I am conducting a class this week on Professional Image Management and I wanted students to come in their formal suit – that is, come to class wearing what they would wear to job interviews.

I received an email today from one student:

“Dear Mr. Pang,

Would all of us need to wear business suits on Wednesday lesson?
Since some of us need to attend training at the Industrial Centre on that day, wearing business suits may make us inconvenient.”

Sure. Bringing along a set of business suit can be rather inconvenient. I can image the need for a large bag to keep the suit and shirt, another bag to carry a belt, shoes and socks. And perhaps another bag for comb, hair gel, shaver, etc.

But I think the issue here is not the physical inconvenience but what’s underlying.

The issue is with the attitude.

In my personal encounter with job-hunters, one particular behaviour/attitude makes me think of leeches.

This type of job-hunters exhibit the following attributes:

1. No or little value proposition. This means that they are out in the market looking to be hired but they have not (or perhaps unwilling) shown that they can contribute in a tangible way to the organization.
2. Obsessed with pay, working hours, and or training. Don’t get me wrong. These are valid concerns. But companies hire people to solve the companies’ problems not the job-hunters’. So, if the priority of the job-hunter is how much the pay will be, what the working hours are like and what kind of training is available, without first considering what the company needs and how s/he can contribute, then s/he is an overtly “selfish” worker. Question is this: Why should companies hire people like this?
3. Concerned only with own benefit. Undoubtedly, most people work for money. Some work for status. This is perhaps a form of slavery which is unseen. Very few people do work which is their calling and life mission. For these people, there is no difference between work and life. As such, what “work-life balance”?? Anyway, for the average employee who is only out looking for a job because of the money, the concern naturally is about how the world can pay their bills, buy them meals, afford them houses, etc. Again, they are concerned only with what they want and what they need and everyday is an opportunity to pursue more of that.

In simple terms, this type of job-hunters want something for nothing. They are not willing to give but very ready to take.

If hired, such employees take the life out of organizations instead of giving it life. This is the very reason why I am reminded of leeches.