Psycho-Babble Work Thread 745492

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To help a friend or not?

Posted by saturn on March 30, 2007, at 15:06:11

I have the opportunity to help a good friend get a badly needed job. I can't guarantee it, but I could give them a very helpful advantage by mentioning his name or just by simply giving him the heads-up that the position is available.

But I am always reminded of the edict "No good deed goes unpunished".

I have worked with my friend professionally. He is hard-working and talented. He also has a propensity toward being late and sometimes "misunderstood". He may fit in perfectly, and I would definitely deem him professional, but I cannot know for sure that problems may not arise.

Here are my options:

A. Do nothing, say Nothing: If I choose this, eventually my friend will learn that I had the opportunity to help but in fact did not. This is inevitable.

B. If I even just tell my friend of the position, I will invariably be asked for my professional assessment of them, which puts me in a difficult spot in terms of what to say. Then if he becomes hired and there are any problems, this will reflect upon me.

Lose-Lose Situation?

I always appreciate bouncing ideas off other babblers. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks...Peace...Saturn.

Re: To help a friend or not? » saturn

Posted by Poet on April 5, 2007, at 21:37:50

In reply to To help a friend or not?, posted by saturn on March 30, 2007, at 15:06:11

Hi Saturn,

I would give him the heads up that the position is available, but not mention his name to anyone. If he's qualified he hopefully will get an interview and he'll be asked how he heard about the job. He could even list you in his cover letter as referring. Then it't not like he's listing you as a reference, he's just saying he knows you and the inference is you know him and think he might be a good fit.

If he's a real good friend and he gets an interview you might mention that being on time is crucial to this job. Maybe he'll take the hint.

Poet

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