Would you employ someone like that?

Always a difficult question.

Different scenario, though. We are not talking about people of different ethnic origins, religious conviction, or sexual orientation, though.

We are talking about .... INTROVERTS!

Yes - INTROVERTS. Shock! Horror!

Quiet, often silent people, who are usually shy and do not communicate much. They must have dangerous thoughts, we do not want THEM around the office! Yes they do answer customers on the 'phone when it rings, but they seem to give short, sharp, precise answers and not say much else. And (horror!), they probably prefer using emails to 'phone calls!

What will they do to our reputation? I mean, all this sticking to the subject and having nothing else to say! It will ruin our repuation for cameraderie and small talk!

Anyone who read my previous post earlier today will remember my concern about my professional repuation being besmirched as I thought that P&G were breaking their contract with me as I was technically incompetent.

From what the recruitment agent told me this morning, that is not the case (thankfully!). Rather they believed that I "would not fit in". My assessment is that they thought that I would be too introspective and self-analytical to fit into a people-facing role. The fact that I have done this very successfully in the past was not a factor. That they would rather pay me off (enough money to keep me alive for two months anyway - according to the careful, non-spendthrift lifestyle we have adopted in recent years) than have my introspective intelligence and "stick to the point" style of communication with customers, says something.

If you want a job in this world, in other words, you had better be a brash extrovert. The fact that you can think through the customers' actual concerns, seems a far less significant criterion than being forward and in their face with a cheerful smile and something to say about everything under the sun.

Quite what you do with the world's introverts is another matter. Perhaps someone has a suggestion, but employing them sounds like something to be definitely avoided!