At the risk of turning my blog into some sort of "Grinds My Gears" ranting a la Peter Griffin - I'm finding that more and more job-related posts are turning into "yknow what really pisses me off?" type of posts. I suppose you could say that I do have a legit case o' the Mondays - the weather is miserable [I suppose - it's raining and I love that, but also - the wind, my most hated weather form], I'm unemployed, Joseph is still sick, my living room is falling into a continued state of disrepair and I'm too lazy to change out of my shirt that got wet while doing the washing up [and sitting in wet-ish things makes me cranky]. Bleh. But yes, onwards and upwards to rant about job stuff...
I got a sort-of interview this morning. It is an interview with a recruiting/placement agency. These sorts of things - unless they are legit headhunters - I am so very, very meh on. I have dealt with four different recruiting agencies and they have all come up with absolutely zero for me on the job front. I know people that swear by them - they say this is the only way to get a job. I think - if it's a legit headhunter, that might be the case. I've had a couple of talented friends get career-type jobs using an agency that found them and had a job for them...but, the other way around? I think is only good for getting temp. work or administrative type contracts. Of course, I don't know much about the industry-specific recruiting agencies - they might be very good as well. Anyway, the job is in media relations, which interested me enough to apply through the agency. I don't think this will seriously lead to anything, but I'm willing to throw myself out there anywhere and everywhere in the hopes of finding an interesting career. One thing that already was grinding my gears was the fact that they wanted me to come in for an interview today. They called me @ 11:30am and said - well, we are really in a rush so can you come in today? Ummm, no. I might be unemployed, but my time is still worth something, thanks muchly. I get that as an unemployed person you're meant to be very enthusiastic and jumping on every little thing...but I just can't be that guy. I think if perhaps they are in such a rush, maybe they should have made their job posting before Friday...but who am I to judge?
And then, there is this annoying trend that has popped up on both CNN and Q107 - making for a highly unsavoury one-two punch assault on my senses. That is having these poor unemployed saps on the air and getting them to do a 30-second pitch on why an employer should give them a job. In the case of CNN a little bell actually goes off when the time is up - and the hapless schmuck has to then sit there and shut up. It's all very pathetic. I get that perhaps this is coming from a good place [the road to hell is paved with good intentions] - but it just smacks of the yuckies. For one, when I turn CNN I want news [okay, maybe not investigative, hard-hitting journalism, it's still CNN] - not to have to look @ a passel of unemployed dorks [if I want to look @ unemployed dorks, I have many, many mirrors]. They all seem like such sad turtles. And I'm working very hard to not be a sad turtle. I dunno - something about the way that the overly groomed and styled CNN presenters [because most of them are *not* journalists] talking in this condescending and irritating fashion to these unemployed people [with the tagline under them reading - jobless, not hopeless] - the rapport is just not there. I would say it's insulting to all involved, except that I think the CNN folks really think they are deserving of an atta-boy/girl in this instance. They would be wrong. I think these fine unemployed folks should man up and maintain their dignity - the day I would be cowed into submission by Kyra Phillips would be a fine one indeed.
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Hubby has talked with several recruiters over the years, with mixed success. Right now they all seem to be overworked; don't know how much individual attention any particular client gets.
ReplyDeleteOur radio station is now doing the "sell yourself for one minute" thing too. I can see local radio but CNN--I don't see people really saying "Oh I went on TV and landed a job because of CNN."
ReplyDeleteI also hear you about the temp agencies--when I was out of college and needed temp work I kept going through all the tests and interviews then they were like "we don't have anything" --then why did you just waste my time. On the 3rd agency I actually got a job at the hospital temporarily but the first two the people working there were incompetent and I could not believe they had all these people come in if they didn't have anything!
It's true - I think that the recruiters must get paid based upon how many people they add to the database - not just how many positions they fill. They are continually interviewing, even when there's nothing out there.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to interview well for an agency - I have no idea what the organization is or what the position even is...if it exists @ all. Hopefully the weather is nicer tomorrow so I can enjoy a walk downtown...since I'm doubting the interview will be terribly productive.
I tried going through an agency when I was unemployed, too. After testing and interviews, they assured me that they'd have no trouble at all finding me something. A month later, all that had been offered to me was an interview for a telephone sales job an hour away. All that to say, it didn't work out for me either. But, maybe (hopefully) you'll have better luck.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the spots you're talking about, and I understand people are desperate, but I suspect they would only be successful if the job hunter was confident, clear on what they can do for a company, and specific about what they want - which would be difficult if you're desperate enough to go on TV to get a job.
ReplyDeleteYou've pretty much hit the nail on the head, Colette. Most of the people on CNN who are doing their pitches or on these panels where they clearly feed them lame-o questions - they all look utterly terrified about being on TV. At best, they look uncomfortable. I feel bad for them.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, I highly doubt many employers are cruising CNN for potential employees during the middle of a weekday.