NYC for now. Happened to be awake before 8 am so since I'm up, why not update this blog???
How did we get to NYC? Eh, a few things.
For one thing, I met a new guy. I've not made a big production of it, partially because I'm more private in things, didn't want to jinx it and I've been doing my fair share of dating post Mr. Big Stuff. There's also the inherrent nature of dating in NYC (see this post for details). I still think that post is generally applicable though undoubtedly the pandemic has changed things in NYC.
One big question that's lingered in my head is "Is NYC dead?" From my own travels and my own conversations with people, I'd say "there's still life here and even still some of that old school spirit." For those holding nasty notions about black people, I've seen black people have words with other black people who were panhandling or lowering the quality of life in NYC by harassing others. One of those incidents happened on a bus I was taking to go home. Doing bus travel (as I'm not feeling the subway right now, despite claims that it will go back to 24/7 service in a very short time and the city is re-opening in a very short time; I smell politics at work vs. "lowered virus threat"), it's been "Harlem: the same as it ever was." I've also not heard back on my community board application so I've got to at least see what happens there.
FYI, getting onto community board in NYC doesn't even completely have to do with you the applicant. I learned this after going on a group interview (two words that made me shudder immediately but it turns out this was much better than expected since this wasn't the most extroverted person dominating the entire conversation as it was when I did a group interview for a job at Abercrombie back in my college days; demanding the introverts suddenly morph into extroverts isn't cool and I'm saying that as more of an ambivert vs. a stone cold introvert with no extrovert tendencies to speak of) and being told what the next steps are. Not sure if people will actually look at the demographics I fit but I had a good laugh there answering the one "how do I identify myself" question noting my whole natural redhead thing and having to completely be self-made. Regardless, I'll get to actually tell you how the application process works, what the selection criteria is and get to bitch about politics on a whole new level that someone who's never done it has no right to.
I think there ought to be a rule in life that if you have never done the thing you're criticizing, such as worked as a police officer/been on a ride along/known any cops, you don't get to bitch about it. You don't get a mic but you get silenced and ridiculed for being an idiot trying to pose as an expert. That way, people who actually know what they're talking about will be the ones who get the mic and real change can happen. I always cheer on people speaking on topics they've lived or experienced since that actually means they're worth listening to on something. If people would only stick to topics they're actually educated on, the world would be a much better place along with them staying in their own lanes (I'm looking at you, vaccine).
But the new guy....that's something that blows Mr. Big Stuff totally away. I actually haven't felt that way about someone since I was dating my ex-husband. 4 months later and in the wasteland of NYC, I'd never believe someone who wrote on my Hinge profile "I'm going to prove you wrong" when I claimed that a guy on my level in looks, intelligence and the like didn't exist actually WOULD prove me wrong. Never one to resist a challenge like that, I instantly responded to that guy. He promptly asked me out. I told myself I would be good and not do instant sex (something that's rather common if you live and date in a major city, to the chagrin of you church ladies); I also had to see the gyno on medical stuff the next day and told him this directly in order to avoid any misperceptions or confusion (I wasn't playing any games and also figured it would be awkward to be doing such things then going into the gyno's office where they have to mess with those areas). I went to the gyno and was then out of commission for a bit. This guy asked me out again very quickly: I told him certain things are out of commission. He says "It's just your pussy that's out of commission, not you. I want to see YOU, not just your pussy." I don't feel like a lot of guys who'd just met you in NYC would vocalize such a thing though maybe more would be thinking it than my inner cynic would believe. He saw my tiny room and we hung out here. I also introduced him to my roommate's cats including the one who is super sweet and affectionate. Long story with those cats but as we get to talking, I note that we have more stuff in common. I also learn that he's as good at managing around setbacks as I am. When certain things were finally back in commission, there was definitely a natural progression towards incorporating that element into the proceedings.
At this stage in my life and certainly living in NYC, even in pandemic times, I figured finding a guy where that existed was about as likely as winning the lottery, getting struck by ligthning or maybe my family leaving NC and moving closer to where I live. I didn't even feel that whole thing with Mr. Big Stuff until later in the relationship and it was never on that same level of intensity. Going on dates post divorce, I didn't feel the same energy as I had with my ex and just thought "that's stuff for your teens and 20s and Single 1.0 life". If you've felt it, you know what I'm talking about. It's the difference between a mere surface "I like this person and having sex with them" and a feeling that just thinking of that person makes you all giggly, smiley and silly to where strangers wonder what the hell's wrong with you. It's wanting to be around that person a ton, even when you're sad and depressed and not feeling like dealing with the world. To you, that person isn't "the world" they're just "that person." You don't feel like you need pretension or to put on your face or be "the me I show the rest of society." It's something you feel organically, not something you can manufacture or push yourself into feeling no matter how much you want to feel that way. Ideally, as you're feeling it the other person is too. Otherwise you just feel naked in a metaphysical sense (God knows we've all felt that at one time or another; a classic example is unrequited crushes).
