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Let's back up and not make it about this particular person. I don't care what job you're working in, if you were willing to hire someone who has not been able

Let's back up and not make it about this particular person. I don't care what job you're working in, if you were willing to hire someone who has not been able to hold a job in the field, who had a criminal record and even mental health issues, you would be inundated with applicants. If you interviewed than and selected based on motivation to work, you'd have a huge problem selecting from the people who are absolutely desperate to get a job. But, in all honesty, can you actually provide what they need? Can you deal with alcoholism, or drug dependency? Can you deal with absenteeism? Can you deal with behaviour disorders that might even be violent? I'm not saying a candidate will definitely have any of these problems (or others), but I am saying that I have worked with people with all of these kinds of issues before. It is crippling. It's hard enough to do a good job when you are with people who are able to hide their personal problems away for 8 hours a day and concentrate on work. If you have to deal with someone else's problems on top of your own on top of both of your jobs, can you really cope? If the answer is yes, then please hire these people and help them. If the answer is no, then you're going to have to draw the line somewhere. Where? How much risk are you willing to take on board? How much risk can your organisation realistically deal with? The places I've worked at can barely cope with the problems they already have. Looking for more problems to solve will not actually help anyone if you can't actually solve them. It sucks to let someone drown, but it is foolish to dive in and try to save them when you can't swim.

phkahler 10y ago
>> But, in all honesty, can you actually provide what they need? No. I am not a mental health professional. I did point out the need for that. It takes time and costs money and our world is not set up to provide it to the bottom rungs of society unless they are in crisis. >> Can you deal with alcoholism, or drug dependency? We don't need someone coming to work drunk or high. Again, people need treatment for these things. >> Can you deal with absenteeism? That depends. If it's once a week but I get good work 4 days it might be better than not having anyone at all. There are limits of course. >> Can you deal with behaviour disorders that might even be violent? Again, mental health issues. There is a pattern to your questions. I stand by my assertion that society has discarded these people. You are right that it's not my companies job to pick up the pieces when we have our own issues (and we do). But whose job is it? >> It sucks to let someone drown, but it is foolish to dive in and try to save them when you can't swim. Completely agree. I was pointing out a problem, not offering a solution. It may also be an opportunity if someone can figure out how to tap that pool of people for mutual benefit and not exploitation. You're probably right about getting flooded with applicants, but I think screening would be extremely difficult with people wanting to overstate their motivation and skills just to get a job. In the end, everyone has to find their own path. It just seems like we've made that harder than it has to be.

phkahler 10y ago

>> But, in all honesty, can you actually provide what they need? No. I am not a mental health professional. I did point out the need for that. It takes time and costs money and our world is not set up to provide it to the bottom rungs of society unless they are in crisis. >> Can you deal with alcoholism, or drug dependency? We don't need someone coming to work drunk or high. Again, people need treatment for these things. >> Can you deal with absenteeism? That depends. If it's once a week but I get good work 4 days it might be better than not having anyone at all. There are limits of course. >> Can you deal with behaviour disorders that might even be violent? Again, mental health issues. There is a pattern to your questions. I stand by my assertion that society has discarded these people. You are right that it's not my companies job to pick up the pieces when we have our own issues (and we do). But whose job is it? >> It sucks to let someone drown, but it is foolish to dive in and try to save them when you can't swim. Completely agree. I was pointing out a problem, not offering a solution. It may also be an opportunity if someone can figure out how to tap that pool of people for mutual benefit and not exploitation. You're probably right about getting flooded with applicants, but I think screening would be extremely difficult with people wanting to overstate their motivation and skills just to get a job. In the end, everyone has to find their own path. It just seems like we've made that harder than it has to be.