help, please! What would you do?

I have been recruiting a long time, and I have seen more than I care to of the eccentricities of the human nature over the past 14 years. Every once in a while, I am stumped. I contacted this developer about a position with a company in the radio industry, and this is the response I got.

How would you respond?

email below...

I'd be extremely interested in this position. The first thing I would want to know, though, is what types of music? I am a born-again Christian and will
not work on projects that promote immorality. As I'm sure you know,
the modern music industry is notorious for that type of
content...

Please let me know more about the content involved and I may be very interested.

Thanks!
- All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death, but the
gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. If you confess
with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved -- for with the heart one
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him
will not be put to shame."

Comment by Alasdair Murray on May 21, 2010 at 12:52pm: Tell him you'll try playing their showreel backwards to see if their are any hidden demonic messages and will get back to him. Then thank your lucky stars this was an over the phone conversation.

Comment by Craig Goldberg on May 21, 2010 at 12:58pm: this is really a no win situation for you. you cant really reply with anything that can be looked at as discrimitory based upon this consultants religious beliefs. and even if the consultant would be willing to overlook their biased towards non secular music...is that someone who will do the right thing by your client? or are you putting someone would not be a fit to environment you are trying to place this person in. Best thing to do is to invite him to do some research on the client, because you as the recruiter do not have that information. file his resume, and find someone else.

Comment by Amy on May 21, 2010 at 1:18pm: heheeee. awesome. people are so crazy.

yesterday, a friend who works for a frozen pizza manufacturer forwarded a complaint they got to me. This person requested the company put a warning on the box that you should wear a shirt when you eat the pizza because this guy was going skins and had a sausage fall onto his chest supposedly causing a 2nd degree burn.... Because a reasonable person wouldn't know that the pizza you just cooked for 20 minutes at 450 degrees is hot... right?

I agree with Craig. Good luck!

Comment by pam claughton on May 21, 2010 at 2:28pm: What kind of station is it? If it's easy listening, oldies or christian music, you're fine. If it's anything else probably not. I'd just tell him what kind of station and it'll either be a yes or no. He could be a great candidate, just has certain beliefs that are important.

Comment by Julia Stone on May 21, 2010 at 3:06pm: Pam, it is a company that provides the scheduling software to all radio stations, from Mom & Pop's up to MTV & even some state run radio stations in other countries. It is hundreds of stations, not 1.

Comment by Slouch on May 21, 2010 at 8:30pm: Maybe tell him it's a station that just plays good old Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper tunes. It should be ok.

Comment by Charles Van Heerden on May 21, 2010 at 8:49pm: Interesting discussion. The underlying issue here is not religion, but a candidate that is transparent about their beliefs. This is no different from a person saying they don't want to work in the gambling industry, or for a funeral parlour, or relocate across the bridge, or whatever. I agree with Maren, tell him that you wouldn't him to miss out on a good role, but the ball is in his court.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on May 21, 2010 at 10:54pm: Here is my email back to this candidate. He obviously thinks that he would be working in a station and would hear the music all day or be a part of it.

thank you for your prompt response. I am delighted you are strongly interested. I need to clarify that this position is not directly related to music. The position is an IT position that develops technology for global media. Radio, television and multi-media such as the prerecorded christian outreach programming that reaches people in non christian nations. There would be no way to deternime who would be using the technology as it is sold all over the world. You would have the opportunity to use your skills without any exposure to the type of music you find offensive. However even without direct exposure you may also be using your skills to enable the outreach of religious programming. We would not be able to guarantee that focus but it is something to consider.

I respect your convictions and do not want you to miss a unique opportunity to extend your mission even in an indirect manner. Let me know if you would like to move forward.

This position could be equated to one that develops the software used in supply chain distribution. One company may use it to distribute books and magazines. Another may use it to distribute food.
The company that makes the conveyor belts never knows what will be put on them just that the equipment is top quality and the technology is well developed so the conveyor belt operates efficiently.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on May 21, 2010 at 11:17pm: I would keep in mind that there is nothing more disruptive within an organization than a zealot no matter what their form of zeal may be. If he is happy with your explanation make sure your client is not a group that rocks out to Black Sabbath. Question is do you want to get into the spicy, dicey of making sure that nobody is offended on either side? Will he be welcomed as one of the brethern or shunned as an irritation. No surprises on either side.