On literal 4/20, I get asked about becoming exclusive. I accept so here we are. No regrets or itchiness to bail at the moment. He tells me he looks forward to becoming an old couple together. I'm like "okay." That prospect didn't scare me and I'm the woman who's had to deal with stalkers and clingy guys with no love for either. Coming from him, however, just felt natural and like it could be a possibility. It didn't feel like intrusion. I think when remarks like that don't feel like intrusion, that means you've got that heady rush and more than a mere fling or sex buddy scenario going on. It feels nice to finally have a local guy I want to spend time with. My sister, upon hearing about this boyfriend, claims I won't be going to NC this summer since now I have a boyfriend. I don't really know if that's true but it definitely makes me feel like my future could indeed be here vs. feeling like there's nothing left & where the heck am I going to possibly start over at.
I also bit the bullet and hired a professional resume/cover letter writer to target entertainment law jobs specifically. As a likely result, I did score a couple good interviews (one job turned me down but the other I'm still waiting to hear about for a second interview; I need to follow up on that today). Such a job would change things dramatically if I can't get another stable, viable income stream from independent work and now that I have this boyfriend (the fabled guy my former therapist told me I should be going out with), I feel like "it's time to up your game; you can totally do this." If we're the sum of who we hang out with, then this guy blows everybody else away in that regard. As far as I'm concerned, if Mr. Big Stuff tried talking to me again I'd throw that in his face and inform him that he's got no chance. He should have thought about my value when I went to see him in December. His loss is my boyfriend's gain. Every single person I've talked to is Team New Boyfriend.
One of these days, I'll get a nickname for him but it's something that's got to come to me. Those are something else you can't manufacture or invent since mine come from using it to sum up everything you need to know about the person without excessive detail. The best is when other people use my nicknames to describe the same person. What's even more interesting is I found out recently the emergency room in NC misdiagnosed my toe injury and it's actually broken but never healed (and that's why I can't bend the lower joint in my index toe). If my toe had been broken, I might never have gone to Indiana since scheduling it before going back to NYC and not missing holidays with family was hard enough beforehand. If I'd not gone to Indiana, I wouldn't have had my heart broken and learned Mr. Big Stuff was a dead end. If I'd thought there was still possibility with Mr. Big Stuff, I wouldn't have gotten dating profiles anywhere (including Hinge). If I'd never gotten a Hinge profile, I'd have never met my new boyfriend and if I'd never met my boyfriend then he wouldn't be in my life now, wouldn't be my boyfriend and I'd not be feeling that heady rush stuff. It definitely feels like something out of "Sliding Doors" (a movie you should see if you haven't). What's even cooler is that he's seen lots of movies and TV shows I reference. He even mentioned a show that I'd also seen and claimed he was the only one who'd seen it!!! You get to do a lot more shorthand when you're in one of those heady rush situations mainly because you discover that you're on the same mental plane. Dating my ex-husband consisted of a lot of that and we were definitely a couple who disgusted people with their PDA. I'm sure my boyfriend and I would also be that couple if more social settings were happening but perhaps people in NYC are more chill about such things & there are fewer people around here though things are perking up.
Sleep may just about be hitting me so I might be doing more of it in a bit. Let's see.
Showing posts with label job interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job interviews. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Friday, July 15, 2011
More Job Interviewing Screwups
After today's round of interviews, the biggest word that comes to mind is "Whew!" Now I'm not completely finished with interviews but I'm nearing the home stretch. Honestly, I feel like I got most of my best candidates earlier. Guess rewarding people who responded sooner with sooner interview dates/times paid off.
To the people I met today who are worthwhile candidates: thank you! You made my day much better & less stressful. Especially after the no-shows & prima donnas who seemed to think they could bail at the last minute and I'd reschedule for them as a matter of course. Never mind the fact that I worked around my obligations (including a paying day job) to schedule interviews to begin with or that I told my team I'd have all the interviews finished by a certain day. See, unlike you I RESPECT deadlines & take them seriously. Try violating them in legal practice & see where it gets you.
A few more little tips:
1. If you go to meet with me & don't know what I look like, that's a serious minus point. That means you didn't go to the company's website or even Google me. Translation: you're lazy.
2. Don't assume I've got text messaging on my phone. I know someone who opts not to have a cell phone. There's freedom in not having people be able to reach you all the time. I can't help but admire someone who doesn't have to be tethered to the outside world like that. I remember the days I didn't have a cell phone but now, I'm not sure I'd be able to give it up like that.
3. If you don't show up & don't call, you are effectively getting black balled. Don't expect me to keep that a secret. You'd better pray I don't know someone at any future companies you apply to or that they don't happen to ask me or my associates about you. They will hear it & they will not bother w/you.
Oh, and did I mention the entertainment business is very small? People know each other & they definitely talk. Translation: you're a flake & you're on my shit list. We HATE flakes with an undeniable passion & vigor reserved for child molesters, stalkers and other assorted scummy people. Really not smart to get on a lawyer's shit list, either. That goes for any lawyer, not just me.
4. If you don't know what my company does & ask me why I'm interviewing you, that also means you're not working with me. Translation: you're lazy. You also don't give a damn about MY company or MY work. Why should I care about you?
