Lack of Fit is a Sign of Lack of Ethics

I was on a call recently with a young man looking for some career advice.
He asked if it was right that that he was looking for another job so soon after getting this one.

Me: 100%. In fact, it is the ethical thing to do.

The problem is that neither he nor his current employer really considered what would him a good fit for this role.

Fit is all the stuff beyond the skills and experience required to do a job. It includes preferences like degree to which people want challenge, how much they enjoy being part of a team, desire for capable leadership, interest in development, can they deal with high tempo environments, how they handle pressure, etc.

The young man didn’t really know what he wanted and the new employer didn’t bother to find out.

Without fit, it is unlikely a person can give their best. And giving your best is the deal.

Each party (those being hired and those offering work) have an ethical obligation to be clear about what it takes to make a good fit.

Forget screening people out. The correct hiring mindset should be: it is my duty to make sure everyone is in a position to thrive.