This perspective is a Danish software developers views, in an increasingly fast paced global environment.

I have recently begun applying for jobs, as my previous employment came to an abrupt end due to disagreement with management. Out of respect for my previous employer, I won’t go into detail, but sometimes outcomes like this are better for both parties.

Searching for a new occupation is a journey in itself, with recruiters and interviewers all having a different expectation and motivation. Sometimes the obvious shines through, that the recruiter is a salesman selling you, the product, to his client, and you would both be better served if we could just get this over with. Other times you meet people who truly care about you, your skill set and potential value for a business. This feeling tends to derive from sympathetic conversation. One side understands not just their own needs and expectations, but also the needs and expectations of their potential upcoming colleague. This responsibility obviously goes both ways.

Here, the word colleague is absolutely key when compared to the word employee, or human resource. We are humans, still, and just like I shouldn’t treat my potential job as merely a source of money and benefits but a place where I spend most of my conscious hours, it is preferable that my upcoming manager sees the human behind the workhorse.

In Danish, a job interview is called a job conversation (Jobsamtale). Here the words play a vital part again. The difference being that a conversation doesn’t allow for one part to merely present a list of interview questions. While interview questions may serve as a great tool as an opener for conversation, a conversation is something entirely different, where you both give and take in equal amounts to arrive in some pleasant middle-ground that hopefully reveals whether the fit is right or not.

In order for me to care about the work you are doing, I need to know something about it!

It is crucial to state that words like employer, employee or even human resource should not become taboo, but rather that you as an employer think about whether you are interested in installing a robot to fulfil a task, or expanding your team with a new colleague.