5. Finally, don't waltz in thinking you're going to be the DP/Executive Producer/Editor or whatever high level position you have no track record/reputation in on our next picture. The entertainment business works on reputation: if you're a newbie, you don't have one. You don't have references we trust, you don't have prior experience, then guess what? You don't get to do it!!!
Let me familiarize you with a concept: baby steps. This means prove you're competent, will do a good job, won't be a dreaded flake & maybe we'll consider you. If you think for 5 seconds you'll be displacing people we've been working with for years, have an established relationship with or whose track records/reputations are awesome, you'd better wake up & get with the program. You have to pay dues here just like anywhere else. The good news is that at least in entertainment, most people aren't interns 5 years later. There tends to be some upward mobility, sometimes very fast if you're that good & prove yourself. It's not like working for a city job where no one bothers to advance you or give you any incentive to do a good job. Most entertainment folk will remember & reward hard work.
Waltz in & demand us to see your creative work, give you an acting audition, etc.? We'll laugh inside. Translation: you're a cocky motherfucker who thinks they are above everyone else.
Speaking of cocky motherfuckers, there's no way in hell I'd consider a celebrity intern. I read this story earlier.
If your claim to fame is that you share zygotes with one or more celebs, guess what? I'll perceive you as too much trouble. I'll also think you are a cocky motherfucker who thinks they are exempt from everyone else & won't listen to me or anyone else on my team. Know what I think of that? I'll knock you square off that high horse in 2 seconds. One of my husband's former co-workers once said that I could kill someone with words. I could also demoralize & take you down emotionally in a second.
So if you were a celeb or offspring of one & wanted to intern w/my company? You'd better do your damnedest to show me some humility; I also hate suck ups & can spot insincerity from a mile away. I'd also probably tell you point blank that we run this ship & if you dare to mess with that boat or think you can slack off b/c of who you're related to, you'll be out on your ass just like anyone else. I also have that repressed telling off of my ex-friend you'll have to deal with. Condescension & trying to lump me/other interns/anyone else into your figure of the "little people" is just an invitation for me to knock you down harder than a law school professor would to a 1L class (and they're vicious & merciless).
One person who was known for giving others attitude also got only one verbal smack down from me to never pull that with me again, at least to my face. I did this without having to curse or do anything special. I simply used brutal honesty & insider knowledge of how badly you'll be perceived if you do X.
Plus, I once made a career services person at my law school back off from the whole "You don't have a high class rank/law review" attack they usually gave to students. These attacks tend to be rather brutal & by the end of my response, the person I was meeting with was like "It's okay."
If I can do that, you're not going to have a prayer with me. Oh, and if you've read this blog, you already know someone's wealth/status/whatever doesn't impress me at all. I've never been the type to take shit from anyone & I'm not about to start now. You treat me with basic respect and dignity & I'll do likewise for you. If you don't, don't expect me to kiss your ass. Arrogance is an equal opportunity affair & can exist anywhere. Poor people w/that attitude will get it just as badly as anyone else if they pull that with me.
So, again if you get to interview people you learn some valuable lessons about how to be a good candidate & what not to do. I highly encourage it if you get a chance.
To the people I met today who are worthwhile candidates: thank you! You made my day much better & less stressful. Especially after the no-shows & prima donnas who seemed to think they could bail at the last minute and I'd reschedule for them as a matter of course. Never mind the fact that I worked around my obligations (including a paying day job) to schedule interviews to begin with or that I told my team I'd have all the interviews finished by a certain day. See, unlike you I RESPECT deadlines & take them seriously. Try violating them in legal practice & see where it gets you.
A few more little tips:
1. If you go to meet with me & don't know what I look like, that's a serious minus point. That means you didn't go to the company's website or even Google me. Translation: you're lazy.
2. Don't assume I've got text messaging on my phone. I know someone who opts not to have a cell phone. There's freedom in not having people be able to reach you all the time. I can't help but admire someone who doesn't have to be tethered to the outside world like that. I remember the days I didn't have a cell phone but now, I'm not sure I'd be able to give it up like that.
3. If you don't show up & don't call, you are effectively getting black balled. Don't expect me to keep that a secret. You'd better pray I don't know someone at any future companies you apply to or that they don't happen to ask me or my associates about you. They will hear it & they will not bother w/you.
Oh, and did I mention the entertainment business is very small? People know each other & they definitely talk. Translation: you're a flake & you're on my shit list. We HATE flakes with an undeniable passion & vigor reserved for child molesters, stalkers and other assorted scummy people. Really not smart to get on a lawyer's shit list, either. That goes for any lawyer, not just me.
4. If you don't know what my company does & ask me why I'm interviewing you, that also means you're not working with me. Translation: you're lazy. You also don't give a damn about MY company or MY work. Why should I care about you?
5. Finally, don't waltz in thinking you're going to be the DP/Executive Producer/Editor or whatever high level position you have no track record/reputation in on our next picture. The entertainment business works on reputation: if you're a newbie, you don't have one. You don't have references we trust, you don't have prior experience, then guess what? You don't get to do it!!!
