I think it's a requirement, personally. It also seems all legal employers are required to be addicted to something before getting that type of authority.
Why do I say this? Oh, let me count the ways:
1. The job hunt seems to be the only time when basic courtesy is not only allowed to be ignored but downright discouraged. I've seen this sentiment expressed a hundred times on this one HR blog I read on occasion.
As a business owner having done interviews, I made damn sure to follow up with people seeking opportunities with us. I didn't pull dick moves & lie to people like the SOBs I've had to deal with (some of which you can read about in this blog).
After my latest experience in that whole "waiting for a job" (that's not even paying a basic salary, by the way) garbage, I've given up on looking for any sort of day job.
For one thing, there's no opportunity for someone with my usual background and anyone claiming that they seek someone different or unique is a liar. When I put my hat in the ring, it never pans out.
Second, I'm just not motivated to do it. If someone wants me to do something, they'll have to find me & make an offer. Barring that, I don't care anymore. I want to work in my own business badly enough to die before taking on some job I'd hate that would kill my spirit.
Oh, and that same social media you use to monitor employees? It works both ways, assholes!!! People will talk about your shitty behavior & future applicants will not want to work for you. Think for a second: would YOU want to work at a company that has a history of lying to applicants, paying nothing while expecting one person to work for 5 or breaking the law? Would YOU want to work someplace where sexual harassment was encouraged instead of punished? Many people don't want to work at these places.
Frankly, lying pisses me off & I don't care about maintaining bridges with liars. Maybe these jerks might should consider that someday THEY may need jobs & guess who their interviewer is...someone like me that they've lied to. You think I'm going to give such a person a job? You must be on crack.
2. Career advice articles continue to tout that job applicants should "suck it up" and not complain when a potential employer interviews them & then refuses to follow up. Consider that they actually suggest you continue an interview after being asked illegal questions.
Let me tell you, law firms are notorious for doing this shady crap if you believe sites like Ms. JD and other legal blogs where people talk about sexism toward women (not to mention other asinine remarks that people told me about getting in interviews). I know precisely what I'd do if I were asked an illegal question. I'd immediately say "I don't think we have anything else to discuss. Good day," and walk out the door/hang up the phone. Try & stop me and I'll freely explain your blatant disregard for the law + what it says to me about your business (i.e. that you're perfectly okay with sexual harassment, defrauding clients, making people work off the clock & God knows what else).
If I wanted to be demeaned, I would go work as a stripper or as a prostitute. Craig's List keeps allowing those ads for escort agencies so certainly I can find places to be demeaned without having to work for some hypocrite wearing a business suit.
Let's not forget that how an employer treats you when you're an applicant & not even working there is the best you're going to get. If they're treating you like crap at the stage when they're supposed to be impressing you (or "wooing" if you want to go BigLaw fancy), how will they treat you when you're a rank & file employee? This is a question I asked myself in dealing with schools & I think it's very relevant to potential employers.
And if you're treating a potential client that way, it's inexcusable to keep giving business to you since you're the worst business person ever.
3. This article that outright says promotions are based on favoritism.
So, if this is how promotions happen, then why the hell would I bother with working for anyone other than myself, my best friend or anyone who truly respects me???
In sum, it seems no company not owned by you, your friends or anyone with a semblance of competence wants anyone with a brain. They only want "yes" people & slaves/robots. Case in point and I'm shocked "absolute fealty to the company above everything & everyone else" isn't listed as a trait that's irresistible to employers.
Newsflash: you can't expect absolute, unconditional loyalty from someone who isn't a partner or a high ranking person in your business. Underpay them and/or make the workplace atmosphere suck & you're an absolute joke if you think anyone's going to have a speck of loyalty to you. I don't care about industry custom, this is a just a fact of life.
