Director. I've interned as an MBA student at Charles Schwab and a local tech company here in Boulder called TeamSnap. How on earth is the best job for me at Nestle (albeit it with a 33% match) a warehouse job in City of Industry? Here are the qualifications for that role:
Clearly, I have a bit more than the minimal requirements. I am almost 36, I already have a BA and will possess an MBA in five weeks. I do have a car, though admittedly that isn't on my resume or LinkedIn page. I can and have completed background screens and drug screens. I've taken graduate level statistics courses and calculus classes in undergrad so check mark on the basic math and computer skills. Clearly I have a LinkedIn page in English, I can read, write, understand and thus presumably speak English. I do not have Pallet Jack certification (nor do I know what it is) and I don't have the terms "freezer" or "refrigerated" anywhere near my resume. Why is this a match?
I have no interest in working for Nestle now. I couldn't ping off of a marketing job? I couldn't ping with my former title off a finance role? But nope. I get this. How many others are turned off and irritated that they go through all this schooling for Nestle to tell me to be a warehouse worker? (And I get that this is a computer not a person telling me this, but come on now.) Computers are great but here is a lazy application of them from a major company. Here is the thing, it isn't just me, I talked to a career adviser at school about this and she too merely qualified for a warehouse job (though hers had forklift usage that mine did not and strangely she was a better percentage fit for it). The issue isn't just offending people though, if you never are funneled to a job that may be of interest to you because even a key word like marketing can't ping a marketing job, you are losing candidates and losing talent.
David A Wishinsky has nearly ten years experience in political fundraising and the branding and messaging of candidates and causes. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and is weeks away from completion of his MBA at the University of Colorado, Boulder with an emphasis on marketing and management.
Of course if you want to hire me, I am looking for marketing or management roles in Southern California. david.wishinsky@gmail.com