Let me familiarize you with a concept: baby steps. This means prove you're competent, will do a good job, won't be a dreaded flake & maybe we'll consider you. If you think for 5 seconds you'll be displacing people we've been working with for years, have an established relationship with or whose track records/reputations are awesome, you'd better wake up & get with the program. You have to pay dues here just like anywhere else. The good news is that at least in entertainment, most people aren't interns 5 years later. There tends to be some upward mobility, sometimes very fast if you're that good & prove yourself. It's not like working for a city job where no one bothers to advance you or give you any incentive to do a good job. Most entertainment folk will remember & reward hard work.
Waltz in & demand us to see your creative work, give you an acting audition, etc.? We'll laugh inside. Translation: you're a cocky motherfucker who thinks they are above everyone else.
Speaking of cocky motherfuckers, there's no way in hell I'd consider a celebrity intern. I read this story earlier.
If your claim to fame is that you share zygotes with one or more celebs, guess what? I'll perceive you as too much trouble. I'll also think you are a cocky motherfucker who thinks they are exempt from everyone else & won't listen to me or anyone else on my team. Know what I think of that? I'll knock you square off that high horse in 2 seconds. One of my husband's former co-workers once said that I could kill someone with words. I could also demoralize & take you down emotionally in a second.
So if you were a celeb or offspring of one & wanted to intern w/my company? You'd better do your damnedest to show me some humility; I also hate suck ups & can spot insincerity from a mile away. I'd also probably tell you point blank that we run this ship & if you dare to mess with that boat or think you can slack off b/c of who you're related to, you'll be out on your ass just like anyone else. I also have that repressed telling off of my ex-friend you'll have to deal with. Condescension & trying to lump me/other interns/anyone else into your figure of the "little people" is just an invitation for me to knock you down harder than a law school professor would to a 1L class (and they're vicious & merciless).
One person who was known for giving others attitude also got only one verbal smack down from me to never pull that with me again, at least to my face. I did this without having to curse or do anything special. I simply used brutal honesty & insider knowledge of how badly you'll be perceived if you do X.
Plus, I once made a career services person at my law school back off from the whole "You don't have a high class rank/law review" attack they usually gave to students. These attacks tend to be rather brutal & by the end of my response, the person I was meeting with was like "It's okay."
If I can do that, you're not going to have a prayer with me. Oh, and if you've read this blog, you already know someone's wealth/status/whatever doesn't impress me at all. I've never been the type to take shit from anyone & I'm not about to start now. You treat me with basic respect and dignity & I'll do likewise for you. If you don't, don't expect me to kiss your ass. Arrogance is an equal opportunity affair & can exist anywhere. Poor people w/that attitude will get it just as badly as anyone else if they pull that with me.
So, again if you get to interview people you learn some valuable lessons about how to be a good candidate & what not to do. I highly encourage it if you get a chance.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
How to Screw Up a Job Opportunity in the Entertainment Field
I've been quite busy lately so have not been able to update as much.
For one thing, I've been dealing with responses to my company's ad for interns. If you have never interviewed people for a job, I highly recommend it. You find out some very interesting things.
First off, Scott Power's advice on how casting directors and the like really want to find the right person for that acting role definitely applies to the intern search. At least with me as interviewer, I'm just seeking the right person for the job. I don't care about things you can't control so before I see your response, you don't lose points with me for simply applying.
Second, you'll see people doing all kinds of things you wouldn't expect. Not following up, not keeping contact information current, ditching interviews without calling, asking for things they could easily find online, etc.
This isn't even talking about interviewing attire, which some businesses are far pickier about than others. As a rule of thumb, I always ask my interviewer how I should dress so I don't walk in wearing my corporate bad ass business suit & scare people even more when applying for a job having nothing to do with my status as an attorney. If you're an attorney even being considered for a non-lawyer job, you want to be as approachable as possible particularly in more casual settings. The suit you wear to court is probably not a good idea.
Speaking of things I didn't expect, I had a rather interesting correspondence with an internship candidate. Note I said "internship candidate," not "CEO candidate" or even "receptionist candidate." There are some lessons to take from it if you're an applicant. Here goes:
1. You are not the only person on the planet. Other people exist, including your interviewer. You don't know how many other candidates I have to talk to, my personal schedule, if I'm getting paid by the company, etc. For all you know, I have 100 other people to talk to + am going on a long awaited vacation in a very short time.
2. You are not the best candidate for the job. As in life, there's always someone who's smarter, prettier, a better athlete, a better dancer, etc. Because you don't know how many candidates I have to consider, it's stupid to assume that you are the most sought after.
3. Even if you somehow are the most sought after candidate, that position can change based on your attitude and behavior toward the interviewer (or for that matter, anyone else working with the company including the custodian). You can go from "I've got to interview this person ASAP" to "No way am I working with this person" in a heartbeat.
4. You want your interviewer to be HAPPY. Believe me, you don't want me interviewing you at the crack of dawn & being pissed that you made me get up early. Nor do you want me interviewing you on a day when my husband's home; I'll just fixate on you taking time away from my loved ones.
