Can You Drive a Forklift?
Between my junior and senior years of college, I desperately needed a summer job when the one I had lined up fell through a few weeks before summer break started. After fruitlessly applying to jobs online, I hit the pavement.
I grew up next to O’Hare airport where there are many industrial parks in the area. I drove to one of the industrial parks and started going door to door to ask if they needed summer help. I knew the chances that anyone would hire me for just a few months were low but I needed the income.
After hearing over 20 ‘No we’re not hiring’, I heard something different at the next business I visited. “Can you drive a forklift?” When I told the woman no, she said, “That’s OK. We could use the help and we’ll help you figure it out.”
The company was a freight forwarder, meaning during the week they would receive products companies were looking to ship via plane domestically or internationally for the best price. On Friday at 4, a truck would show up and I would use the forklift to load up the truck with the various products for departure to O’Hare.
Most truck drivers were patient with me and offered tips on the best way to pick up pallets and load them in the truck. The owner of the freight forwarding company was happy that I helped them out for the Summer.
So many companies are hiring right now and so many people are looking for jobs, but there is often a disconnect. Based on job descriptions, many companies and hiring managers are looking for a unicorn that doesn’t exist. Meanwhile some job candidates are not applying for certain jobs because they feel they lack the requirements listed on the job ad.
If you’re a hiring manager, revisit your job descriptions and ask yourself if it is realistic based on the role. If you’re a candidate, don’t get scared off by job descriptions. At the end of the day, the truck needs to get loaded and that helps both parties.
This story first appeared on my LinkedIn profile page.