One final thought: if you're too much of a pussy to tell people the hard truth (you're fired, we're not going to give you a 2nd/3rd round interview, we gave someone else the job [probably the owner's kid or some other nepotistic relationship]), then you should not be in management. Being a pussy is a good way to get shot up when someone finally snaps & starts a killing spree. Bad karma begets bad karma. I personally don't want pussies in my ranks; perhaps they remind me of the 7th grade clique bitches I grew up around who'd be nice to your face & cut you down behind your back. I say tell me the damn truth & let ME handle it.
Showing posts with label illegal job interview questions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label illegal job interview questions. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Signs a Corporate Job Is NOT For You
I'm not quite sure when I realized a typical corporate job wasn't for me but I think it must have been sometime after I got my partnership in my own film company & started working with people who respected me + wanted to listen to me.
A few other signs were there before that, though. I was reading this article very recently & it reminded me of stories I've heard about attorney job interviews.
If you go to lawyer blogs or spend time with law students, you'll hear all sorts of stories. I've read things that say married women shouldn't wear their wedding rings in job interviews and heard about downright insulting questions like "You were on XYZ Journal. Why weren't you on Law Review?"
One fundamental problem I'm seeing in these career advice articles is telling people that they should yield to companies to a fault. I'm surprised I've not read an article that told people to lie prostrate on the ground in front of the executive suite & say "Yes, Your Excellency! May I have another?" after being kicked in private areas. That might be a bit of a stretch, but not by much.
When I read an article saying to defend & lie about felonious companies you worked for in the past, that author lost all credibility with me. Do that as a lawyer & you'll be accused of participating in the fraud, even if you worked in the mail room.
I believe performing your civic duty & being a decent human being trumps "never say anything negative about a past employer." If you're seeking work in my entertainment business & your past employer was a scam artist, you'd better tell me. You have a duty to protect others from the same experience & not telling an interviewer might lead the company to work with the scammers later on.
This article essentially tells people to yield to illegal questions & be "polite" in the face of them. Sorry, some things are so fundamentally offensive to ask about & are often delivered in a very snotty tone. You won't get politeness from me in that context; you'll be lucky if I don't smack you. Implying that I'm going off to breed is just insulting to me & asking me about my marital status makes me think you're considering me for a sexual harassment victim instead of an employee. Not every woman has baby rabies, all right?
Oh, and people who hire law firm associates are not ignorant in the least. THEY are assholes & you have to handle those types differently.
I once shut down someone at my career services office who tried pulling the old "you aren't at this rank" attitude with me. I pointed out that I was the first person in my entire family, including extended, to even go to law school & that in light of the fact that I didn't come from money or have the ability to afford all the study guides like everyone else, the fact I wasn't flunking out or made anything lower than a C- was pretty damn good in my view. After I said that, this person backed off & agreed w/me!
Asking something about a journal to me would have invited a combative answer in light of my background, no matter how politely you asked. Personally, there were no journals in law school for my interests so I didn't really care.
I'd have no desire to work someplace where I was asked an illegal or combative question so I'd not care about any impression I gave since they already poisoned the water for me. That whole good impression thing goes both ways.
I really think that my refusal to put up with that kind of shit is a major sign that I'd better own my own business & call my own shots. I've noticed that I'm far more direct & pointed in asking for things than most people probably are. Call me arrogant or pushy if you want but I just have no tolerance for BS & feel that even though I'm nowhere near 40 + look even younger, life's too short for it. I've put up with enough in my own life & telling me to "suck it up" (as you'll find many established attorneys telling newbies) just doesn't cut it. I'd rather be poor & keep my soul than a rich little drone who sold out or became someone's punching bag.
Plus, telling me to take BS means you've just insured that I'll one day snap & kill older folk who pissed me off. Do you really want that hanging over your head?
So, 2 signs you shouldn't work in a typical corporate job: You work someplace where people appreciate you & you don't put up with illegal conduct.
This Craig's List ad also has some relation to this whole theme:
Why does everyone want you do everything free (Manhattan)
Date: 2011-01-17, 9:35PM EST
Reply to: gigs-bzpfd-2166075081@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Actors, Muscians, Photographers, Comedians.......If we all stop working production would not go on.