5. On that note, the interviewer is in charge. NOT you, bub! You don't get to rush out when I give you details or demand information. I get to tell you things in due time. I'm the captain of this ship as is any other person who is an owner in their company or being authorized to interview you. You don't run the show!!!!!!!!
If you think otherwise, you'll definitely not be working in the entertainment field for long. No one wants to work with a self-important diva, whether that's in acting or otherwise. Oh, and straight men can also be "divas."
That is what you are when you whine about the interview location or me giving information when I feel it's appropriate. If you try to rush me around (remember, I could be waiting to hear back from 100 other people & need to manage their responses to me), this is how I will perceive you.
Want to demand me to interview you at a different venue? Pay me for my time. Until you're doing that, shut up.
6. Attitude is everything. Be a prick & see if you get selected as an intern. Oh, and if you've accused the company of being shady when you have no basis to make such assertions don't expect to be considered for ANYTHING. You won't even get a job picking up trash or cleaning up vomit at the after party.
Oh, and I'm allowed to be a bitch. For one thing, I'm a lawyer. Getting six figure loan debt & dealing with assholes in all aspects of the legal field (clients, other attorneys, etc.) have earned me the right to be less than cordial. You want that right? Go to law school, get a JD and get admitted as a lawyer.
Second, I'm a company owner. My word also trumps yours. If you want that right, get your own company & develop it. You'll learn a thing or two about working with others & finding competent people to help you.
Third, if you think I'm "mean" because I don't pull out Midwestern nice for you (and I'm from the SOUTH, jerk) then you're way too delicate for this industry. There are people in this field that make me look like Melody Hansen from Hey Dude.
Most people would tell you I'm a sweetheart but I don't take shit or let anyone push me around. That's how you have to be if you want to survive in a big city and in a competitive industry.
7. Finally, no one has a right to take cabs everywhere in NYC. We have one of the best public transit systems in NYC. Stop being a whiny little baby about using it or I will tease you about it & call you a wimp to your face.
If I don't know who you are, chance are you're not going to get mobbed on the subway.
Newsflash: not everything films every single scene in Manhattan. Parts of our films were shot in Brooklyn, the Bronx & even (gasp) New Jersey. Even well known TV shows shoot scenes in places like Connecticut, Atlantic City, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens. This includes well established, mainstream companies not just indies.
Try demanding a company to film all their scenes in Manhattan, especially when you are an intern. I'd love to hear the results of that conversation since I know what I'd tell someone if they asked me that.
NOW do you want to bitch about going to Queens for the interview?
In closing, interns don't have the connections or trust of established people. You also don't know who I may know in the world who could deny you opportunities because of your actions toward me. The entertainment community is very small and NYC is even smaller.
If you're smart, you won't do what that intern did. It's a surefire way to never work in the industry.
For one thing, I've been dealing with responses to my company's ad for interns. If you have never interviewed people for a job, I highly recommend it. You find out some very interesting things.
First off, Scott Power's advice on how casting directors and the like really want to find the right person for that acting role definitely applies to the intern search. At least with me as interviewer, I'm just seeking the right person for the job. I don't care about things you can't control so before I see your response, you don't lose points with me for simply applying.
Second, you'll see people doing all kinds of things you wouldn't expect. Not following up, not keeping contact information current, ditching interviews without calling, asking for things they could easily find online, etc.
This isn't even talking about interviewing attire, which some businesses are far pickier about than others. As a rule of thumb, I always ask my interviewer how I should dress so I don't walk in wearing my corporate bad ass business suit & scare people even more when applying for a job having nothing to do with my status as an attorney. If you're an attorney even being considered for a non-lawyer job, you want to be as approachable as possible particularly in more casual settings. The suit you wear to court is probably not a good idea.
Speaking of things I didn't expect, I had a rather interesting correspondence with an internship candidate. Note I said "internship candidate," not "CEO candidate" or even "receptionist candidate." There are some lessons to take from it if you're an applicant. Here goes:
1. You are not the only person on the planet. Other people exist, including your interviewer. You don't know how many other candidates I have to talk to, my personal schedule, if I'm getting paid by the company, etc. For all you know, I have 100 other people to talk to + am going on a long awaited vacation in a very short time.
2. You are not the best candidate for the job. As in life, there's always someone who's smarter, prettier, a better athlete, a better dancer, etc. Because you don't know how many candidates I have to consider, it's stupid to assume that you are the most sought after.
3. Even if you somehow are the most sought after candidate, that position can change based on your attitude and behavior toward the interviewer (or for that matter, anyone else working with the company including the custodian). You can go from "I've got to interview this person ASAP" to "No way am I working with this person" in a heartbeat.
4. You want your interviewer to be HAPPY. Believe me, you don't want me interviewing you at the crack of dawn & being pissed that you made me get up early. Nor do you want me interviewing you on a day when my husband's home; I'll just fixate on you taking time away from my loved ones.
5. On that note, the interviewer is in charge. NOT you, bub! You don't get to rush out when I give you details or demand information. I get to tell you things in due time. I'm the captain of this ship as is any other person who is an owner in their company or being authorized to interview you. You don't run the show!!!!!!!!
