I had a little time today, so I thought I’d check out the job postings on the Amway website. The good news? If you’re looking for work in the Ada, Michigan area, or in a few other areas of the country where Amway has corporate offices, they are definitely hiring. You should check it out.
I did notice one thing, though. For each of the job openings listed on their site, they have a well-crafted and comprehensive job description that details the experiences and credentials necessary for any candidate interested in pursuing that particular job.
I’m sure there’s some leeway. For instance, if the candidate for Senior Business Systems Analyst (Warehouse Management Systems) located in Ada, Michigan (ID# 7896BR) has only 2 years of experience with RedPrairie (JDA) or similar large WMS application, I’m sure they might still be considered for the position.
But what if, in their interview, they demonstrated no knowledge whatsoever of the application and in fact, were unable to even describe what that application was or did or why it was important to the management of Amway warehouses? I’m pretty sure that candidate would not make it to the second round.
And if the candidate for Mandarin Bilingual Associate Account Manager II (ID# 8215BR) didn’t know the characters that made up the Mandarin word for pyramid scheme, it might not be a deal breaker.
But if that same candidate asserted that though they knew no Mandarin at all they really liked egg rolls and fortune cookies and had taken two years of high school French, I’d guess that Amway would probably be able to find a better match for the job they were advertising.
So too with the Senior Toxicologist (ID# 8168BR), presumably an important job within the organization and one that requires 3 years of experience in safety of consumer products or chemicals, experience with toxicity test methods and risk assessment and a PhD with 3-5 years of industry experience in Toxicology, Pharmacy, Medicine or related discipline.
What if this candidate refused to answer when asked whether they thought it was important that Amway products were safe for use or consumption by the general public? And what if, when pressed and asked to agree with the interviewer’s statement that it was important that their products remain safe, the candidate demurred? Probably not a risk Amway could take, right?
I suppose it isn’t outside the realm of possibility that Amway regularly hires individuals who are wholly and dangerously unqualified for jobs within their company. Or that Amway hires these same individuals based on their personal relationship or how much money the candidate has paid them in the past.
But then I can’t imagine that hiring model would set them up for long-term success. And by all accounts, they are successful. Or at least successful enough that they can donate obscene amounts of money to presidential campaigns and organizations that pray away the gay.
Which brings me to this question: If Betsy DeVos requires demonstrable prior experience and some knowledge of the position for which one is applying before one is offered employment within her family business, why on earth does she think she has any business applying for or accepting the position of Secretary of Education?
And if she wouldn’t hire herself into this position that she is applying for, which, based on the logical and appropriate job listings her company publicizes, it appears she would not, why is she asking us to hire her?
And again, if all of this is true, can the senators who make up the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee seriously be considering her for employment in this critical job where success is of the utmost importance? If you’d like to ask them, they are:
And if they don’t, or can’t answer? Well, I guess you could always ask the grizzlies.