"All That Glitters Is NOT Gold!" The Superficial Element In Job Search & Hiring Practices

You may not feel this applies to you in any way, because it is hard to think of ourselves as individuals or groups who are easily duped.? But in today's competitive job market, both prospective employees and employing organizations are often lured by superficial qualities and flashy perks when seeking employment or employing. But what eventually happens in these scenarios is that the ‘glittering’ fa?ades mask the true substance underneath. As the saying goes, "all that glitters is not gold," and this rings especially true in the realm of hiring and job searching.

Let us start this from the employer's perspective.? Organizations, in the belief that they have bullet-proof adequate systems and thoroughly accurate processes to eliminate any such error, don’t realize just how possible and easy it is for them to become dazzled by impressive CVs/Resumes, polished appearances, and eloquently presented interviews. Whether we want to admit this or not, the more something is ‘entertaining’ on the surface the more likely we are to notice it.? We all like a good show don’t we?!? But a show is only the arrangement of a bunch of superficial scenes, scripted for a superficial show and when that show is done? That’s it. There is no more. To get more you will need to write whole a new script and ‘shelve’ the old.? You just keep adding to your ‘library’ of ‘old shows’ which will have cost you a lot but have no value after the ‘show’.? Truly baffling if you could have instead have invested the right amount into purchasing the one gift that kept on giving!

And so, similarly, with organizational hiring, these outward attributes do not always translate to the genuine competence or cultural fit within the organization. Hiring based solely on surface-level criteria can lead to disastrous consequences, as employees who lack substance may struggle to meet job expectations and contribute meaningfully to the team, whilst heavily overburdening existing employees in the team who have no choice but to pick up the slack. How organizations miss this, or perhaps deliberately overlook this, I don’t know, but one can almost predict the untold damage this scenario eventually does to their carefully balanced organizational culture and the relationship of the psychological trust they worked to achieve between themselves and their employees.?

One might argue that one ‘bad hire’ will not tip that balance and that a bad hire can and does happen to every organization. That is true.? A fair point.? However, if the approach, the process, the practice is based on this ‘bedazzled’ looking for the show and shiny presence kind of thing, it will increase the statistics a tad, don’t you think?? We have to then assume that the numbers of ‘bad hires’ are much larger in the company than supposed. Because they will have all been hired in this same way.? It is why strategic reviews of employees occur.? It is to see if indeed the input is matching the expected output when it has become clear that things have gone wrong and the company’s bottom line is in danger.? If you are a business, a company or organization is in this scenario and that number isn’t going the right way for you as a company, while making redundant the employees whose roles do not help your objectives will help some, please do more than that, go further even deeper and look to the root cause. That hiring approach is problematic. ?

But to continue, it must be noted that similarly, job seekers too also often gravitate towards the shinier well-known, prestigious companies in pursuit of prestige and perceived benefits. However, many tend to overlook smaller, lesser-known organizations that offer greater opportunities for growth, skill development, and meaningful work. While flashy perks, the great big coffee machine, the games room, the comfy sofas and rest areas, the shopping vouchers etc. and brand recognition may be enticing, but dear Job Seeker, please open your eyes to the fact that these perks pale in comparison to the long-term benefits of working for a company that prioritizes employee development and values-driven culture. I’m not saying that well-known branded companies aren’t good to work for or that other companies are torturous places where you’re growth and developed is forced through some hardship, but rather consider making it a priority to go for a company that attempts to provide you ALL of it! The brand identity, the great big coffee machine, the comfy sofas and rest areas, snacks all day, the games room, the countless shopping vouchers and tokens etc. BUT ALSO a strategic and formalised (if possible) path for your professional development.

To reiterate and re-emphasize the point I am trying to make, which is that the crux of the issue lies in the hiring process itself. If job descriptions, person selection criteria and especially the interviewing processes prioritize superficial qualities over essential skills and qualities, both the employers and the employees are set up for disappointment. Biiiiiig disappointment!? And all will find themselves in an entangled complicated web which is difficult to undo.? Employers must try to make themselves look beyond the surface and prioritize qualities such as resilience, empathy, honesty, and a genuine commitment to personal and professional growth. Yes this takes time to find, and the temptation is to rush….? But they must be willing to help the prospective employee who appears before them, who might not immediately upon seeing possess those superficial needs you so like, but if you should somehow still see that they have underneath what you need, it is then easier to help an employee dress better, speak better etc. than it is to fabricate the skill you were hiring for! Job seekers you too must assess potential employers and organizations you want to work for based on factors that truly matter for your long-term success and fulfilment not your just short-term superficial needs.

Ultimately, the key to successful hiring and job searching lies in authenticity and substance rather than superficial allure. By re-evaluating our priorities and focusing on what truly matters, both employers and job seekers can find lasting success and fulfilment in their respective endeavours.? A little coal dust is fine, it can simply be gently brushed away to reveal the shine. Don’t be dazzled by the diamond looking diamante that will eventually show it’s true fake and plastic nature!

I write this with passion, because at my age and in my career and professional history, over time I have seen this occur once too many times.? I have even been that overburdened ‘victim’ and experienced the ‘them vs us’ cultural change that results in these cases.? And yet… this does not appear to be something people and organizations are concerned about.? Only when it happens to them do they seem to want to urgently address it.? And as a prospective employee at points in my career, full disclosure, I have also looked at organizations and thought they were wonderful because they looked good on the surface!? What a mistake to make!? I know better now I can tell you!? So I personally, would dearly love to begin to see us shift the paradigm and recognize that true value lies not in what glitters, but in what endures. It's time to move beyond the surface and embrace the substance that lies beneath.

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Riah Creisson

People Development Consultant

The Job Search Maverick

[email protected]

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