If you think otherwise, you'll definitely not be working in the entertainment field for long. No one wants to work with a self-important diva, whether that's in acting or otherwise. Oh, and straight men can also be "divas."
That is what you are when you whine about the interview location or me giving information when I feel it's appropriate. If you try to rush me around (remember, I could be waiting to hear back from 100 other people & need to manage their responses to me), this is how I will perceive you.
Want to demand me to interview you at a different venue? Pay me for my time. Until you're doing that, shut up.
6. Attitude is everything. Be a prick & see if you get selected as an intern. Oh, and if you've accused the company of being shady when you have no basis to make such assertions don't expect to be considered for ANYTHING. You won't even get a job picking up trash or cleaning up vomit at the after party.
Oh, and I'm allowed to be a bitch. For one thing, I'm a lawyer. Getting six figure loan debt & dealing with assholes in all aspects of the legal field (clients, other attorneys, etc.) have earned me the right to be less than cordial. You want that right? Go to law school, get a JD and get admitted as a lawyer.
Second, I'm a company owner. My word also trumps yours. If you want that right, get your own company & develop it. You'll learn a thing or two about working with others & finding competent people to help you.
Third, if you think I'm "mean" because I don't pull out Midwestern nice for you (and I'm from the SOUTH, jerk) then you're way too delicate for this industry. There are people in this field that make me look like Melody Hansen from Hey Dude.
Most people would tell you I'm a sweetheart but I don't take shit or let anyone push me around. That's how you have to be if you want to survive in a big city and in a competitive industry.
7. Finally, no one has a right to take cabs everywhere in NYC. We have one of the best public transit systems in NYC. Stop being a whiny little baby about using it or I will tease you about it & call you a wimp to your face.
If I don't know who you are, chance are you're not going to get mobbed on the subway.
Newsflash: not everything films every single scene in Manhattan. Parts of our films were shot in Brooklyn, the Bronx & even (gasp) New Jersey. Even well known TV shows shoot scenes in places like Connecticut, Atlantic City, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens. This includes well established, mainstream companies not just indies.
Try demanding a company to film all their scenes in Manhattan, especially when you are an intern. I'd love to hear the results of that conversation since I know what I'd tell someone if they asked me that.
NOW do you want to bitch about going to Queens for the interview?
In closing, interns don't have the connections or trust of established people. You also don't know who I may know in the world who could deny you opportunities because of your actions toward me. The entertainment community is very small and NYC is even smaller.
If you're smart, you won't do what that intern did. It's a surefire way to never work in the industry.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Tattoos & Piercings on the Job
I saw this issue posted in an HR blog I read on occasion (largely, to learn how to be good at it & avoid screwing up).
This is an interesting issue for me since I actually have a tattoo myself. You'd never see it unless you saw me in underwear or a swimsuit but it is there. I'm not going to say what it is since if you know me, you're already aware of it or saw it & if you don't, then this is personal knowledge you don't get to have unless you actually get to know me.
I'd wanted one for years but couldn't figure out what design I wanted. I knew where I wanted it before I knew the design to get. Not long after getting dumped by Vampire Boy (or maybe it was a little before then?), I had my design figured out. There's a symbolism behind it, in fact. It represented my view that there was no love for me, that no soul mate existed for The Angry Redheaded Lawyer (or in those days, The Angry Redheaded Coed).
When I turned 22, I decided to get the tattoo as a present to myself after enduring all these hard breakups & general emotional pain I'd had over the years. I had never actually loved anyone I dated (though I wasn't sure about Vampire Boy until years later) & felt like everyone was ahead of me in that realm. I figured that was my fate & I'd die that way; getting the tattoo was, for me, an acceptance of that fate. It was my way of saying a prospective boyfriend couldn't hurt me as badly as he might want to since I simply was incapable of being in love with anyone in the true sense of that phrase.
The oddest thing was my mother, a fairly conservative woman, saw the tattoo when I was getting changed into the bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding a couple months later and complimented me on it! She felt it was pretty & tasteful. My mother's probably closer to the anti-tattoo camp than most people & I'm still shocked she likes it.
A guy I dated afterward (the one who was 14 years older than me) didn't like it at all & asked me "What if my kids see it?" I said that I would point out that I am a grown-up and when they turn 18, then they can get tattoos.
People are still shocked when they hear I have one: I think I went up a few cool points with people at the film company when I told them about having one. When my Public Speaking teacher heard me talking about getting one in college, he (an attorney) said "Don't you know? ALL attorneys have tattoos!"
Having gotten one, I have a few words about them:
1. Don't get one unless you REALLY want it. Getting mine felt like someone taking a rusty nail and etching into my skin. I'm not kidding!! You gain a new respect for people who have tattoos once you get one for yourself. Especially if they are in bony or sensitive places!! I had one sorority sister who got tattoos on the front of her foot; I couldn't imagine doing that.
2. Go to a clean, reputable tattoo parlor. I went to a place recommended by a sorority sister who'd gotten a few and was becoming the resident tattoo fiend.
