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Archive for the ‘jobs’ Category

Work Matters / Career Choices: I’ve Made Up My Mind

06 Sep

I take too long to think about things, but that’s the nature of how I work it out.

I was going to head into the medical field, like nursing, medical research, or clinical trials, but I realized I cannot stand the smell of sick people. I know that sounds offensive, but my olfactory senses are off the charts. I can smell when people are not well. I once had to pick up my Mother from the hospital, and the smell of the place nearly made me gag. I wanted to turn around and leave. I ended up breathing through my mouth.

I am still fascinated by medical news. I follow the theories of causation behind high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. It’s interesting to read and watch clips on YouTube as doctors hash out studies and stats on their beliefs that the causes are a result of: lack of exercise, high fructose corn syrup, refined carbohydrates, too much fat, not enough good fats, too much red meat, genetics, and so on. I’ve discovered that dairy and grains (especially breads) do not agree with me. I’ve mostly cut them out of my diet and I’ve not only lost weight, I don’t have indigestion problems anymore.

I will stick with the technical field as my publishing company grows, and I will continue to explore other ventures. Therefore, I’ve decided to master C# (C sharp), refresh my knowledge of Javascript, Visual Studio, Adobe Flash  / Photoshop / Dreamweaver, and the other tools. I will also have to get acquainted with all of Microsoft’s latest tools, which can be heaven and hell.

My biggest complaint with this field is that everyone wants you to be extremely proficient with ALL of these languages and tools, but more than half the time, they really don’t need you to use them on the job. They prefer to draw you into all day meetings. No one seems to understand that programmers need time to think. But then again, most companies have morons in charge – so why expect anything different?

 
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Posted in .net framework, C#, corporate America, jobs, money, programming, work

 

Money: Extra Income

09 Jun

I like money. I am unabashed about my appreciation for it. However, I lack the stereotypical cutthroat ruthless drive for it. Some people feel it’s necessary to step on others and damage people to make a living. I don’t feel that’s required.

Business-like should mean honest, respectful, reliable, and professional, not a grudge match that belongs in kindergarten or grade school. I also don’t mean one should work for free (unless you are volunteering out of a spirit of giving), or be exploited, but people should be fairly compensated for their time and effort.

Money brings up the ugly, dangerous, and scary in people. I often wonder if they understand what it is and the actual purpose of it. It’s a tool. It’s legal tender. It’s the satisfaction for the cost of goods and services. Not the root of happiness or evil.

My motto is to work hard, be masterful about it, and be as highly compensated as possible.

Nothing is free. The moment anyone spends time doing something somewhere, energy is being consumed / expended, which is cost. Time is passing and someone is using their brains to make, create, or contemplate, which is also cost.

On occasion, even as I work full time, I have always sought out extra income: be it part-time, or something I’m selling on the web, or in classified ads. What I’m mystified by are the reactions of some people once they see or guess the nature of my background – be it employment or education.

Their reactions have the air of: Don’t you make enough? What are you doing here?

I wonder why they feel entitled to have that kind of arrogance towards anyone WILLING and able to WORK. Years ago, I had one chick tell me she hopes my social experiment was successful. I just smiled at her. Money is money. I didn’t consider the job beneath me. That strange disappointment was on her.

I’ve worked since I was 10 years old. Even while I was in college working part time, I earned extra money typing up documents for people. Whenever there was an opportunity to make more, I grabbed it.

What’s different today is the opportunity for residual income has increased exponentially. There are so many opportunities via the web that time is the only handicap. These opportunities must be researched, tried, and constantly tinkered with, but once one is successful or satisfied with the outcome, there are only more opportunities to try.

I’m slow about it, but I think I’m finally catching up with my expectations.

 
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Posted in increase income, job hunting, jobs, residual income

 

Why Job References Are Stupid

01 May

Testimonials are important. It has the same value as an actor or athelete endorsing a product s/he never used or ever will use. But we buy the soap, the crapsh*t product, anyway, right?