1. If the comedians stop doing bringer shows there would be no comedians to see at the comedyclubs. You should not have to pay or have your friends pay for you to perform. Let a whole month go by with no comedians clubs will start losing money. You don't need them you can perform at other venues, hotels, parties, colleges, local bars.
2. Actors....you don't know to have roles available to build up your reel, if you can truly act you can make a demo monologue with your video camera at home. Most of these filmakers out there after you complete the film you gonna have to stalk them to get a copy of it. If filmakers are going to make films then they need to understand the real world of filmaking that you have to raise money for production. At least pay the actors $50 a day and have some decent food on the set.
3. We all love the craft and love what we do but TFCD and Demo Reels don't pay the B.I.L.L.S
4. We have to stop whoring ourselves out for free and start holding out and boycotting these people that want to get everything for free.
5. Actors/models we have to start expecting to pay for things as well. You want a new headshot, demo reel, portfolios. Expect to pay for it.
* Location: Manhattan
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: no pay
PostingID: 2166075081
I agree w/the general sentiment. However, I think you can only be exploited for as long as you let someone do it to you. I, for instance, will not "PAY to play" in any context. I'm not even doing freebies so you won't convince me that pay to play is worth my time.
Second, get a written contract. If someone refuses to give you one, don't deal with that individual or entity. That's a sure sign that someone isn't a professional & if you hope to be one, you aren't getting anywhere by dealing with people who can't even give you a simple written document concerning your role, rights, etc.
Third, there are ways to do things that don't require posting a Craig's List ad. I know there's a company that will film a short movie starring you & you can use that for demo reel material. Just pay them & you're done. The entitlement attitude of some people truly reeks; professionals don't care about the troubles of strangers. Boo hoo, you don't have a lawyer. If you don't have money, then don't ask me to help you for free when I don't know you & we don't even have mutual friends. Have a friend help you; don't expect strangers to care or give you freebies.
Then again, maybe these people have NO friends because they acted entitled to get freebies & didn't reciprocate. Somebody should post a list somewhere so people don't waste their time dealing with these entitlement issues.
A few other signs were there before that, though. I was reading this article very recently & it reminded me of stories I've heard about attorney job interviews.
If you go to lawyer blogs or spend time with law students, you'll hear all sorts of stories. I've read things that say married women shouldn't wear their wedding rings in job interviews and heard about downright insulting questions like "You were on XYZ Journal. Why weren't you on Law Review?"
One fundamental problem I'm seeing in these career advice articles is telling people that they should yield to companies to a fault. I'm surprised I've not read an article that told people to lie prostrate on the ground in front of the executive suite & say "Yes, Your Excellency! May I have another?" after being kicked in private areas. That might be a bit of a stretch, but not by much.
When I read an article saying to defend & lie about felonious companies you worked for in the past, that author lost all credibility with me. Do that as a lawyer & you'll be accused of participating in the fraud, even if you worked in the mail room.
I believe performing your civic duty & being a decent human being trumps "never say anything negative about a past employer." If you're seeking work in my entertainment business & your past employer was a scam artist, you'd better tell me. You have a duty to protect others from the same experience & not telling an interviewer might lead the company to work with the scammers later on.
This article essentially tells people to yield to illegal questions & be "polite" in the face of them. Sorry, some things are so fundamentally offensive to ask about & are often delivered in a very snotty tone. You won't get politeness from me in that context; you'll be lucky if I don't smack you. Implying that I'm going off to breed is just insulting to me & asking me about my marital status makes me think you're considering me for a sexual harassment victim instead of an employee. Not every woman has baby rabies, all right?
Oh, and people who hire law firm associates are not ignorant in the least. THEY are assholes & you have to handle those types differently.
I once shut down someone at my career services office who tried pulling the old "you aren't at this rank" attitude with me. I pointed out that I was the first person in my entire family, including extended, to even go to law school & that in light of the fact that I didn't come from money or have the ability to afford all the study guides like everyone else, the fact I wasn't flunking out or made anything lower than a C- was pretty damn good in my view. After I said that, this person backed off & agreed w/me!
