Many businesses have jobs that range from less desirable to who would want that job? Of course, it is always a matter of perspective. Executives sometimes look at blue-collar jobs with disdain, even forgetting the similar ones they held during the earlier stages of their career path. Hourly workers often regard their bosses with similar doubts as to why anyone would put up with the hours, always being on call, and being held responsible for every mistake anyone makes. The reality is that human beings are as different as jobs.
A Genius for Routine
A metal stamping and machining company produced parts for golf carts. One of those parts was a one-inch chrome bar 18 inches long with holes on each end for a plastic button. The operator of the machine press picked up the bar and inserted a plastic button in the hole. She then placed the end of the bar into the machine press, activating the press which secured the button to the bar. She then repeated that process with the other end of the bar, placing the finished piece into a bin. After that, it was repeat and repeat and repeat…with hundreds of bars. This was her job, day after day. It was a job that she did without errors and with high efficiency. She was always smiling and happy when she came in, during the day and when she left at the end of the day. She had a genius for routine. She had the hard-wired traits and abilities that were perfect for that job. Most executives and virtually all MENSA members would certainly lose fingers within their first week.
People who learn quickly struggle with routine, and therefore cannot imagine anyone else mastering it. People who thrive on change and innovation, struggle with performing a single task consistently and cannot imagine anyone seeking out and embracing such a job. People who easily handle details and carefully plan each day are amazed by those who spontaneously bounce from one thing to the next, reacting to whatever is happening. One person’s strength is another’s weakness, depending upon the situation.
DATA provides the means for describing the critical factors of any job so that they can be easily identified in job candidates. The greater the difference between the recruiter and the job in question, the greater the difficulty in recognizing the “right ones” for the job. DATA bridges that gap and opens up extraordinary opportunities for more effective staffing.