Are You a Job Owner Or a Job Renter?

By Mike A. Cuma

Job Vacancies, Employment Jobs, Employment

In today's challenging job market job seekers have access to an incredible number of employment and career advertisements from all sorts of sources. Most job advertisements include the customary listing of information about the organization, they include the duties of the position and typically summarize the types of qualifications and experience the preferred candidate should possess. Many seem to be a little clinical and a little tired. If you are like me, after reading a lot of job advertisements, you may be left wondering what the organization is really looking for in an employee.

As an expert in employee and labour relations and as a new columnist, today I would like to tell you what most organizations and employers are really looking for in the employees they are trying to recruit. What I can't tell you is why they don't come out and say it plainly in their advertisements.

Directly to the point, employers are seeking to hire those individuals who act and behave like they "own" their jobs and careers and seek to avoid those who seem to simply "rent" their job. Those of you with experience in the work world will probably have seen job "owners" and job "renters" in your workplaces.

Following are some of the key differences between job "owners" and job "renters". When reading these elements, think about which you may be or which you would prefer to have as a coworker or team mate. If you were the owner, think about which you would prefer to hire.

Job renters often exhibit many of the following behaviours and attitudes. The most extreme and accomplished serial job renters can exhibit all of these and perhaps more! Job renters are often late for work but leave early, failing to make up for their tardiness. They criticize leadership and their coworkers, complain about even the smallest of matters and make excuses for their shortcomings. They chronically complain without offering a better or workable alternative.

They often produce less than others. They take short cuts that often lead to rework for their coworkers and ignore the rules including those relating to safety and respect in the workplace. My observation is that job renters often feel they are above the rules and policies of the organization and often spend more time working to argue their way around them. They are often careless with equipment or materials. Job renters are typically the first to leave for breaks and the last to return to their workstation. They often have a high number of appointments requiring time away from work and seldom seek to schedule personal appointments outside work hours.

Job renters often have high absenteeism. They are often the ones who seek to bend the rules in their favour; of course, typically to the detriment of their coworkers and the organization. The mantra of job renters includes a very healthy dose of "their personal rights", while rarely including a snippet of "their duties and responsibilities" to their coworkers and the organization. I could go on and on but I think you get the picture. I suspect that many of you are thinking of the names of coworkers, supervisors or managers who tend to demonstrate "job renter" behavior.

On the other hand, "job owners" typically and routinely; show respect and a sense of caring about the well-being of their coworkers and the organization. They treat equipment, materials and products with due care. They willingly participate in workplace activities to improve safety, efficiency and customer satisfaction. The mantra of job owners typically includes a healthy dose of consideration for the customer or consumer of the products or services provided by the organization. Job owners truly reflect an understanding that the success of the organization they work for has a direct impact on their long term employment, career plans and their overall satisfaction in life.

The next time you apply for a job, consider how you can present yourself. Are you a "job owner" or a "renter"? Even though it is likely not in the job advertisement, employers are really looking for job owners! On the other hand, if you are an employer, it is wise to cultivate job owners and rid yourself of job renters... they only serve to drag you down, decreasing morale and lowering productivity.