Truth & Objectivity

Since a position has opened up in my office, a couple of my acquaintances on campus have mentioned wanting to talk to me about applying for the job.  I’m having lunch with one on Monday to talk about it.  I’m not sure at all what I’m going to say - the same situation happened recently with another position we were hiring for, and I found myself being asked by another acquaintance if I thought she should apply.

I truly wish I could just put up a sign in front of my face that said “Closed for Advice.”   I’ve spent a lot of time figuring out (not alone - you know who you are!) what exactly irks me about this place, to the point that I feel I could write a thesis on it, equipped with graphs, diagrams, and extreme detail in the effect of subpoints of subpoints.  But as I look back on my 3 years here, it wasn’t that bad of a job.  I had some great political epiphanies, met some truly wonderful people, was inspired, and even perfected some professional skills that will help me out in the future.  On the other hand, I harbor some intense ethical problems with how the place operates and treats its employees.  I’ve noted some fundamental traits of the organizational makeup that confirm it’s just not the place for me.  I clash greatly with some of the personalities.

So what do I have to say to someone thinking of applying to work here?  My greatest fear is to do a disservice to someone for whom working here would be a perfect fit.  But I also fear neglecting to share my experience and risking someone going through the same realizations I did.  I find it hard to see the positions and organization as a whole objectively in order to give my opinion as to whether or not someone should apply.

I feel stuck.  Perhaps I should just focus on the concrete parts of the job and organization to offer the people trying to decide if they should apply (you know, the stuff everyone would agree on), and hold back my in-depth analysis of what its downfalls are.  After all, most organizations have their negative points, and everything is a work in progress.   I’m just seeing them, on my way out, so clearly that it’s hard to be objective.  But I’ll try.