Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/981887
48 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2018 a very tough call, but I believe it should be considered. Another thing that I have wondered about is the actual application processes. Since I just came out of a period of looking for work, I've become a guru at applying for jobs. You might think that using modern online technology to apply for jobs would be simple and easy. The reality, however, is very different. It seemed like every application I submitted had a different set of hoops that I had to jump through. Some required an attached resume, while others forced you to manually input all your personal information. Still others wanted both a resume and manual entry of personal information, and that was just the first part of the process. Each application also had different ques- tions, forms, and surveys to go through, and sometimes I would have to go back to cer- tain pages because I had missed answer- ing a specific question or neglected checking an obscure box. It made me wonder if job candidates have inadvertently dropped through the cracks because they didn't fill out something correctly. Wouldn't it be tragic for a company that is looking for a qualified PCB designer to miss out on a stellar candidate simply because the applicant missed one of the check boxes on the online form, automati- cally disqualifying their application? I'm sure it happens. The last recommendation that I would make to hiring managers would be to embrace all applicants regardless of age. It is obvious that you need to position your company for growth, and that means staffing young people who will grow with the company. On the other hand, there is a wealth of experience out there that you shouldn't ignore either. This, again, is one of those tough calls. But consider this: According to a recent Employee Tenure Summary published by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer is 4.2. This means that sta- tistically, the young people that you hire to grow with your company will end up leaving you before they put in five years. As you drill usually doesn't get the acknowledgement and praise that it deserves. But maybe, just maybe, you could help yourself by rethinking the job requirements for the next position to open a wider range of applicants for the job. I know skillful designers who have been turned down for a position because they don't have experience on a specific design technol- ogy, or time on a certain CAD tool. Some of these people have years and years of experi- ence in multiple design technologies, creat- ing some of the most intricate printed circuit boards that you can imagine, but they were turned down. There is certainly a need to find people with specific knowledge and skill sets, but the more you narrow the job requirements, the more likely you are to miss out on a real treasure of an employee. If the job requirement is specifically for someone to design RF circuits using brand X software and this job must be produc - ing results in the next couple of months, of course you should be searching for some- one with those qualifications. If, however, you are simply increasing the staff of your design department because of anticipated growth, perhaps you shouldn't have such a tight focus on specific design experience or software skills. If your requirements are so narrow that you weed out all but those who can do one specific task, you may be miss - ing out on someone who would have been better at doing that task once they had a little time to learn y our processes. This might be I know skillful designers who have been turned down for a position because they don't have experience on a specific design technology, or time on a certain CAD tool.