Job Skills - was Re: Tech-support Hall of Shame

[Dustin Decker]

On Fri, 20 Sep 2002, Jason Clinton wrote:

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> Brian Densmore wrote:
> | Jeez! Just reach out and crush his hand what the big hairy deal?
> |
> 
> Oh, I suppose I'm must argueing for the sake of argument. But, in theory, if the
> premise that a person's character can be judged by a hand shake can be proven
> false, then it stands to reason that some on this list may have been wrongfully
> eliminating potential employees from the hiring pool. :) Seriously though...

I would agree that the "quality" and all other judgment calls on the 
handshake are most likely misapplied in these cases.  IMHO, if you do 
the shake it displays you're cordial, and have developed at lease some 
form of understanding of what the accepted "norm" is.

I would think that if the person doing the interview reads more into the 
handshake than is necessary they're doing themselves and the potential 
employee a great disservice.  Granted, in a few of the stodgy old boys 
clubs out there it may hold greater social relevance - but those are 
sub-sub-norms or something like that.  Folks going after jobs in that 
arena will have by that point learned how important a strong alpha-male 
handshake is.

In _our_ diverse industry, I think it's hogwash.  (Obvious old-boys 
tel-co club aside.)

if !handshake then -3 points social skills
if handshake = firm or limp then who cares.
read resume
interview well
lather, rinse, repeat.

D.
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| Dustin Decker                     |
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