This one is for my students

As I scanned my inbox and the twelve new messages it contained, one e-mail immediately grabbed my attention.  The subject line simply contained the name of a person I used to work with in the business world, let’s call him Joe.  Immediately upon seeing Joe’s name, certain attributes popped into my head.

Very smart.  Great initiative.  Hard working.  Willing to help others out.

A friend sent me the e-mail, asking for my opinion on whether he should hire Joe.  My reply?  Absolutely not.  More on that in a bit.

College seniors are currently in their final semester, and a huge priority for most of them is finding a job.  During this semester, I will be asked by many students for recommendation letters and to be a reference for them when they send out resumes.  I will also be asked by many employers if I know of any students looking for jobs.  I want to share what I consider when I receive those requests, because I take those requests very seriously.  Why?  When I tell an employer to hire a student, that employer’s trust in me will increase if I refer a student who then performs well, and that employer will ask me to make recommendations of more students.

Perhaps more than anything, I look for dedication.  According to the anonymous quote, “The world is run by those who show up.”  I have seen firsthand that one can do a lot with someone who shows up for work, everyday.  My dad modeled that lesson for me early in life, and as a result, I have taken one sick day in 17 years of work.  Just last year, a company asked me to recommend a student for an interesting job that would pay a starting salary of $55,000.  I was about to recommend a student for that job, but the student promptly skipped two consecutive classes.  Needless to say, I did not recommend that student.

While it is fantastic if someone shows up every day, it is important what do they do when they are at work.  Thus, another key thing I look for is students who will make their employer’s lives easier.  I believe they can do this through a combination of initiative, ownership, and desire to learn.  Are they just putting in their time, or are they engaged and trying to contribute?  I have a current student who brims with excitement and energy every time he is in class.  He discusses how to solve problems with other students before, during, and after class.  His homework always appears done to the best of his ability.  He consults a variety of resources when working on tough projects.  I imagine that he will be the type that thrives in the work world by taking ownership of projects and exceeding expectations.  Needless to say, this student does not need me to recommend him for a job; he was scooped up a long time ago.

Effective and respectful communication skills are also key.  Over e-mail, can the person get their point across in a clear, concise, and courteous manner?  In person, does the person communicate when necessary, do they dominate conversations, or are they completely silent?  People don’t have to speak up regularly, but they need to speak up when it matters.  I recall how just last year I was really struggling how to explain a concept in one of my classes.  It was frustrating for my students and excruciating and embarrassing for me.  A student came up to me after class and explained how she solved the problem.  I have used her explanation ever since to teach the tough concept in a much clearer manner, and I feel gratitude for her helping me out.

I also examine how students get along with others.  When I see a student who always sits by themselves during class and never converses with others, it raises a red flag.  Why aren’t they reaching out to their classmates?  It makes me question how they will get along in a team environment.

Another trait I look for is integrity.  Everyone, including me, will use poor judgment at times.  However, repetitive poor judgment is a big warning sign.  If I sense that a student would not be honest with their employer or future co-workers, I won’t even think about recommending them.  As for students who let me know that I gave them too high of a score on a quiz or test, well, those are the type of students I would want on my team.

I also look favorably on students who show a high level of personal responsibility.  I am impressed by those who are hard on themselves, and do not try to deflect blame onto others.

You will notice that one thing I have not yet mentioned is intelligence.  If someone exhibits the qualities discussed above, there is a good place for them in the work world.  That doesn’t mean that I will recommend all students for all jobs.  Rather, it means that I will try to find an appropriate job for students of varying intelligence levels..

Going back to my original story, Joe exhibited most of the qualities I discussed above.  So why did I say, “Absolutely not” when my friend asked if he should hire Joe?  Joe lacked one critical quality: the willingness to receive feedback.

When Joe worked for me, he would reach a conclusion and defend his position without considering alternatives I presented that would be more beneficial to our clients.  He did not accept that I had something to teach him.  As it was difficult to give feedback to Joe, it became stressful to work with him.  Eventually, I simply quit working with Joe and gave my projects to other employees.

No one is perfect, and I believe we all have a great deal to learn from others.  However, if someone rejects these learning opportunities, they will miss out on valuable learning.  But something else will happen: others will no longer feel comfortable providing feedback, and will quickly stop doing so.

So, how do you react to feedback you receive?  Do you generally protest and argue, or perhaps react by sulking?  If you do, you are making it very awkward for others to deliver that feedback.  You will stop receiving constructive criticism, others will not want to work with you, and you still stop learning and advancing. 

I refer to this final quality as embracing criticism.  When I encounter honest students who show up every day, work hard, and embrace criticism, I feel confident in recommending them.  I will break down brick walls to help them find jobs and succeed.

I will end today with two final thoughts.  First, you may not agree with my points, and you may think I am full of crap.  That is okay, that’s your opinion.  Heck, go ahead and even let me know that, as I also need to embrace criticism.  But, if that is the case and your actions are not consistent with the qualities I discuss above, make sure you find someone else who will stand in your corner.  Because it won’t be me.

Second, I regret that I never had an honest conversation with Joe.  I never directly said, “You are a fantastic worker in most regards.  But, your unwillingness to accept criticism is causing me to not want to work with you, and I believe others will also not want not to work with you.”  I was too scared to have that conversation. 

As a professor, I believe students need to hear that message from me.   If I don’t have that tough conversation with them, who will?  So, if I ever criticize you, it is because I care.  If I do so in a manner you don’t like, by all means tell me that.  But also tell me what you learned from our discussion, because if you simply reject my criticism, I may chicken-out and quit trying to help you succeed.

I’ll end today with one of the most powerful lines from Randy Pausch’s famous Last Lecture.  “When you’re screwing up and nobody’s saying anything to you anymore, that means they gave up…when you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are your ones telling you they still love you and care.”

I know it is not easy, and I can struggle doing so myself, but do yourself a favor.  Embrace criticism.