Considering how much gets outsourced: What’s to stop this trend from becoming a provider of  job references? They do everything else – from scheduling our personal affairs to an assistant calling people on our behalf. Why would it be impossible to claim being an independent arm of a foreign entity? Corporations love foreign enterprises and who knows who anybody is anywhere? No matter what people think LinkedIn and Facebook wont help.

I love these articles by HR “Experts” who caution people – in this desperate economy – not to phony baloney up the resume. Sort of like how the ex-CEO of Tyco, Dennis Kozlowski, never actually graduated from the college(s) he claimed to have attended? I’m not talking about his purported crimes. I’m talking about the fact that a number of CEOs, like him, are running companies with phony baloney resumes.

They got where they were based on fabulous job references. They had the right connections, which were so solid no one ever gave their bogus backgrounds a serious look-see. Now, when guys like this commit these offenses the twits in the media go chirping about how honesty will set you free.

No, it doesn’t. Not in this society. Certainly not in this world. The best liars get elected,  hired, and promoted. They win the day.

This crappola about honesty is that it keeps people in low wage jobs with little prospect of moving up. Corporate America is not about a job well done. I will rephrase that: one cannot be a workhouse, and expect any good to come of it, unless you have dedicated suck-up sycophantic cheerleaders telling everyone how fantastic you are at the job, whether it is the truth or not.

That’s why I say, if that is all a reference is good for: Why not hire a bunch of good actors, get the kind of background created like in that entertaining show, Leverage, go forth, and move up the Corporate America ladder? One of the things I’ve always noticed about head honchos, in most organizations starting from mid-level directors on up, is how good they are at stealing the ideas of others, taking credit for their work, claiming how hard they work and always, always networking (chatting up their cheerleaders) as to how they are the greatest thing since slice bread.

And it bloody well works. All the damn time.

I don’t hate them. I am envious. I wish I was a successful psychopath* on the job too.

The sociopath is that truly self-absorbed individual with no conscience or feeling for others and for whom social rules have no meaning.

CHARISMATIC PSYCHOPATHS are charming, attractive liars. They are usually gifted at some talent or another, and they use it to their advantage in manipulating others. They are usually fast-talkers, and possess an almost demonic ability to persuade others out of everything they own, even their lives. Leaders of religious sects or cults, for example, might be psychopaths if they lead their followers to their deaths. This subtype often comes to believe in their own fictions. They are irresistible.

Definition lifted from: cassiopaea.com

 
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Posted in corporate America, featured, job hunting, jobs, politics, references, work

 

From Ted Talks -> Gary Vaynerchuk: Do what you love (no excuses!)

13 Mar

I like the inspirational aspect, outside of the profanity.

 
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Posted in Think, corporate America, jobs, motivational speakers, motivational writers, work

 

I Hate Corporate America

03 Jan

I love to work, especially when I get to use my brain power. I love figuring out puzzles, following clues and solving problems. I’m all for intellectual inquiry and resolving obscure issues.

What I don’t like is working for corporate America. I’ve hated working for that soul draining monster, since I left college. I wasn’t overly fond of college either, but at least I saw the results of my work: decent, unbiased grades.

I’ve stayed jobs over the years, misconstruing that the problem was with the individual company. Well, after the enthusiasm wears off, be it the third week, month or year one thing becomes apparent: it’s the same all over.

I’ve run out of interest in it all.

There is no difference between a career and a job. People show up to a job because they work to live. People who have a career live to work. No matter which way it’s played out, people are trading in their time – a precious commodity – for dollars.

I’m angry at myself, because I feel I’ve been conned, yoked and suckered after so many years. I had hoped that of the years I’ve worked at a company, any company, there would be some satisfaction for a job well done.

Hah!

I enjoy being busy, at a good, interesting, well thought out, and methodical task. Yet, there were times when work was slow or non-existent. Yeah, try and find your manager for something to do. Would you believe most of the work I ever did, I gave to myself? I mostly created all of my own projects.

