In Search of the Last Apprentice, or We All Must Liars Be

For those of us who have stumbled in search of a job in the last six years, it seems abundantly clear that more than anything it is harder than ever before to find someone willing to take a chance and guide. The days of hiring for talent alone are long gone, and in its place is a spider web of hideous networking (jargon that is lifeless but nevertheless an apt description). It may be fine to get an internship or two, to get a taste of what a chosen career entails, but in reality there are very few companies or industries willing to take that internship further and offer on-the-job training. In my experience, an internship is nothing more than free labor that, while it does provide connections, rarely leads to anything more substantial. Companies are unwilling to hire on little to no experience, but rather search high and low for the right price. Usually that price requires years of experience that no amount of internships will provide. It is an endless cycle of praise and disappointment, and increasingly feels like a setup for failure and hopelessness.

As little as twenty years ago, a person could walk into a business, express an interest in the company and have an impromptu interview. Hiring managers (if that position even existed than) were willing to take on the eager and teach them the ropes. No longer does that possibility loom. Believe me, I’ve sent more than my share of enthusiastic letters expressing my sincerest interest in learning (unpaid, mind you) all that I can to get my foot in the door. While my enthusiasm is usually applauded (or, more often than not, utterly ignored) there is a polite dismissal due to lack of qualifications.

But that is the conundrum of the job search with the advent of the internet. There is no face to put to a resume. There is no human connection. There are, however, aptitude tests, personality tests, and portfolio requirements to even garner a phone interview. One’s real ability to perform well in a position can never truly be measured by mathematically mapping one’s capabilities and flaws. For those who do not always test well (I count myself among that lot) such interview requirements are daunting and a real slog. It’s not enough to prove your intelligence or have a qualified degree, and it is this system by which candidates are weaned out that creates such limited opportunity.

So where did we lose the time-honored tradition of apprenticeship, of taking malleable minds and learning the process bit by bit? There are more than a few who simply want to hire for positions and forget the idea of fostering growth and mobility. Increasingly I find apathy for creating opportunities for employees. The almighty bottom line is ever more important than the creation of a ladder, a ladder which could take those with untapped potential and create growth for a company or industry. In short, one must be willing to play the hiring game, but that is not always enough. Does an entry level position really require at least three years of experience? I think not. Instead, entry level has become nothing more than a synonym for lower wages than one is worth. But I do doff my hat to those most adept at playing this game. I, however, wish it were less mechanical and austere.

Anyone for a little snake oil?