Purpose Driven Recruitment

Employee is internally motivated if s/he is in a job aligned to his purpose in life, purpose driven recruitment makes this possible.

Being an HR professional for 2 decades, I have crossed paths with employees who can make your sunny day gloomy. They are late for work, unproductive, unhappy with what they have and complains a lot.

The behaviour of these employees are like cancer cells that can infect other employees.

How do we decipher these people during interview? If we already have these people on board, how do we handle them?

There are several factors that can contribute to the decline of employees productivity and motivation, but for purposes of this discussion we shall be limiting our focus on a person’s work attitude, motivation and productivity in relation to his calling or purpose in life.

One of the probable cause why employees are unhappy and unproductive is either they boarded the wrong bus, or they maybe on the right bus but seated in a wrong seat.

Employee productivity is directly related to his interest, which is an indicator whether he is in sync with his calling. Motivation, enthusiasm satisfaction and enjoyment are other indicators.

WHAT IS A PURPOSE IN LIFE?

A “purpose in life” is also called “destiny” or “calling”. These words are being used interchangeably but mean the same thing– God’s plan for a person. Likewise, a calling is not a religious term used for those preparing for priesthood or pastoral work.

GOD’S PLAN IS TWO-FOLD

1. A call to be with God (character building)
2. A call to service or to add value to others (career/profession)

A CALL TO BE WITH GOD

The best person to mold our character is the Divine Being.

(1) We are created in “His image”.

Of all creation, only human beings were molded in God’s hand and received life from the breath of God

(2) We are created to be with “God”

It used to be, the Garden of Eden is the regular bonding place of God and man. Inspite and despite the changes of time, God still intends to bond with men.

A CALL TO SERVICE

When unborn child is conceived, “gifts” are already given. Some people called it “talents”, others called it “anointing”, and still others called it “genetically encoded skills”.

The gifts given to each one are meant to address a “need” or “problem” of individuals and/or organizations. The exercise of these gifts builds people directly and indirectly. Wealth is also generated in the practice of these gifts.

Gifts are also meant to validate one’s claim of calling. For example, a man can not claim that his purpose is to be a motivational speaker yet, during talks, his audience falls into slumber.

The gifts can be misused, that’s why the first calling is important.

HOW DO I KNOW MY CALLING?

Your calling is between you and your creator. Nobody else can know that, not your parents or friends or even spouse. Most of the time, God creates a desire or gives an idea so the person has something to start with. The more a person submits to the initial leading, the more s/he gets direction and his destiny becomes clear and apparent.

God’s plan is based on what he saw in your future. Because of this, your relationship with the Divine Being and the knowledge of His Word matters.

I have seen relatives and friends wasted 4-6 years of their youth completing a college degree not of their liking. It is true that they graduated. But either they ended in a different career or spend additional 2-3 years of studies to complete a discipline of their choice.

We allow other people to make choices for us. We please the people we love. But sometimes, we got lost along the way and at the end we are no longer sure of what we really want.

We live in a society that puts big emphasis on branding. We classify certain products as high or low end. Though the components are one and the same, the “brand” determines the price and standing of the product. The job force are also branded based on the university they came from. Either they come from “reputable ” or “not so reputable” school. People are also branded based on ones background and past– where we are from (family, social status, school, community). Branding is what society wants for a person.

What people wants can be in conflict with God’s plan in a person’s life.

When God placed a desire in a person’s heart, His basis is the future. Regardless of a person’s backgorund, the Divine can still give a good future.

God given desires goes with fire and passion to keep a person focused and motivated.

If one is in sync with his calling, this will strengthen him in times of hardship, and remain focused and motivated even in defeat.

Man has a choice, then, who to believe– God, thru his calling. Or people, based on what others think of him and want him to be.

I know the plans I have for you, announces the Lord. I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIrV)

Lets go back to our original question?

How do we decipher applicants who are not aligned in his calling during interview? What are the indicators?

• People who regularly change careers
• People who can’t stay for at least 2 years in one company
• People who completed a degree or pursued a career per desire of family and peers.
• In some extent, people with issues on time and money.

If we already have these people on board, how do we handle them?

• Counselling and coaching
• change of environment and/or work assignment
• termination is the last option, if chronic non performer