Those dead work times were the most stressful for me. It’s limbo time. I’ve been told that the project will start, or continue, as soon as so and so signs off on the budget. Or head honcho Chief Doubletalker is over in Europe and we must wait for his return. Or it could be the case that the manager is in over her / his head and is frozen into inaction. Name the scenario, I’ve been there.

It happens everywhere, and it happens all the time.

Now, I’m someone who doesn’t care for much of the niceties of socializing at the job. I’m not a water cooler plant. It’s like mingling with the cattle as we’re about to be slaughtered.

I feel that after spending 12 LONG hours a day with these people, I don’t want to see you after I leave the building. No offense. Nothing personal. I just want to keep separation between corporate church and state, which is my life.

Ever really read any of those career advice columns?

I used to, until I realized that it was never about competence. It could never be. These articles have been and always will pertain to how to be the best brown nosing ass-kissing suck-up at the office.

The fact is if you are attractive, which almost anyone can achieve these days, you will get ahead. If you are a phoney, unpleasant, non-compliant, take-credit-for-other-people’s-work cretin, and a two-faced backstabbing liar at the job, that’s the way up the corporate ladder.

But what if you aren’t a sociopath?

If one can find a way to make a living, and not head off to the jail-cubicles of corporate America, make a run for it and don’t look back. You’ll be happier person for it.

As for me, these people can keep their damn jobs. I’ve had enough.

 
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Posted in college, corporate America, jobs, work

 

Economic Inquiry: How Does Moving Jobs Overseas Benefit US Citizens?

23 Dec

I haven’t purchased or read any books on Globalism, I usually peruse articles on the topic. I’m sure they’re nice books, especially those written by brand name journalists such as Thomas Friedman. Plus I loathe the idea of putting money into their pockets.

I’m bemused by the argument that unemployed Americans improve our overall economy.

Friedman’s book, The World is Flat, is one of those treatises that claims Globalism is great. US Citizens should celebrate the transfer of jobs from the US to developing countries (India, China and the like).

Why? Well, it helps them (and us) because, you know, somewhere down the road (decades from now) as their standard of living goes up – they’ll be able to buy stuff from us. Since our manufacturing base is shrinking, and moving overseas, exactly what stuff can these poor countries buy from rich ones?

It’s easy for tenured economists, and their journalist ilk, to write about the joys of Globalism.

Universities and media companies aren’t eliminating their particular jobs. They enjoy tenure and have no competition. At least not yet. When one is employed in a market that is 100% closed, it is easy to write that the suffering of others is acceptable, even warranted.

If a guy making $35 per hour is let go from a job he worked at for 15-20 years, how does that benefit the rest of us?

Oh right, his job goes overseas to someone who’ll make $35 per month. Yeah, the “savings” are passed back to the CEOs that run the corporation and there is product price reduction, but what about the other side of the damage?

What’s the other side of the damage?

The US Citizen’s $35 per hour salary necessarily supports the infrastructure of his local neighborhood, his state, and his country – not the rest of the damn world.

This citizen’s money went to: Social Security and Medicare / Medicaid – the entire FICA scheme, his retirement funds, local property taxes, sales taxes and whatever is left is disposal income.

The US economy survives on over 70% consumer spending.

In US politics, the rest of the world should never come above and before the interests of US Citizens.

If fair trade practices mean we buy their goods, I’m all for it.

Yet, how does a job in India and China contribute to our infrastructure?

Didn’t a bridge in Minnesota just collapse this year?

Isn’t this country running a deficit that in bills could reach the Moon?

How does this help America again? Oh that’s right, cheap products: lead based toys, poisonous pet food, polluted fish and produce, and who knows what other garbage they ship. Why do we get this crap? Because it is cheap!

And how have the lower earning among us been making do? With credit cards.

Any income gap that the low wage job didn’t cover came from borrowing. People were encouraged to employ equity loans. Their cash machines came from the rising value of homes, because the money certainly wasn’t coming from a well paying job.

Is the subprime mortgage mess making sense now?

 
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Posted in globalism, jobs, subprime mortgage, work