Asking something about a journal to me would have invited a combative answer in light of my background, no matter how politely you asked. Personally, there were no journals in law school for my interests so I didn't really care.
I'd have no desire to work someplace where I was asked an illegal or combative question so I'd not care about any impression I gave since they already poisoned the water for me. That whole good impression thing goes both ways.
I really think that my refusal to put up with that kind of shit is a major sign that I'd better own my own business & call my own shots. I've noticed that I'm far more direct & pointed in asking for things than most people probably are. Call me arrogant or pushy if you want but I just have no tolerance for BS & feel that even though I'm nowhere near 40 + look even younger, life's too short for it. I've put up with enough in my own life & telling me to "suck it up" (as you'll find many established attorneys telling newbies) just doesn't cut it. I'd rather be poor & keep my soul than a rich little drone who sold out or became someone's punching bag.
Plus, telling me to take BS means you've just insured that I'll one day snap & kill older folk who pissed me off. Do you really want that hanging over your head?
So, 2 signs you shouldn't work in a typical corporate job: You work someplace where people appreciate you & you don't put up with illegal conduct.
This Craig's List ad also has some relation to this whole theme:
Why does everyone want you do everything free (Manhattan)
Date: 2011-01-17, 9:35PM EST
Reply to: gigs-bzpfd-2166075081@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Actors, Muscians, Photographers, Comedians.......If we all stop working production would not go on.
1. If the comedians stop doing bringer shows there would be no comedians to see at the comedyclubs. You should not have to pay or have your friends pay for you to perform. Let a whole month go by with no comedians clubs will start losing money. You don't need them you can perform at other venues, hotels, parties, colleges, local bars.
2. Actors....you don't know to have roles available to build up your reel, if you can truly act you can make a demo monologue with your video camera at home. Most of these filmakers out there after you complete the film you gonna have to stalk them to get a copy of it. If filmakers are going to make films then they need to understand the real world of filmaking that you have to raise money for production. At least pay the actors $50 a day and have some decent food on the set.
3. We all love the craft and love what we do but TFCD and Demo Reels don't pay the B.I.L.L.S
4. We have to stop whoring ourselves out for free and start holding out and boycotting these people that want to get everything for free.
5. Actors/models we have to start expecting to pay for things as well. You want a new headshot, demo reel, portfolios. Expect to pay for it.
* Location: Manhattan
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: no pay
PostingID: 2166075081
I agree w/the general sentiment. However, I think you can only be exploited for as long as you let someone do it to you. I, for instance, will not "PAY to play" in any context. I'm not even doing freebies so you won't convince me that pay to play is worth my time.
Second, get a written contract. If someone refuses to give you one, don't deal with that individual or entity. That's a sure sign that someone isn't a professional & if you hope to be one, you aren't getting anywhere by dealing with people who can't even give you a simple written document concerning your role, rights, etc.
Third, there are ways to do things that don't require posting a Craig's List ad. I know there's a company that will film a short movie starring you & you can use that for demo reel material. Just pay them & you're done. The entitlement attitude of some people truly reeks; professionals don't care about the troubles of strangers. Boo hoo, you don't have a lawyer. If you don't have money, then don't ask me to help you for free when I don't know you & we don't even have mutual friends. Have a friend help you; don't expect strangers to care or give you freebies.
Then again, maybe these people have NO friends because they acted entitled to get freebies & didn't reciprocate. Somebody should post a list somewhere so people don't waste their time dealing with these entitlement issues.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
One More Reason to Keep Me Out of a Law Firm--Sexual Harassment
Right now, I'm listening to an early No Doubt song called "Trapped in a Box". I remember hearing this one in my head a lot when I was on my first & last document review assignment in Newark. It really captured my feelings while I was doing it & sort of sums up why I'd never do it again. I miss No Doubt since I don't care for the Gwen Stefani solo stuff; however, I maintain that you can like some artistic piece or connect with it without becoming an irritating pain in the ass who makes the artist uncomfortable, pisses them off or alienates other listeners, viewers, etc.
