John A. Porcello’s Post

Dear HR managers, 😊 sometimes the brightest sparks come from those just starting their journey. Embrace the potential of beginners; they might lack experience, but their fresh perspective and untapped potential can bring something truly extraordinary to your team. #GiveChanceToAll #hr

It's great to remember that not every candidate has the same opportunities. Not everyone can attend the Ivy League school. Not everyone actually has the opportunity to work in an enterprise-level company in their field due in their small, home-town area. Not everyone can move. While many companies are hiring remotely now, this has really only been the case for a short time in most industries. Not everyone has a boss who shares information and metrics that an employee can use to support competency on their resume (especially true in small businesses). For those who love to look at job titles to gauge fitness for a position, not only do many companies (especially small ones) call their internal positions something different than what others in the industry might call it, but the valuable person at a small company will most likely be wearing many "hats" and gaining many competencies outside of their "job title". A "Scrapper" status candidate who attended a community college doesn't necessarily stop learning, stop growing their skill set, or stop staying up to date on the latest happenings in their field. In fact, they may be incentivized to do so. At the very least, scrappers deserve the interview.

your passion and purpose make you different compared to others

This was posted in 2015, what do you think? My resume is not conventional and it is the worst sales tactic. I agree with Regina saying that passion and purpose is the secret weapon. Give me a chance to prove myself but I can’t if the opportunity is slim to none. Something has to change in the job search process. How do business to business sales happen? Do they send out a business resume? Do they sit and wait for a response? No sir. No such thing. They have sales teams and strategies. There are plenty of networking opportunities and contacts that they can call and reach. If it’s cold calling, emailing, networking, etc. However, people who are looking to work are limited to submitting a resume online along with thousands of other people who are also applying for the same jobs. Thank goodness for recruiters as they are the ones that really work hard for their candidates. What other ideas/options can be created for candidates who do not fit in a box and get a job based on just their resume?

Considering myself a “scrapper”, based on my lattice of experience, this is enlightening and something to consider especially when thinking about diversity of experience, thoughts and perspectives.

Hire the Scrapper. People that learn how to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds display creativity and grit that can never be measured through conventional methods, placing your bet on a Scrapper might pleasantly surprise you for the benefit of your organization's growth.

Yes! We can still impress potential employers even if we don't have any references. Focus on highlighting your strengths and experiences through your resume and cover letter. The trick is to be confident and enthusiastic about your potential

I have always looked at the candidate's potential not their accomplishments. Hiring for years at Walmart I saw a lot of scrappers. They always worked out the best in the end. Later when I moved into the startup world I kept that mindset and it helped to build the team that I still feel is one of my greatest professional accomplishments at Starship Technologies. As a leader you have a responsibility to unlock your team's potential. That starts with the hiring process. #infinitemindset #operationsmanagement #leadership #peopledevelopment

As a current college student, I definitely find myself to be “the Scrapper.” Life growing up hasn’t been easy. Yet, I try and strive for success and find my potential! Regina Hartley’s words are definitely effective and very insightful! Quite frankly, society should stop comparing people based on factors Hartley describes in the video. Somethings in our lives are cannot be chosen for us but rather societically oppressed upon us. We are born into economic systemic failures! As employers, we seek a meaningful job so we can overcome it. A struggle I have found is that employers often don’t look past the paper (resume). Us “Scrappers” deserve an interview as it can display to you the employer, who we truly are beyond our education, previous employments, etc. so that we can showcase what we can really bring! #lookbeyondthepaper #scrappersdeserve

Hiring for potential is a hiring approach that focuses on a candidate’s potential rather than their work experience. It can open the talent pool to more diverse, curious, and passionate new hires.