Since the middle word of this blog is “broke,” it’s probably no secret that I’m out there with millions of other Southern Californians looking for work. So therefore, we are experiencing many of the same quirky “career counselors,” hypocrisies in hiring and the frustration of, “Why isn’t this person calling me back? Can’t they see I really want this job?”
I have applied to many jobs. I’ve had interviews. And most recently, a lot of them have been weird. The jobs that I want to call me don’t, and those that do have odd concepts of how to approach me. Several of them have even been sex-oriented. But the truth is that they tell a lot about the current job market and what it has in store for people like me.
Consider my last three job interviews:
The first was with a major pornography magazine that I will not name here (some of you already know, but as we don’t want to defame them, please do not say who they are). When I got there, they were professional and courteous, and I felt that I connected. The guy who interviewed me said, “Look, I understand this job isn’t for everyone. So I’m going to give you some copies of the magazines to look at, and if you’re not comfortable with the content, I completely understand.” I give him full credit for being upfront and honest with me, and I took my three copies, stuffed them in my resume folder and walked down the street with them. After scanning them, though, everything became a private part of some kind for the next three days. Even if they offered the job, I would have refused. I realized there was so much I could take. But at the very least, they were professional.
The second was with a marketing company. The job description seemed like it was okay. The company looked legit, so I went to the interview all the way out in the San Gabriel Valley. I was brought in and filled out an application. After I did that, there were three boxes put in front of me on a desk. One said, “Feel me.” One said, “Rock me.” One said, “Savor me.” There were also three tiny envelopes with the names on them. The man explained to me that these boxes were the company's new packaging – for condoms. And I had to write the copy for one of them. I was in shock that a company would do this in an interview, but I felt like I had to do it, even though what this company did was totally unprofessional. The worst part about being unemployed is that it feels like you have to jump through hoops to beg for a treat, even if the hoops are on fire. This was definitely not right.
The last of these was for a sales job – finally, a job interview without sex. I met them at a job fair, and the man for this office was insistent that I would be a perfect fit for their sales office, saying what a good personality I had. I’ve done sales before, and I mentioned that I wasn’t successful at it. When I got in their office, they were nice enough, but left me in a back room for 15 minutes without an, "I'm sorry, I will be X amount of minutes more." When the person who I talked to got in there, he outlined the sales job, and I realized this was a pitch, complete with no pay – exclusively commission. I then asked, “What percentage of people who you bring into your office succeed and stay with the company?” When the answer was, “Well, you know, if they do X, Y and Z, then they stay.” Not a direct answer – this was the ultimate sign of spin. It wasn't that they wanted me -- they wanted a body to bring in, because the chances were that probably 80 percent of people didn't succeed.
Three different stories, but they have a similar meaning to what the job market is right now. I studied economics in college, so I know a bit about supply and demand, and the fact of the matter is that the spectrum is skewed. When you reach a scarcity in jobs and an increase in applicants, companies have control in the job markets, and there are quite a few of those that take advantage of their position.
I’ve seen postings for jobs that require you to have a ton of experience and list tons of job duties that you will have to do for them … all while making $8 an hour. And they can do this because there are people who are more than willing to put up with anything so they can have a job. And then, when they’re hired and being underpaid, overworked and treated unfairly, the whole idea is, “Well, they should just be thankful they’re working.”
I know it seems odd and unusual, and companies will probably not listen to me on this, but is it so hard to treat your employees (or potential employees you interview) with an ounce of respect? I know times are tough, but just because they are doesn’t mean you should make people eat dirt, whether it’s in the job interview or after you bring them on board. It may not be the cool thing to do, but the right thing to do often isn’t. Heck, if a pornography magazine can be nice enough to be straightforward, honest and considerate of me and my feelings, could it hurt if you did it, too?
Meanwhile, I will continue submitting my resume and putting a big smile on my face when I walk in the door wearing my super-high heels. I will do what it takes to get work in order to get my husband and myself out of this hell that we call unemployment. But, in all of this, I know I am worth something. I may not get paid well, but I’m not worth being treated like less of a person because I should be thankful for any job that comes to me.
Great blog post, Reina!
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