Have you ever worked in a grunt job? Newspaper delivery, truck loading, toilet cleaning, and “fry-side” in a 100° kitchen are a few of mine. These kinds of positions can be hot, dirty, repetitive and even dangerous. They used be the domain of high school and college students, but times have changed. Some have disappeared due to technology. Some out of concerns for security. Some are still around but assumed by adults who seek to make a full-time jobs out if them, hence the demand for a $15 per hour minimum wage.
But policy and politics aside, these jobs used to be the gateways to learning about the world of work for millions of young people. They taught us social skills, negotiating, the consequences of sloppy work, and a host of other nuances we use in our present positions. I’ve yet to meet someone who has not benefited from the problems solving skills these kind of positions taught them. Funny how that works. Most important, they taught us the basics of decision making.
Many of today’s employers lament the lack of problem solving skills among young applicants. “Where is the common sense?” they ask. The irony of this is that many of these same employers send their kids to Guatemala for a meaningful experience rather than sending them to the local fast-food restaurant for a dose of life as a grunt.
So how do we reconcile this shift in priorities? After all, the basic skills that Boomers picked up in these menial jobs appear to be in short supply. More important how do you anticipate this deficit of common sense labor and adjust your hiring and on-boarding?
Number one, test for basic problem solving skills among all applicants. The assumptions we always made about given attributes are no longer relevant.
Number two, begin with the basics. It’s one thing to know the principles of problem solving and decision making. It’s another to use them effectively. Coaching on this should begin on day one and continue until the person demonstrates competence. College degrees and good grades are not the same as a healthy dose of common sense.
Number three, compel them to think. It’s easier to just give them the answer, solve the problem or make the decision. But this enablement turns them in well-paid dependents. As my kids have been known to say, “Don’t go there.”
Want a head-start? Give each of them a copy of my book, Figure It Out! Apologies for the shameless plug, but it is the guide to everyday decision making.