THE PERFECT CANDIDATE

A Job Seeker's Adventure

My feet have barely touched Dutch soil, or I already find myself online, browsing vacancies. Ever since the entire marketing team was let go from the MAKERSTOREN at the end of last year, freelance has dried up somewhat. I failed to notice to what extent exactly, as the daily challenges of my personal life colonized most of my available brain space. The winter revolved mainly around maintaining the wood supply. Then for about six months it was all about the beasties. Now, after a three-day road trip in which I drove over 2000km in a rickety old Mazda, carrying a precious cargo of two dogs and one cat, I am home.

I need a job. Not just for the pay check, but for substance, inspiration, engagement. I want to contribute outside of my personal bubble. Ideally, I want to work in my chosen field: Communication. Preferably bi-lingual so we make optimal use of skills available. If possible, I want to work on projects involving sustainability. I want to work in a way that serves not just a single organisation, but society at large.

I spot something I think I like. It is a job as a copywriter for a company that designs and produces sustainable furniture. I check the skills and competencies list to see if I meet the requirements. I look at the specific tasks and responsibilities to get a feel of what the daily grind would be like. So far, so good. Then I read more about the job application process. It includes a personality test. Oh oh.

I am immediately put off. Yet, I can’t quite put my finger on why I feel so repulsed by it. I send a quick message to one of my cousins who I consider very clued in when it comes to themes like personality, privacy, and professionalism.  It feels a little invasive, I say. It feels a little ineffective, she says.

It feels a little invasive, I say. It feels a little ineffective, she says.

Years ago, I did the Myer Briggs test when it was suggested as part of the SoFe Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Fashion course and it partially resonated. Then I remembered reading that tests are not without risk. Criticism includes concerns about the limitations and discriminatory tendencies of many of these types of tests. I Google around for a while for the original article I am thinking of, but I can’t find it. I do see endless posts and comments listed on Reddit. The consensus there seems to be a “nope, not doing that”.

Am I being prejudiced when I lean towards not taking tests seriously? I am also a little confused that after decades of encouraging people to think outside the box and leave their comfort zones, we are now being herded back into predefined spaces. Then there is the lack of scientific methods, diversity, and inclusivity. Some criticism suggests that tests can even gather information that is unlawful, things about oneself that we are under no legal obligation to divulge.

KNOW THYSELF

I prefer the person sitting opposite me during a job interview to be a good judge of character. Someone who knows what it takes to get the job done, who fits in well with the existing team. Maybe someone with enough experience and self-awareness so they can both rationalize and trust their gut at the same time.

It is my task to know myself. To understand what amount of stretch is feasible in terms of learning and developing, and to know when I might be overreaching. I can also quickly sense if I feel at ease somewhere. Finding the right job is about finding the optimal context, a place where we can thrive.

I think back to my high school days where we were lumped into the cafeteria of our Grammar School to take a career choice test. We were one year away from having to choose what college or university to go to. I had been obsessed with becoming a journalist or writer and working in fashion since before first grade, so I did not really care for the outcome.

The test suggested an alternative career path and considered me more suited for fisherman or creative therapist.

The test suggested an alternative career path and considered me more suited for fisherman or creative therapist. I tried picturing myself managing a trawler on the open sea. After a holiday in France, I imagined running a trout pond. I was born by the sea and did always love my fishing trips with my grandfather. But I never seriously considered it as a viable career option. And I still don’t.

When I joined a group of volunteers to venture into Transylvania and work with kids back in 2008, I did find myself in the middle of a field, finger painting with a bunch of Romani toddlers. One of them was messing about with yellow and didn’t bother to clean their tiny finger before sticking it into the pot of blue paint. The look on the kid’s face when they noticed the blue streak on the white paper in front of them was slowly turning green is to this day one of my most satisfying memories. Magick. I can’t speak for the children, but I found the entire experience very therapeutic.

Ultimately, I didn’t apply for the copywriting job, because I trust in human connection over test results. I believe the right opportunity will come from people who value character, collaboration, and creativity—things that tests can’t truly map out or measure.

(After a few days of scanning vacancies, I have now discovered various additional pet peeves: Dutch texts that include English words like “shine”, vacancies where the list of what is demanded is about twice as long as what is on offer, vacancies that do not include a salary indication, recruiter vacancies where the client is not known, or where the ideal candidate described simply does not exist because they are over asking. I realize that what I considered sounded challenging and ambitious two decades ago, now sounds like an alarm bell: You are about to get squeezed….)