Job recruiting, like many other aspects of traditional business practices these days, has gotten into the field of competitive advertising.  So, if you are in-charge of composing your job ads or position announcements you are faced with selecting the image you want to portray to potential candidates.  Often, the first inclination is to use the “pretty people” without thinking whether you are sending out the right message.

I can state this with objectivity, because I am not the target demographic let alone the gender.  But, it seems advertising for make up products and high fashion communicate the message that if you buy this product you will look like the model used in this advertisement.  If you haven’t marched down this long road of promises for yourself, let me give you a plot spoiler… you won’t… unless, of course, you started out that way to begin with. 

So, the question is… if I put the picture of a handsome guy with straight white teeth, super imposed over a beautiful golf course background, does anyone think their teeth will straighten and they will suddenly become a scratch golfer if they take a job with County government in the Desert? 

We do have a good dental plan, so it isn’t wholly fictional, but I don’t think anyone will believe their golf game can improve without a lot of practice.  Come to think of it we have so many golf courses around the Coachella Valley you won’t ever have to worry about getting a tee time.  And logically, if you don’t have to worry you won’t create all of those yucky facial wrinkles. 

Waite a minute, did I just say what I think I said... if you take a job with the County in the Desert you will become a younger-looking athlete with a beautiful smile?  Hold the presses I think I just came up with a new Branding slogan!

But seriously now, back to the World of Business and the question of whether Pretty People Run It…  I can give you one example of my own business experience, which shaped my outlook on this question.

The consulting firm I worked for in the early 90’s had a meeting with a national company to prepare a major study for them.  We knew that other consulting firms would also be vying for this contract.  I went with one of the consulting firm’s partners, Mike, to the national company’s corporate office in the Inland Empire. Although, we only arrived minutes early for our appointment, we had to wait in the reception area for over a half hour before it was our turn to meet with the regional corporate official.

When the executive’s office door finally opened out stepped two tall immaculately groomed, magazine handsome, men in dark blue fine pinstriped suits, carrying brief cases that if you saw the original price tag in a store you would flinch.   It wasn’t until the third person exited the office with the last handshake of good bye that Mike and I looked over to each other.  The third member of the consulting group was also in a dark blue suit, immaculately groomed and could have just as well stepped out of a magazine ad.  The difference was that she was a drop-dead gorgeous late 20’s blond, with a hemline slightly above the business norm. 

Now, Mike and I being from the Desert were dressed (or under dressed) in summer business casual (not exactly the coorporate uniform of choice for the greater Inland Empire as we found out).  If you looked at Mike that day you would have seen a slightly balding on top middle-age man, wearing thick lens glasses with uncontrollably curly hair, mutton chops and mustache to match.  Then there was me… not quite in the shape I am today (round is a shape isn’t it).

When we turned to look at each other, it was with the knowing resignation that we aren’t going to get this contract.  When we were finally invited into the executives office, although brief, we thought the meeting went well and the executive seemed affable enough.  He apologized for the wait, and did admit that this was his day to interview consulting firms. 

It wasn’t long after the meeting until we got the formal word from the company that they wanted to hire us to do the study.  Can you believe it, Hired!  In our very next meeting with the executive we couldn’t wait to ask the question, “Why did you select us to do the study?”  His answer came back quickly, “Your firm’s reputation, of course!”

That is the same reason I want people to choose Riverside County government jobs in the Coachella Valley.  Because of our reputation as an outstanding employer, not because we parade Pretty People in front of you.