Imagine that you have one opening you’re trying to fill, and 16 eager applicants aged 17 to 22 — all with more than adequate skills for the job — awaiting their second interview.
Before the interviews begin, you discover that among those candidates are five recovering addicts, two pregnant unwed teens, three who are on probation, eight high school dropouts, four who have earned only a G.E.D., and one who’s recovering from a traumatic brain injury.
And those issues are just the ones listed on the background checks of the young people you are about to meet. There are many that aren’t listed, to be sure. (more…)