When does experience trump ability?
Short answer: only when special skills are needed immediately to make a coffee right now!!
Yes, I'm thinking about a barista or, maybe a McDonald's burger flipper. Nope, come to think of it, even I could flip a burger!
A forklift driver? Another 'No' - robots do that now. Hmm - actually, it's probably only a barista.
Everything else: we learn on the job, or near the job. After all, that's where experience comes from right?
My first Principal ship came after I'd been a Deputy Principal. The two are vastly different jobs, let me tell you!!
A friend of mine, Pablo Honey from Psychedelic High, recently lost out on a job because the other applicant (Doug Field) had some specific experience in his resume.
EH???
Are we not educating our students to have 21st century soft skills?
- Strong Work Ethic
- Positive Attitude
- Good Communication Skills
- Time Management Abilities
- Problem-Solving Skills
- Acting as a Team Player
- Self-Confidence
- Ability to Accept and Learn From Criticism
- Emotional Intelligence
Doesn't that apply to adults as well??
I know I want an employee who is all of those things. Then, if I need her to train as a barista, I know she will embrace the experience and excel.
So why of why would Pablo, the better prospect in all of those skills, not be successful?
Riddle me that!!
1 comment:
OK so let me fathom out the reason for the riddle in order to make sense of it. There are two skills you discuss (importantly my top two on your list) that cannot be seen in others (and therefore considered important) unless the person selecting either Pablo or Keith possesses them. 1. Team Player - one could argue this is a value, and values influence the decisions we make. A team player values people, their contributions, their growth, sees potential in others and takes pride in others success. 2. Emotional intelligence- generated over time, cannot be achieved without personal reflection, pretty damn hard to learn as an adult.
And so “I pity the fool” who cannot recognise these qualities.
And so Pablo will make great coffee, with the right characteristics - rich in texture, full bodied, aromatic, just the way a coffee should be. And Pablo will drink the coffee, just to drink the coffee.
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