I recently came across a front-page article in my local paper about how prospective employees, new hires, and job candidates, are “ghosting” employers by not showing up for scheduled interviews, for the first day of work, or for training (Ghosting the workplace: Applicants skip interviews, no-show first day (dispatch.com)).
How rude, right?
EXCEPT … why wasn’t this ever making headlines when the shoe was on the other foot?
In the Way-Back Machine, when I was in a job search, I was constantly frustrated by the “black hole” of applying online for open positions, only to be “ghosted” by those employers. I would tailor my resume to the specifics of the posting, carefully weave in as many keywords as possible, sweat over writing the cover letter that ticked off all their boxes, and promptly send in an exceptional application package. If I was lucky, I would receive a robo-message promising me that a hiring manager would be in touch with me shortly.
But mostly it would be crickets. I could have counted on one hand the number of employers that “actually” acknowledged — let alone read — my application, cover letter, and resume. They didn’t call it “ghosting” back then, but that’s what it was. And it ate away at my morale, incentive, trust, and any feelings of benevolence towards any employer. And it wasn’t just “me;” I’ve heard anecdotally of many other people out there discouraged and exasperated by the silent treatment.
After reading the ghosting article, I thought it was interesting that it warranted front-page attention. I get that the economy is tilting now in favor of the worker and so, in addition to supply chain and distribution disruptions, businesses are truly with their backs to the wall in terms of serving customers and making profits. But what would have served all those employers and employees was a course that any Developmental Professional could have taught.
What Development Pros know, intrinsically, is that it’s just bad business to not return a phone call or email promptly. They also understand — and could teach those business owners — that the world is small but people’s memories are long, and short-changing someone in the manners department may come back to bite you. They understand that ANYone could be your next Big Donor, and that ALL individuals (the people your nonprofit serves, your volunteers, the man on the street) could be inspired to give to your cause. And they also know that the $10 donation today could turn into $10 million someday, you just never know. They know better than to ghost somebody.
Dev Pros were “raised right.” Their mamas taught them common courtesy and good manners, but also EMPATHY – how it FEELS to get ghosted. I betcha a million bucks that there’s no Development Professionals worth their salt out there who were The Class Bully. In fact, they were probably best friends with the geeks or weirdos who went on to be Most Likely To Succeed. They’re now asking those Most Likely’s for donations, and their best instincts back in school are serving them well. Because they always understood what it means to walk in the other guy’s shoes, what makes people feel bad, and what makes them feel good.
What makes people feel good is helping a cause they are passionate about. The best Dev Pros, therefore, are not “afraid” to ask donors for money. They get that they’re not asking for a handout, they’re actually facilitating the donor’s deepest desires, to make the world a better place. Understanding how great it feels to make a transformational gift, and realizing all the steps are needed to get there (including making the donor feel heard, treating them with the respect they deserve, and being responsive) is a Dev Pro’s stock in trade. Businesses and employees, take note!
So please, whether you’re an employer or employee, please let’s treat each other the same way we would like to be treated — with respect, understanding, and a return phone call! Just ask a Development Professional how it’s done!
