The Danger of Hiring Stars

  • Comments posted to this topic are about the content posted at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/dpoole/the

  • SO glad to see someone evaluate moving jobs in this way - it just makes a whole lot of sense.  In over 30 years in IT I've moved for the right reasons and once for the wrong reason - BAD time had by my family as a result!  It's likely been said by many before, but "I work to live, not live to work" and "there are few on their deathbed who wish they could have spent more time in the office!" - I'll be one who looks back and is glad that the answers to David's questions in my life meant much happiness, less stress, respect from many peers, sufficient income and lots of fun (even at work!).

    Yes, take David's questions seriously and enjoy life AND work - the two aren't mutually exclusive.

  • Hi there

    Great article and brings a lot of relevent questions into play.

    Cheers

    Ck


    Chris Kempster
    www.chriskempster.com
    Author of "SQL Server Backup, Recovery & Troubleshooting"
    Author of "SQL Server 2k for the Oracle DBA"

  • Good article

    And dual monitors are great. I feel claustrophobic without them.

  • So many truths so eloquantly expressed.

    One item missing is mention of the way that organisations can change too, often for the worse .

    I work for a company that used to be a great place to work, I really loved working there.  Now that the company is struggling to identify its marketplace correctly  it has changed.  Instead of being a friendly open, honest place it all rigid, hidebound, hierarchial and secretive.  That this change has occured faster than the staff could change has created a situation where leaving is now the only option.  The company now has no loyalty to its customer or to its staff let alone the idea of the staff having loyatly to the company.

    Obviously I can't say who I currently work for, but I work in England for a big US company that recently abandoned its heritage marketplace after 130 years.

    My CV is in the post, so keep and eye out for it huh? 

  • Been there, done that.

    In any organisation, be it social, business or what ever there seems to be four types of people.

    1. Inspirational and dynamic.
    2. The willing workers.
    3. People along for the ride.

    An organisation gets founded by type(1) with the help of type (2).  Type (1) keep new ideas coming.

    Type(1) moves on and the organisation ticks along in the charge of type (2).

    Eventually type(2) run out of steam and with no Type(1) to supply ideas the organisation begins to stagnate.

    Type(2) moves on and the people in charge are now Type(3).  Any type(1) coming into the organisation is seen as a threat and will be crushed and so the organisation slowly disintegrates.

    Short of a fifth column insurgence of type(1) the organisation will eventually fail.

  • David,

         Your piece about the 3 types in an organization is some of the best stuff (for lack of a better word) that I have come across in a long time.  I even passed it along to several of my co-workers as I find in our organization that we have many persons that easily fall into 1 of these types.

     

    Ed

    Kindest Regards,

    Just say No to Facebook!
  • A very interesting and well put article.

    Quite relevant to myself as I have just moved company having been at my previous one for 7 years. It was a big move to make and I would like to think that being in my late thirties I have had enough life experience to take a lot of the considerations in the article into account. I doubt whether I would have many years ago.

    I spent over 9 months looking for the correct role, rather than just jump ship for the sake of it, taking into consideration travelling, company future, people, career directon etc. Too early to say yet, but so far it has been very worthwhile making the move.

    So as David states, take all factors into consideration and best of luck if you do.

    Paul R Williams.

  • Excellent perspective!  Thank you.


    Regards,

    Mike

  • "In Britain this changed in the 1980's in the era of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan."

    Your slip is showing...

  • Personally, I like my 3 monitors. Gotta have Outlook on the small one.

  • I thought this article would be about employing someone super bright from the title. While the content was interesting and revealing it seemed to skit the issue.

  • In what way Jamie, what were you looking for?

     

  • The three axioms... Can you do the job, do you want to and will you fit in? This was very succinct and so true. The star does the first two hands down. What about the third criteria? How do the other staff members feel about being shown up? Does this make for good teams or does it cause in fighting and make the team implode? Is it a good idea hiring a star if this is true? How would a star hide his potential, in the interview, to rip to the team apart? Perhaps it has something to do with making everyone around you look good. How would you convince someone you were a team player when you wanted the glory for yourself? PS sorry about the bad spelling (no chance of showing anyone up here!)

  • Nice article for sure. It just makes plain sense to tackle these questions and get good advice from others before making a major decision to switch jobs. The reasons you may want to switch jobs might not stand up to these questions once you think about it. My family and I have always considered these questions before deciding to move on, and it has helped tremendously.

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