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Wednesday, April 10. 2013Special jobs needed for very special but complaining femalesVia Captain Capitalism's My Amazing Awesome Super Intelligent Friends, a big-time Millennial whine: My friends and I are in career purgatory:
and
Kate, we're all special, aren't we? But I think you're a little too special for my shop. Trust me, anybody who read that would gag. Related, if you control for the obvious variables (hours worked, education, experience, etc), young childless women make more money than young childless men. So there is a wage gap, but it's not what people say it is.
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QUOTE: But this is really bad talent management on the part of our employers. If you have ambitious, smart young people who actually want to do more work and use their talents to the maximum – so that they can grow as people and employees – then you’re an idiot as an employer to not take advantage of this. I wouldn't let someone like that pay me to hire her. I'm knee deep in "ambitious, smart young people" and sparrows. BFD. and get a job. stop whining. Obama has been using that line "ambitious, smart young people" or some variation of it to stroke the egos of college students since he cam on the scene in 2007. Most genuinely smart people knew it was just a throw-away line to get votes. Looks like she and her friends swallowed it hook line and sinker. That is, if they didn't already believe that about themselves.
It's true, but not new. I'm oldish now. My employer didn't recognize my genius or use my talents to their maximum. In fact my whole career was a series of supposed officially terrible assignments where I had to, dare I admit, find a way to make myself useful and add value. Which I did even though I wasn't one of the golden children. Even though I didn't get the cushy "career" path assignments.
To bad we didn't have the internet back then. I could have just wrote a blog post about my mean old employers instead of making myself useful. "I’ve thought seriously about changing my LinkedIn profile blurb to something like, “My career goal is to gain a position that energizes, excites, challenges, and values me, so that I can continue to develop my skills and talents, and grow as a person.” I wonder if that would catch anyone’s eye?"
I thought that had to be a joke at first, but I read it in context and I think she was serious. Here's couple tips for her: Don't call jobs "positions". Never use the word "wait", and maybe throw in a little somethin' about what you can do for the employer instead of the other way around. Why don't they start their own companies then? They'll do fabulous, I'm sure.
Oh, does having to deal w/ all that red tape and gov't bureaucracy seem too mundane and undervalued? Well, having to deal does run a very high risk of making them libertarian, or, horror, vote Republican.
The poor dears, as Paul Graham said, upon graduation you go from pampered guest to employee and many suffer through the transition. What does one do if LinkedIn sends you an email to an account that LinkedIn says they can't access? What if the Wall Street Journal does the same thing?
No doubt there's a perfectly good reason that computers send emails to accounts they claim they can't access, but what part of IT Hell do those computers live in? I am unable to access the article but . . .
If I were to give her advice on how to update her Linkedin profile it would be something like "I really need a job. I know that I don't know anything, but I am eager to learn. I'll show up on time and work a full day - every day. I'll do what you tell me - even if it is difficult or tedious (and not personally fulfilling). I won't complain. I won't ask for vacation or days off for at least 18 months. I will appreciate every pay check you give me. Please give me a chance to learn and be productive." That would really get my attention. Speaking as a devout capitalist - I don't really care if new employees are fulfilled and enegized (whatever that means - it's work for goodness sake - its not supposed to be cake and ice cream) - a paycheck for work well done should be fulfilling enough. New employees need to learn do some sh** jobs that 20 year employees don't want to do. They need to put their time in and learn the ropes They should go out of their way to make sure the person that signs their pay check is fulfilled and energized. He/She is the one that should be highly valued - not you. They won't value you - untill you are of value to them - and they will probably spend a fair amount of money and time getting you there - so be appreciative. There is nothing in her proposed Linkedin profile about what she will do for her employer. I hate to burst her bubble - but nobody gives a crap if a 20 year old is fulfilled and growing as a person in their first job. This stuff just drives me crazy. What makes her think someone should value her when she has no intrinsic value to them? Does she realize that people get up every morning and go to work to make money to buy food and clothes - not to be valued as a person? Does she realize that her employer hired her to make money for them - not to give her a place to grow and be fulfilled? Does she realize that she has to make more for her employer than she cost them? Does she realize that her goal should be to advance far enough to have people making money for her? We really need to teach our children these valuable lessons and not just give them trophies for showing up. JG BECAUSE- the main job you have to do anywhere is - Be Dependable. Such as - be ready to tough it out keying in data that isn't your job - because someone else went home sick.
And often - you have to look the Boss in the eye and tell him you are ready to execute his plan. That you think it's a lousy idea is something you Never Ever let show on your face. Showing up every day is important, too. Susan Lee I want my people to tell me its a bad idea if they can explain why. after a final decision is made I expect best efforts, like it or not.
Perhaps if the unemployed understood the duties and responsibilities of an employee they would not be unemployed for years on end. Do high school teachers instruct this, how about college professors? No? Too bad....its much better being in a reality based world.
QUOTE: HELP WANTED Seeking Intelligent, educated, gregarious, and creative young person. Be insightful and thoughtful, critical and ambitious. Your career goal is to gain a position that energizes, excites, challenges, and values you, so that you can continue to develop your skills and talents, and grow as a person. Apply within. Just Kidding Get a Real Job |