Experience, Experience, Where Art Thou Wisdom?

One of the fundamental blocks to success is experience; experience which is gained through repetition, exposure to new methods, or involvement in different disciplines. The ways to learn, grow, and perfect vary depending on the person and their circumstances. But sharing experiences is human nature—passing down knowledge, mentoring and guiding. It’s how we evolve. But it seems that the culture of the day has forgotten—or rather ignores—this active form of participation in the advancement of the greater good. I’m talking specifically about the employer/employee relationship, most specifically in the marketing industry.

I’ve always been a believer in self-employment; being your own boss and building your own dream. However, I recognize the value of job security, shared responsibility, and most importantly, condensed experience. There is also value in playing a role in someone else’s dream; to use your skill in service to those who lack it, and to exchange the best each has to offer for the sake of a shared vision. To care about the job you are tasked with.

Once upon a time, I would’ve called it naïve to view this relationship with such altruism. A job is simply something you suffer through to get that paycheck. It’s something you endure for the sake of growth and experience. It’s paying your dues, and few are lucky enough to actually enjoy going to work. That’s the reality of it.

The reality of it is that the industry will always side with the employer. No matter the salary, no matter the position, and no matter the perks, the employer should be getting the better end of the deal. After all, they assume the most risk and responsibility. Moreover, there is way more talent than there are vacancies, so candidates will have to compete to impress. And talent and potential aren’t measurable metrics; experience is.   

But the reality is also that with enough capital and few connections, incompetence can crown itself as CEO. Even though they lack the proper leadership skills, they assume the role. They neglect what they owe to the talent under their care. They understand the language of money instead of the value of art. They break the curve of standards, tarnish the employee/employer dynamic, and break the trust.

So far, this is what I’ve seen and heard happen, repeatedly and without fail:

1. Endless recruitment process only to be ghosted instead of rejected.
2. The advertised position turns out to be misleading, and the responsibilities do not match the title.
3. The “what is your expected salary” trap.
4. The demand for assessment even after they’ve seen previous experience and portfolio.
5. No clear hierarchy within the agency.
6. Understaffed and overworked.
7. Broken promises.
8. “Remote work” means one or two days a week working from home.
9. No vacation days until after a year.  
10. Money worship where talent and creativity are disposable for the sake of client appeasement.

But the biggest, most ridiculous violation of all is the lack of a proper contract. It does not make sense, at least to me, how it’s expected to accept employment without a legally binding contract, with clearly stated responsibilities and benefits. A bullet list of employee duties in an email is not enough to qualify by my standards.

But even well-established and reputable agencies, those that only check out some of the items on the list above, are abusing this power gap between them and their talent. They forget that talent needs to be nurtured and invested in. It needs to be appreciated and recognized. Instead of filing a vacancy through recruitment, they should promote one of their own. If there is no one qualified, then they assume the responsibility of having failed to nurture one—to provide the experience necessary for growth. Instead of expecting talent to go above and beyond, they should motivate and incentivize. Instead of waiting for experienced talent to show up, ready and polished, they should take a chance on the eager talent banging on their door. 

But it appears that agencies don’t feel the need to respect their part of the relationship anymore. It seems they are under the impression that talent, real talent, will settle for this kind of mistreatment and mediocrity forever. Talent endures, bides its time, but it does not settle. It survives the worst of circumstances, and these are the worst of them, and then channels it to turn things around. So, by all means, keep pushing. Because the lower you place the standard, the easier it becomes to surpass it.