No BS, No Employee. No BS, No Job.

nospam@example.com (Gareth) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:57:33 -0700

Let's look for a job. We'll search one of the popular employment websites. They now boast X thousand positions on offer just in our city alone. Let's see. Sales positions. Good starting point. Shouldn't be too hard. There are x thousand available just in that category. Loads of ads!

But what's this? The ad I'm now reading is almost identical to one I read a short time ago, and that was nearly identical to one I read a short time before that. In fact, blow me down! It's the same company who has placed all three ads. If I keep searching I'll discover that it's actually all six ads. The same position has been advertised six times with slightly different wording.

Wouldn't that mean that in reality the number of positions available is actually X divided by 6? Yes, but a bit of BS doesn't hurt, does it? You have to be out to win these days. Ok, but doesn't ad-stuffing amount to internet spamming? "Yes, but who cares?", is the tacit response.

The typical job ad boasts big $$$, fabulous location, great training, pinnacle career prospects etc. along with the ego flattering but now platitudinous bait "Shining stars required!"

I happen to have seen the very same ads for the very same companies numerous times at regular intervals. That causes me to suspect that the promised rewards might have been overstated, with the appointees leaving these jobs after a short time. "Yes, but surely a bit of BS can't hurt."

Now, resume sent off. No answer. No degree. The job went to someone with bits of paper galore, reams of certificates and stacks of entries on their resume bragging about just how great they are.

But what's this? Company managers are ranting and screaming because their new employees couldn't strategise their way to the lavatory and back without fouling up! How can people so highly educated be such boneheads? "Ah!", we say. The truth is they are not so highly educated at all and their prior experience was somewhat Mickey Mouse. A great deal of the claims on each resume were false. Little wonder that the shining stars quickly became meteorites.

In the US the falsified resume problem has become so great that managers have resorted to hiring investigators to check the truthfulness of prospective employees claims about their education and previous experience. It seems that job hopefuls these days have taken the attitude that a bit of BS won't hurt. After all, you have to be out to win, haven't you?

Surely, managers, you won't blame them. After all, you thought that approach was OK yourselves. This is a BS world. You know that. You want people to sell your product for you and not everything about your range is totally wholesome, but your approach to that is that a bit of BS won't hurt. And since you employ those who are apparently the very best available, the reality is that a job seeker who doesn't overstate things on their resume has little hope of getting a position since so many of their competitors do just that. Consequently, they take the attitude that a lot of BS in your resume is essential or you risk being left out in the cold career-wise.

The bible says "live by the sword, die by the sword". In this day and age "the sword" is fast becoming composed of cow dung.

The Lazy Person's Way To Getting Poor

nospam@example.com (Gareth) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:04:32 -0700

When I was young, foolish and impressionable I purchased a mail order book entitled 'The Lazy Man's Way To Riches'. It gave detailed instructions for marketing a mail order book explaining how to get rich by marketing a mail order book explaining how to get rich.

Full marks to the author. He knew something I didn't. I clearly still don't, since I have not yet become rich. Of course, his book should perhaps have been titled 'The Con Artists Way To Riches'. Today, following a job advertisement link on the Seek website, I discovered that little had changed.

Continue reading "The Lazy Person's Way To Getting Poor"

How To Read A News Article

nospam@example.com (Gareth) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:25:48 -0700

If you read a news article in any order other than this you stand to be taken for a fool.

Continue reading "How To Read A News Article"

Thoughts Mindesque - Gareth - Lies And Truth

No BS, No Employee. No BS, No Job.

The Lazy Person's Way To Getting Poor

How To Read A News Article