People like that annoy the holy hell out of me on a serious level. I'm not about to declare anyone my god or someone who is never, ever wrong. Those people live up to the term "fan", short for fanatic and make anyone daring to call themselves one look like a stalker in the making. It's why I hate the term "fan" and refuse to call myself one when it comes to anything.
I happened to be goofing off online last night when I come across some entries from a legal scam busting blog called "But I Did Everything Right". It's a great read & while I come from a different viewpoint + function very differently from a lot of these people, they do make some good points. One of the posts I saw that caught my eye discussed rampant sexual harassment & illegal questions in job interviews.
In particular, this is sexual harassment toward women that everyone's apparently aware of & couldn't give a damn about. Since I have no concern about the legal field blackballing me (in fact, I'd wear that proudly like a badge of honor) or even defending criminals, I would definitely do something sinister to someone trying it.
Did you know that in all my years of schooling & even working for someone who sexually harassed others, not a single person has ever sexually harassed me? No one ever made a pass or did anything inappropriate to me.
You're probably thinking that in my hometown, of course no one's bothering me. My father would kill that person considering he threatened to do it when I was being teased by that kid. True enough.
But it didn't happen in college, law school or to this day, not even in my single days. I personally think that the myths about natural redheads work to my advantage sometimes; let's face it, it's better for scum like this not to be around me or mine. They'd never survive intact & bad things would happen, if not from me then definitely from others. After working someplace where it happened, I really don't have a good impression of a workplace that gives even silent approval to sexual harassment. Actually, that's an understatement. It's more like I view that workplace as equal to working in a strip club.
It also makes the whole wearing business suits and concern about pics of drunken antics on Facebook downright hilarious, even farcical.
So, thanks Angel for giving me a wonderful, valid reason to share w/the Doubting Thomases & Debbie Downers who think I should throw away once in a lifetime opportunities I've gotten in my dream field for the chance to work in some white shoe law firm. Anyone who knows me well enough would agree that it's just buying trouble.
People like that annoy the holy hell out of me on a serious level. I'm not about to declare anyone my god or someone who is never, ever wrong. Those people live up to the term "fan", short for fanatic and make anyone daring to call themselves one look like a stalker in the making. It's why I hate the term "fan" and refuse to call myself one when it comes to anything.
I happened to be goofing off online last night when I come across some entries from a legal scam busting blog called "But I Did Everything Right". It's a great read & while I come from a different viewpoint + function very differently from a lot of these people, they do make some good points. One of the posts I saw that caught my eye discussed rampant sexual harassment & illegal questions in job interviews.
In particular, this is sexual harassment toward women that everyone's apparently aware of & couldn't give a damn about. Since I have no concern about the legal field blackballing me (in fact, I'd wear that proudly like a badge of honor) or even defending criminals, I would definitely do something sinister to someone trying it.
Did you know that in all my years of schooling & even working for someone who sexually harassed others, not a single person has ever sexually harassed me? No one ever made a pass or did anything inappropriate to me.
You're probably thinking that in my hometown, of course no one's bothering me. My father would kill that person considering he threatened to do it when I was being teased by that kid. True enough.
But it didn't happen in college, law school or to this day, not even in my single days. I personally think that the myths about natural redheads work to my advantage sometimes; let's face it, it's better for scum like this not to be around me or mine. They'd never survive intact & bad things would happen, if not from me then definitely from others. After working someplace where it happened, I really don't have a good impression of a workplace that gives even silent approval to sexual harassment. Actually, that's an understatement. It's more like I view that workplace as equal to working in a strip club.
It also makes the whole wearing business suits and concern about pics of drunken antics on Facebook downright hilarious, even farcical.
So, thanks Angel for giving me a wonderful, valid reason to share w/the Doubting Thomases & Debbie Downers who think I should throw away once in a lifetime opportunities I've gotten in my dream field for the chance to work in some white shoe law firm. Anyone who knows me well enough would agree that it's just buying trouble.
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