3. Pick a location where you can cover it up if you want to work in a mainstream job. Though at the law firm I worked at, I had a co-worker who had a very large shoulder/upper arm tattoo she covered up. I also had a co-worker who dressed goth & worked in the firm's foreclosure department. These were also pleasant people who never ticked me off.
So if you're a paralegal, you might be able to get away with it if you don't work at a law firm headed by some jerk devoid of personality and any appreciation for creativity.
Maybe I could get away w/getting a second tattoo if things work out for me in entertainment...but I'd have to figure out what I wanted & where to put it. I also hate having the same things as everyone else so it would have to be unique enough to satisfy me.
4. Don't pick a location on your body that will look nasty with age. I avoided my stomach, cleavage, butt or anything that might get fat or droopy as I age. A high school teacher I had once said that you don't want a tattoo somewhere that looks silly when you're 80 & in a rest home.
5. Make sure you can see what the artist is doing i.e. no tattoos where you can't see them. It's sure to end up misspelled & then you're not getting it for you; you're getting it for strangers. That's just not my forte; if it's yours, have fun but don't complain if the tattoo doesn't come out like you want it.
So I tend to get a little bitchy toward people who have this holier than thou attitude when it comes to people w/tattoos. I also have the view that if you aren't making a ton of money at a job, you shouldn't be expected to dress like you make six figures.
For example, no way will I wear a business suit unless you pay me six figures since I'd have to put in tons of money for alterations & go to specialty shops to find anything fitting my skinny butt. Almost every suit I have could use some alteration so it doesn't look baggy on me. Not to mention I feel more like I should be going to a fashion model photo shoot when I wear one than to court or some law firm. All lawyers should do this; at least legal aid attorneys are told to dress more casually so they don't offend clients.
I also hate uniforms; I loved working at JcPenney b/c though you had to dress up, you got some creative license. I think that's what I love about my industry; the fact that creative license is encouraged instead of shunned.
I don't see myself turning people away for having a piercing or tattoo. Don't think I'd be big on doing that if someone's a good applicant & the item wasn't completely offensive. I understand religious symbols, curse words, nudity; get up in arms over those all you want. Get mad about people not covering up certain things in reasonable situations like cleavage or tramp stamps. Demanding long sleeves when it's 100 degrees outside & inside is NOT reasonable; demanding this in a cool room is.
But when you start demanding a strip search as part of the job, it's over the top. I also think it's over the top to get demanding on appearance for low paid workers who have enough to deal with. If the tattoo harms a waitress, she'll see it in the tips. I think some problems solve themselves so you don't have to be an ass to people; a sales person offending people with appearance will hear about it sooner or later in loss of sales or a client speaking up.
I remember seeing an episode of "True Life" where this guy was getting massive tattoo removal for his fiancee, who pretty much demanded him to get them removed or she wouldn't marry him. I still think "What a bitch!" What happened to liking people for themselves?? Didn't she fall in love with this guy as he was? If he was making his own choice, that's one thing but it struck me that he was mostly doing it and trying to get a "respectable" job because this bitch commanded it. Yes, I hate women like that. They make the rest of us look bad.
The holier than thou folk saying "Don't get a tattoo or piercing," can shove it up their collective rear ends. I feel such things are a personal choice. Deal with them and find things that work FOR that choice instead of against it. I don't regret getting mine and if my husband had told me to remove it, I'd tell him to piss off. Anyone else would hear even worse.
Basing your opinion of someone on that is the same as telling someone to lose weight before you'll date him/her or telling a woman to get implants or she's not good enough for you. Who the hell do you think you are to tell anyone that??? Don't let anyone manipulate you that way; love yourself first! If someone doesn't like you for you, they don't deserve your time.
Give me a good worker with a tattoo or piercing any day over some incompetent who dresses all boring and beige. I've concluded that I really don't fit with the average corporate workplace since there are too many boring and beige folk and I can't relate to that. Again, I still believe you can dress tastefully without dressing like the old person you aren't or a total frump with no originality at all.
This is an interesting issue for me since I actually have a tattoo myself. You'd never see it unless you saw me in underwear or a swimsuit but it is there. I'm not going to say what it is since if you know me, you're already aware of it or saw it & if you don't, then this is personal knowledge you don't get to have unless you actually get to know me.
I'd wanted one for years but couldn't figure out what design I wanted. I knew where I wanted it before I knew the design to get. Not long after getting dumped by Vampire Boy (or maybe it was a little before then?), I had my design figured out. There's a symbolism behind it, in fact. It represented my view that there was no love for me, that no soul mate existed for The Angry Redheaded Lawyer (or in those days, The Angry Redheaded Coed).
When I turned 22, I decided to get the tattoo as a present to myself after enduring all these hard breakups & general emotional pain I'd had over the years. I had never actually loved anyone I dated (though I wasn't sure about Vampire Boy until years later) & felt like everyone was ahead of me in that realm. I figured that was my fate & I'd die that way; getting the tattoo was, for me, an acceptance of that fate. It was my way of saying a prospective boyfriend couldn't hurt me as badly as he might want to since I simply was incapable of being in love with anyone in the true sense of that phrase.
