Web of trust: trusting the untrusted

I went for an interview today, I think it went well enough although there will be a psychological evaluation to come so, that's that.

I see that there is a lot of trust involved in this process that either eases or complicates the issue. A friend recommended the job to me saying it is suitable for my skillset and a great place to work as well as suggesting me to the person in charge of filling the position. He has put his reputation on the line with two people. I trust him he is telling the truth, the hiring person trusts his judgement in recommending me.

But once in the interview, I have to trust that the person is going to fairly represent the position, opportunities and benefits, and they have to trust I am going to fairly represent myself in my ability and willingness to fulfil the requirements. If either fails, I could end up in a job very different to expected and they, with an unsuitable employee.

I see this process like meeting a person in a bar looking for a long-term relationship. If either misrepresents too heavily, it is possible to get together,but the relationship is likely doomed from the start as eventually the truth comes out. If both represent themselves well, both can say yes or no and still get what they want as suitability or not can be better evaluated. Of course, desire makes people lie.

If the person is highly attractive it can skew the view and make someone either misrepresent themselves or, be blinded by the flaws in another. Some people let the salary of the job be the only consideration but very few can work well for money alone.

The interviewer asked me for my salary expectations and I said, you know the job involved and what others earn, I do not. I will trust that you will be fair and act in good faith in what you propose. If you aren't, I will discover it soon enough as I work but at that point, you have already hired me and are stuck with me to some degree. I trust you will act in your best interest and that is also in mine.

Of course, from experience I already knew the ballpark numbers which they knew I understood. They proposed as expected. This shows me that I can keep trusting and, it shows they can keep trusting me as up until this point, we have both delivered. I prefer to start relationships from a position of trust but never blind trust, track record matters.

As I see it, I do not want to work for money alone no matter how much I might need it and, I don't want to work for a company who is willing to take advantage at the cost of their employees. When good quality relationships are formed from the get go, the chance of being taken advantage of are heavily reduced and from that point, opportunity opens up wider as buy in is mutual.

Trust is an important factor and can still be held and support self-interest. Essentially in this process we have developed a complicated wen of trust based on relationships between a group of three people where we all have various benefits and costs to having it broken. I find the process interesting and the honesty of it today refreshing. It doesn't mean we are well suited yet but, chances are much higher asked time will tell.

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]
_{(posted from phone)}