Helping a friend/family member get a job at your company
I did this once about 8 years ago, and I bet you can all guess how it ended. A girl I knew from college LOVED to network and would literally reach out to everyone she “knew” for favors. She got hold of me after graduation and asked me to help her out getting a job at my company at the time. I did, and she got the job, but then quit after a mere 3 months because she wanted to do more work than “get coffee and take meeting notes.” Yeah girl we’re 21 years old with a paying job, are you seriously complaining? I don't know how much I was an influence on her application, but it was still embarrassing for me. This person went from job to job over the course of the next few years, so when she approached me again about 5 years ago for a job at a different company I was working at (my current job) I said “I’d try” and then didn’t actually try. She may have found out about this because she stopped talking to me altogether after that. She’s still job hopping to this day, so I hardly feel guilty.
I’m always happy to help someone get a job (practice interviews, reviewing resumes, etc.) but I’m uncomfortable attaching my name to someone when they ask me to “put a good word in for them” at the company I work for.
A childhood/HS friend of mine recently reached out to me to let me know he applied for a position at my company and is hoping that I can help put a good word in for him. I really like this person but I know he too has been going from job to job in the last few years. Not that it’s a bad thing to try new jobs until you’re happy, but I don’t know if he’s like my old college acquaintance, quitting jobs left and right or worse, getting fired for unknown reasons… I literally have no idea what his work ethic is like. He won’t even really tell me what he’s looking to do which tells me he just wants a job, which tells me he could easily leave this job as soon as the next thing pops up. My job isn’t just a job to me, it’s a sweet career where I can do something I love as well as slack off and look at shark gifs on TK, and I don’t want to ruin my good rep by referring bad employees to the company.
WWTK do? Feel free to share similar stories because I’m bored and want to read stuff.
Re: Helping a friend/family member get a job at your company
I had a terrible experience with this, but it may have just been the person. I used to work in promotional modelling, and one of my friends (since like, grade 2) said she also does it but was looking for more companies (its contract work, small bits at a time). So I was like okay cool, heres who I work for, email these people. So she signed up for a bunch of shifts and was super excited, and then just didnt show up for any. My boss was like WTF to me, and I felt so bad I went to cover a bunch of her shifts =\ She's just a flaky person in general, and can't keep a story straight for her life, so its hard to believe anything she says. I cant remember her excuse for not showing up to like 2 weeks worth of work, but it was dumb.
In your case, I probably wouldn't say anything, or if its a large enough company say you don't know that manager well enough to have any weight on the decision.
Websites/blogs where our wedding has been featured:
http://www.dapperq.com/2013/11/a-very-dapper-wedding/
http://www.onabicyclebuiltfortwo.com/2013/10/wedding-christina-g.html
http://4realequalityweddings.com/2014/05/16/g-christina/
Ugh, our company also has a referral program. I had a friend who needed a job, applied, and was hired. He quit before the three month mark, so I didn't even get the money. At least stay long enough to do me a solid once I stuck my neck out for you.
It depends on the position and how well I know that person. I am usually the go to person for helping with resume and cover letter construction.
OP - I can't believe that girl asked you again to put in a good word! But I would have told her sorrynotsorry, I can't do that since the last time I assisted you, you left after 3 months. I was very embarrassed that you did that after I stuck my neck out for you. I would have not qualms about telling someone why I wouldn't recommend them for a job.
People never fail to amaze me.
If people ask me for help with a job, I will forward them our open positions and then they can take it from there. I'm not willing to do more than they are to get them a job.
Live fast, die young. Bad Girls do it well. Suki Zuki.