I've been a manager for 10 years now, prior, I was an electrician for 18 years. Throughout my career I've worked with hundreds of people, it can be easy to form strong opinions about a person, in my current role, this thinking has a label, "bias".
I remember working in toxic environments, and being affected by them, how easily it could shift my attitude, or that of my peers. Impacting my work quality, my behavior, peer to peer interaction, as well as my interaction with management, not my proudest moments, but living proof how you can become a product of your envronment!
What I want you to take away from this is that your opinion of somebody from 3 years ago, should never affect how you feel or think of them today. This can be challenging, but everybody deserves a second chance, anybody can change or improve.
Just like the reliability of any piece of equipment can benefit from a maintenance improvement program, people can and do change. Always approach every candidate, promotion, opportunity, regardless of your personal history, with a fresh perspective and a clean slate. Review the whole picture, imagine the candidate as an artist, if they painted the same portrait once a year for 10 years, would you judge their artistic ability on the first painting? I would hope you would check the most recent masterpiece, you can be sure that time, practice and experience yields results.
At times a person just needs time to develop, and a 2nd chance to shine.
Over the years I've heard the following statements, "that's a bad electrician". "You don't want to hire that person", "lazy", "That person doesn't know anything". My personal favorite, "we called him Johnny sandwich, because the only thing he could fix at night, was a sandwich"...(true story).
I suggest you take those opinions with a grain of salt, find out for yourself, always interveiw. Sometimes when you take a chance, it really matters, it can shake someone to the core, can inspire loyalty, change, ambition, pride. Once you decide to hire someone, it can and does change lives.
The most important thing you can do is interview, challenge the candidate with real world scenarios. Ask questions designed to prove their skills, knowlege, and experience meet the job requirements. Always set clear expectations, discuss your requirements for the role, what does a work day look like? What's dedication looks like? How can you exceed or shine in the new position? What will you be measuring? What does good looks like? What about challenges?
Last, its very important to question real world situations, to gauge behavior, values, and personality traits.
Personally, I like to leave an "industrial" legacy, I like to make lasting change, I also like to pay it forward, after all, I never forget all the chances I've been given. I believe in making thing better, and sometimes when you take a chance on somebody, and the person genuinly knows you did. That person can become something more!
Shorb
This is a good one! In parallel universe I am an astronomer 💫