Equal Is Not Identical

In 1776, in the beginning of The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson penned one of the single most impactful phrases of our country’s history.  This statement was "That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

The fact that we were founded upon a belief "that all men are created equal" has had a profound and lasting impact on our government, legislation, civil rights movements, and philosophy as a country. This phrase was originally written by Thomas Jefferson as a rebuttal to the political philosophy of the day, which was "Divine Right of Kings." It is a belief that always has and will separate us from much of the rest of the cultures of the world.

However, let us consider this statement for a moment.  Does the statement that we are all created equal imply that we are all created identical?  I believe it does not, and furthermore, I don't think Thomas Jefferson did either.  Most of us would agree with that statement when asked, but do our lives and actions agree with it?  We are told our entire lives that we can be whatever we want to be, and achieve whatever we want to achieve. The idea that we were fed by the previous generation (and continue to pass to the next) is that ANYONE can achieve ANYTHING by wanting it bad enough and trying hard enough, because we are all created equal.  

I want to challenge that thinking, and I know that my challenge will be met with strong resistance.  In 1856, a man by the name of Nicola Tesla was born.  Many people in our generation don't realize the impact he had on society, but it was amazing.  In addition to speaking eight languages, memorizing entire books, and holding over 300 patents for his inventions, he also helped develop the theory and process for Alternating Current (AC) electrical power. If you're not familiar with that, it's what our world basically runs on.  Matt Wilkerson could never do that, no matter how much I believed I could or how hard I tried. Simply put, Nicola and I are very, very different.  We could waste the rest of this blog proving my point, but the fact is we are all different, unique, and have varied gifts and talents.  It doesn't mean that we're necessarily better or worse than others, we're just different. 

So, why does this matter, and why is an outside sales recruiter writing about it? The fact is, many companies and recruiters waste their time, money, and talents believing that ANYONE can do ANYTHING if they work hard, believe hard, and are trained right.  Guess what? That's the same as telling Nicola Tesla he should have been a farmer.  Farming is admirable, noble work that literally feeds our country, but that wasn't where his talents, abilities and interests were.  Telling Nicola to farm would be ridiculous and counterproductive to society. 

In the same manner, it is ridiculous to recruit individuals to a particular position that they are in no way suited for.  Our job as effective recruiters is not to simply fill round holes with any shape peg that will apply for the job. Our job is to be an advocate for our company AND for the applicant.  We do no favors to anyone by giving jobs to people who are not right for them.  What you get is unhappy, ineffective workers, and really unhappy employers who now have a weakened workforce.

Instead, may I suggest viewing yourself as a filter in some sense of the word?  Get to know the applicant as a person.  Find out if his or her interests, attributes and abilities lend themselves to success in the position you are recruiting for.  Don't sell the job, and don't be afraid to push back.  If the applicant wants the job and believes they can do it, they'll let you know it. And above all, be transparent. Don't hide unattractive aspects of the job.  Potential employees deserve to know the pros AND cons of what they are getting into.

In short, a recruiter can be judged not only on finding the right applicant, but also identifying applicants who may be very talented in other areas, but not right for the job you are filling.  By realizing that everyone is different you can improve the lives of everyone involved while building a more effective organization.

I cannot speak for other organizations, but I can tell you that at Heartland Payment Systems, we look for the best possible fit. We believe that giving the right person the right opportunity creates a successful work environment that truly has no limits.