Dealing with Campers

I wanted to continue some thoughts on finding a job. I recently received a letter from my friend Ginger who is writing an article on "I'll do Anything" I know we all hear that statement a lot so I wanted to your take on how you deal with this issue of a person who says I'll do anything and refuses everything.

I am in the process of writing an article for my monthly newspaper column and it's about what do you say to clients when they say "I'll do ANYTHING!" or "I can do ANYTHING!" I e-mailed several of my co-workers who I know will give me some good stuff, and it was hysterical what they end up saying to clients in order to get them to think forward you know, beyond the ANYTHING answer. My favorite one that I got back was, the Project Director says, "REALLY!" Then she takes off her watch and hands it to them and says, "Go ahead and fix this would you, because it has been running really slow for the last few weeks." That is such an immediate response, and it is a great visual. There were other answers that actually were unique to the Project Director's geographical region which was very interesting. Anyway, its a thought. I was going to gear my article to enrollees and give them examples of what "ANYTHING" looks like and how they need to narrow their initial focus to realistic jobs for themselves.
Ginger CA

How does one deal with a customer who says "I can do anything"? Well, rather than make a joke of it, first recognize that these may be the words of a person desperate to do anything to get back in the workplace. They might also be the words of someone who is clueless, but thinks the world of himself or herself. Once you have acknowledged the desperation, separate it from the discussion of skills. Then you can focus on the potential to match skills and interests with available jobs. Ask the person how he or she would BEGIN a job search for someone who can do anything. Just realizing that there is no appropriate job category can often bring the applicant closer to reality. Once you're back on the right track, it's ok to ask some more focusing questions like "What computer experience have you had?" or "How about a job working with a Septic Tank Company". In these situations I tell a story about my old office and it's most challenging placement. A young woman had successfully completed a course to be a hairdresser. She did very well, but was having trouble finding work because most of the work was in salons and she hated listening to "yappy women" all day. So where does one place a hairdresser who hates to listen to women? She created her own job working for several area funeral homes.....her customers rarely talk

back!
What this story illustrates is that the narrower the skill set, the easier it is for a job developer to home in on potential employers. Polly Windels

A friend of mine has a large fish bowl behind his desk filled with small slips of paper, (about the size of fortune cookie paper). When a person tells him that they can do anything, he lets them draw one piece of paper from the bowl, each piece of paper has a occupation on it, and then he explains that is how they are going to make their career choice and tries to send them for a interview as a ____________. This gets to them and they start thinking about what they can and will do. Dan

What I like to is ask, "If you had your DREAM JOB, what would it be?"
Sometimes I have to explain that it would most likely be along the lines
of something that they really like doing, but most of the times folks
get the theme and go with it.

Fred Goodwin KY

We used to have an employer called "Johnny on the Spot." Their main function was the placement, removal, and cleaning of porta-johns. I have often asked people if this is the job they'd like to do. This gets their attention and then we can talk more realistically about what they can "see" themselves doing. Alice D

one my favorite topics...I have several ways of dealing with this concept...depending on the individual......I'll do anything, I'll go anywhere" I'll even shovel ca-ca" this was taken from a real life story of an individual who was making 20 dollars an hour as a roofer(construction) when i saw him in the late eighties. he was on ga (general assistance) getting 79 dollars a month with about 56 dollars in food stamps.....i was doing a work assessment job club component assignment.....I had three roofing job leads for him...within 5 miles of his residence....he said he couldn't take the job leads...he was going to meetings...what kind of meetings? cocaine anonymous and alcoholics anonymous....I'LL GO ANYWHERE ...I'LL DO ANYTHING" MEANS I'LL GO NOWHERE AND I'LL DO NOTHING.......A MONTH OR SO LATER.....HE WENT TO PICKAWAY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY(NEAR COLUMBUS) FOR DISTRIBUTING drugs w/i 1000 ft. of an elementary school...he went somewhere.....pick away....he did something.....8 years....... otherwise I tell my job club...."i know what you mean.....labor...of some kind...but that's not what the employer or potential employer wants to hear".....give them what they want....demonstrate focus...with actual job titles or areas of interest(construction laborer).....them i tell them...should you want me or others to help you in your job search....how can i look for "ANYTHING" AND WHERE DO I FIND IT.?.......help me and the rest of the job club class to help you by telling us "what you are really want to do or can do."...further i tell them that the SHOTGUN APPROACH to job searching is the wrong approach and a waste of time......hope this helps...

so I'll throw in another...my co-worker...would say...how about brain surgery...DO YOU DO BRAIN SURGERY?.........IT HAS AN EFFECT.....the truth is ...when you are multi-skilled or multi talented.....you can let the employer or potential employer know this during the job interview....Len

MY SERIOUS SIDE SAYS: The above statement is a total turn off, the person is not sincere, they are beyond needy, and possibility of the type to walk all over the backside of you, if given the chance. This is my first thought when I read that statement.

Let's start you on cleaning my two bathrooms, wash my truck and then when you are done, I have for you, all the sheep to feed, dogs, cats, and pens to clean out. J Patty M

The first thing that came to mind is, "I understand you're basically applying for a customer service/sales associate/cashier position (in retail), but you say you're willing to do anything. Then that means you're willing to clean the toilets and empty the big trash bins too--GREAT! Because we need someone to do that right now! When can you
start?! JC in CA

Great Idea, you those folks have the initial drive & excitement to get employment, & if they could find what they were really interested in, and could do, we probably would not see them back in the office to much. mt

Without being cruel, "will do anything", reminds me of the people that I always see on the street with their little cardboard sign that says, "will work for food". My sister once offered one of them food, but they said that they really only wanted cash. Anyway, I don't think that I have ever seen "will do anything", as a job objective on a resume, so let's tell that to our customers and let them know that they can present themselves better by being a little more specific. Unless they want to mow my lawn.

