Employment Question: Would you hire a friend?

So this is for the people in a manager/supervisor position (or anyone else in charge of hiring people)

The question is..for a job...would you hire someone who a friend (EDIT: friend meaning professional acquaintance type-friend) recommended (Person A) or someone else (Person B)...here's the scenario

Person A:
Recommended to you by a friend
CAN do the job you're hiring for, although doesn't have experience with the specific applications/methods your company uses.

Person B:
Unknown to you
CAN do the job you're hiring for, WITH specific experience with applications/methods your company uses.

Who do you hire??
My guess, is that most people would hire Person A; simply because he's recommended by your friend... and you'd feel pretty stupid ever talking to your friend again if you didn't.

 

B

never mix friends/Family and money
makes Thanksgiving, Bdays and Xmas/ Chanukah awkward
why risk it if it doesn't work out?

 

I doubt "most." Experience, relevant skill, personality and intangibles. I don't know that I've ever had a friend who'd think less of me in such a situation. That's not what friends are about.

 

Yeah...but I mean... a monkey can do the job...so, that's not the point if it "doesn't work out"... as people in my profession aren't usually criminals or something along that line...
EDIT: Not THAT close of friends...more like professional acquaintances.

 

That's what I'd like to believe...but I think a lot rides on if you're a "known" rather than "unknown" (no one vouching for your experience)
And don't bring up "letters of recommendation"...because even though they're great..if they're a letter written by someone you don't know (or know OF) then it's no better than NOT having one (because anyone can can make up a name and pay for a cell phone to back up the number in case they "call to check"; which I've NEVER had an employer do)

 

It also depends on the recommendation, is it based on that person working for/with your friend, or is it just a recommendation based on a personal relationship and not first hand work experience.
Once my boss wanted us to hire one of his friends for a position we had, we didn't want to but didn't want to tell the boss no. So, we had our business partners interview him. They of course didn't like him either and we had our "out" without having to go against our boss.

 

Then it sounds like you set out to find the answer upon which you'd already decided.

I can't speak for your field. I know in the fields in which I've worked and my wife's field, people are vetted, and there's no making shit up.

 

Yeah..not the computer tech field...
I don't have my mind made up...but I was just curious...I should have probably worded the original post differently..ie: hiring a known vs unknown.

 

I guess it is how you define known and unknown. A referral on friendship might not be a professional known. Good luck.

 

B. You gotta do what's best for your business and that means hiring the best person for the job, especially if there are specialized skills or training involved. Do you really have the time to invest in training the referral? And if you are going to feel obligated just over hiring them, how are you going to feel if you have to fire them because it doesn't work out?

 

I edited the OP.

 

Depends entirely on the interview.

 

Thanks for your input.
I'm an "unknown", but I do my homework in order to beat out "known's" (But so far, it's just made the interviewers angry that I knew so much about their company; or so their faces would have lead me to believe...and the fact I haven't been hired)

 

I agree.... also with Shifter, depends on the interview... the friend's recommendation would get the individual "face-time" in front of me, then he or she is on their own merits for the most part.

 

Lots of factors come into play, but generally if the recommendation is from a friend who is recommending the person based on working with them in the past, it holds more weight than "hey, my buddy's a good guy, put in a good word". That "good guys reference" might help get an interview, depending on the candidate pool, but after that it's all qualifications and interview based.

If the person making the recommendation is trusted and the recommendation is based on relevant first hand experience, it may be enough to tip the scale - but again, many other factors weigh in and that alone is definitely not enough for me or most of the managers I've worked with. Even then it would only be a small consideration, and only because of a good (known) reference more so than to appease the friend.

 

Side note - sorry your having a hard time finding a job. (I gather that's the situation because I think you also said something in another post )

 

Yeah...that's what I think it is..because like I said, a million people CAN do tech support...I just don't have anyone to vouch for me (everyone I've ever worked with in the IT field has retired, or doesn't like me (I made it a policy of no shitting where I eat...but apparently that isn't right, hahaaha)

 

Well this is the thing....
You have to do whats best for business like what leo said....
I have hired friends before but they have NOT worked directly for me... there is a big difference......


Management looks at it differently, even though we are a Top 25 consulting firm, I make all the shots in regards to hiring those people. The problem is this... if they fuck up you look bad....
Its happened once where I hired a guy he worked out great, started working for another manager and it was a nightmare......

I reserve judgement, as I have turned down friends several times, because I dont want to ruin our friendship. Why ? Because they wouldnt be able to do the job.

Speaking of which I am hiring a junior network engineer, and a mid-level sysadmin/IA in the DC/MD area if you know of anyone

 

Agreed to a point there Franklin..... IF they arent going to be WORKING for you directly then who gives a shit ha... no really you should care... but you get the point

 

I may be stating the obvious here but have you tried LinkedIN? http://www.linkedin.com

You mentioned that you worked in School Systems and I'm not sure how many people in that sector are active on LinkedIN. Unlike Facebook, which I think is worthless, LinkedIN has helped me connect with my customers on a professional level. They constantly "endorse" me for my skills in Physics, Engineering, Chemistry, Magic and if bullshitting was a LinkedIN category they would in that as well as we have a great time after my lectures. If I ever get canned I will have many people to "vouch for me"

I bet you have many people that would vouch for you if you could find them. This may be one way. Hope the suggestion is helpful and good luck!