I often get this response from youth. I immediately take them to our "job board", (posted listings from all the local papers and any other listings that employers send to us), and start working through the descriptions. "Would you carry bricks, would you scrape gunk off the bottom of boats for 8 hours, would you pick out shrimp meat, would you scrape peoples' teeth?" This is a "real" reality check! To help them get a handle on what they really mean, we discuss their work "values", (what motivates them to work) and then go through the job board listings again. We eliminate everything they would not do, and then discuss (in much more realistic terms) what they need to do to apply for the remaining jobs.

Well, one thing I've learned is to NEVER (such a teenage word) put anyone's answer down in front of anyone else. Sooooo, make sure that -- if you are going to "make 'em wrong" it better be one-on-one AND in a playful (not serious, furrowed eyebrow thing) way that maintains their dignity.

In front of a classroom? I'd say. "Oh, THANK YOU for that answer, it was the one I was looking for to help me illustrate a very important point -- glad you're in my class today! You know, that was my answer a while back. I really, really needed to impress upon my potential employer that I was THE person they could depend on. And I was really serious, passionate and READY to get going and do what was needed to be done. I kinda forgot that the interviewer just wanted to know that I could do what she NEEDED to be done. Soooooo, after she told me that, I was ready for the next interview. I remembered to still be serious, passionate and READY, but this time, I focused on what THEY NEEDED. So, this time I was able to meet THEIR NEEDS. Wow. It worked a lot better."

The illustration has worked wonders for me in a participant-based classroom. Everyone gets to maintain their dignity and I get to put a point out there without hurting anybody's feelings. Steve

Hope the new year is going well for you. In answer to this dilemma I use humor. First I cajole the client with "oh yeah, that's what everybody says". If they continue I tell them about some openings at the local zoo, cleaning up the elephants stalls. The client laughs and amazingly they come up several things they'd like to do. They get the point and I makes them think.

I try to explain that while being willing to do anything certainly shows eagerness it makes the interviewer work too hard (trying to find the right job) and that interviewers will hire someone else rather than put in the effort to figure out what the client is best at. Rick S

People who say they will "do anything" appear to be desperate or overstated!
In the case of our enrollees, desperate. I say something like this.....I know you are willing to take just about any job as you really want to work, however this is your opportunity to really concentrate on a career not just a job. Let's look at choices, let's think about career ladders, let's think about the quality of the day-to-day duties of the job....not just the money.

Think about meaningful work, job satisfaction, the type of goods or services of the company and the type of people you with which you will be associating.

Now, you may be able to do anything, but you really don't mean that you WANT to do anything...not this time. This time, we can launch a new path, a new direction, a new beginning, a new you! This time will be different. This time it will be "I can consider just about anything but I will concentrate on the type of job that the BEST for me, in my BEST interest, the one that gives me the BEST change for a future!" Thanks, Ruth

"I just want a job, any job!" is the response we hear most when asked what is it you would like to do? Then we ask what is your dream job? We then explain to our customers that we don't want you to take just any job. The next job you get will be a career move or a start of career. We assure them we are in it for the long haul. Avoid the "boomerang effect" follow the recipe of finding, securing, and keeping the job. Tim S

This is how I would respond to the job seeker who says "I'll do
anything!": You have just put yourself into the "DON'T CONSIDER" pile
joining all those people who didn't meet the requirements for the
primary duties of the job. WHY you ask? Because the "I'll do anything"
comment impacts your credibility. You are saying that you will lie on
the interview, misrepresent your qualifications and that you will also
take any wage for the tasks that you are asked to perform on this job.

The focus should be on the unique skills and experience that you can
bring to the position. Tell the employer what it is that you do to
merit a salary. Presenting to an employer what you can really achieve
is the primary key to success. The employer knows how long you have
been unemployed by your application, by his own background check, by
your own answers to questions. By saying "I'll do anything", you have
also lost any control of the interview that you may have had. A
successful interview is not just answering questions well, but also
taking responsibility for the tone of the interview and where it ends.
While not all great interviews end in a job offer, desperation
demonstrates our inability to handle stress. Is this a message we want
to send to a prospective employer? No. What ever the question may be,
the answer should always be how you work and what you can accomplish on
the job. Penny Balint

I hear this every day. It's a result of being told you "must" get a job, or else............

What do you most like to get paid for doing ?
What is your 'ideal' job?
What have you done in the past that you're proud of?
Do you have any goals in mind?
What do YOU think you're good at
And/or, of course, "who told you that?"

All of this opens up the conversation and gives the job seeker permission to express their true feelings, not being compromised by the "you must" message

client: "i'll do anything!"
worker: "anything?"
client: "yes!"
worker: "Then I'd like you to go to the Laundromat
and wash your jacket and put it back on when it is
dry. then you can take this voucher for a FREE
haircut and have them shampoo it at the same time.
take this bag of personal hygiene items and use them
to brush your teeth, shave, apply deodorant... then
go and apply for some jobs."
for some reason the clients i have had to tell this
to cannot do it. maybe you can tell me why! Cher

I sure do hear this a lot. And I usually open with one or a combination of these: 1. I ask them if they can do anything, then why are they now, not doing something? 2. Great! I have a wonderful opportunity just for you as a janitor cleaning restrooms... And/or 3. Let's look at the classifieds and some job web pages, and "search" for the job title "anything" to see what we can find. I try to stimulate some thinking that - they must decide what they want to do, not me.