The oddest thing was my mother, a fairly conservative woman, saw the tattoo when I was getting changed into the bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding a couple months later and complimented me on it! She felt it was pretty & tasteful. My mother's probably closer to the anti-tattoo camp than most people & I'm still shocked she likes it.
A guy I dated afterward (the one who was 14 years older than me) didn't like it at all & asked me "What if my kids see it?" I said that I would point out that I am a grown-up and when they turn 18, then they can get tattoos.
People are still shocked when they hear I have one: I think I went up a few cool points with people at the film company when I told them about having one. When my Public Speaking teacher heard me talking about getting one in college, he (an attorney) said "Don't you know? ALL attorneys have tattoos!"
Having gotten one, I have a few words about them:
1. Don't get one unless you REALLY want it. Getting mine felt like someone taking a rusty nail and etching into my skin. I'm not kidding!! You gain a new respect for people who have tattoos once you get one for yourself. Especially if they are in bony or sensitive places!! I had one sorority sister who got tattoos on the front of her foot; I couldn't imagine doing that.
2. Go to a clean, reputable tattoo parlor. I went to a place recommended by a sorority sister who'd gotten a few and was becoming the resident tattoo fiend.
3. Pick a location where you can cover it up if you want to work in a mainstream job. Though at the law firm I worked at, I had a co-worker who had a very large shoulder/upper arm tattoo she covered up. I also had a co-worker who dressed goth & worked in the firm's foreclosure department. These were also pleasant people who never ticked me off.
So if you're a paralegal, you might be able to get away with it if you don't work at a law firm headed by some jerk devoid of personality and any appreciation for creativity.
Maybe I could get away w/getting a second tattoo if things work out for me in entertainment...but I'd have to figure out what I wanted & where to put it. I also hate having the same things as everyone else so it would have to be unique enough to satisfy me.
4. Don't pick a location on your body that will look nasty with age. I avoided my stomach, cleavage, butt or anything that might get fat or droopy as I age. A high school teacher I had once said that you don't want a tattoo somewhere that looks silly when you're 80 & in a rest home.
5. Make sure you can see what the artist is doing i.e. no tattoos where you can't see them. It's sure to end up misspelled & then you're not getting it for you; you're getting it for strangers. That's just not my forte; if it's yours, have fun but don't complain if the tattoo doesn't come out like you want it.
So I tend to get a little bitchy toward people who have this holier than thou attitude when it comes to people w/tattoos. I also have the view that if you aren't making a ton of money at a job, you shouldn't be expected to dress like you make six figures.
For example, no way will I wear a business suit unless you pay me six figures since I'd have to put in tons of money for alterations & go to specialty shops to find anything fitting my skinny butt. Almost every suit I have could use some alteration so it doesn't look baggy on me. Not to mention I feel more like I should be going to a fashion model photo shoot when I wear one than to court or some law firm. All lawyers should do this; at least legal aid attorneys are told to dress more casually so they don't offend clients.
I also hate uniforms; I loved working at JcPenney b/c though you had to dress up, you got some creative license. I think that's what I love about my industry; the fact that creative license is encouraged instead of shunned.
I don't see myself turning people away for having a piercing or tattoo. Don't think I'd be big on doing that if someone's a good applicant & the item wasn't completely offensive. I understand religious symbols, curse words, nudity; get up in arms over those all you want. Get mad about people not covering up certain things in reasonable situations like cleavage or tramp stamps. Demanding long sleeves when it's 100 degrees outside & inside is NOT reasonable; demanding this in a cool room is.
But when you start demanding a strip search as part of the job, it's over the top. I also think it's over the top to get demanding on appearance for low paid workers who have enough to deal with. If the tattoo harms a waitress, she'll see it in the tips. I think some problems solve themselves so you don't have to be an ass to people; a sales person offending people with appearance will hear about it sooner or later in loss of sales or a client speaking up.
I remember seeing an episode of "True Life" where this guy was getting massive tattoo removal for his fiancee, who pretty much demanded him to get them removed or she wouldn't marry him. I still think "What a bitch!" What happened to liking people for themselves?? Didn't she fall in love with this guy as he was? If he was making his own choice, that's one thing but it struck me that he was mostly doing it and trying to get a "respectable" job because this bitch commanded it. Yes, I hate women like that. They make the rest of us look bad.
The holier than thou folk saying "Don't get a tattoo or piercing," can shove it up their collective rear ends. I feel such things are a personal choice. Deal with them and find things that work FOR that choice instead of against it. I don't regret getting mine and if my husband had told me to remove it, I'd tell him to piss off. Anyone else would hear even worse.
Basing your opinion of someone on that is the same as telling someone to lose weight before you'll date him/her or telling a woman to get implants or she's not good enough for you. Who the hell do you think you are to tell anyone that??? Don't let anyone manipulate you that way; love yourself first! If someone doesn't like you for you, they don't deserve your time.
Give me a good worker with a tattoo or piercing any day over some incompetent who dresses all boring and beige. I've concluded that I really don't fit with the average corporate workplace since there are too many boring and beige folk and I can't relate to that. Again, I still believe you can dress tastefully without dressing like the old person you aren't or a total frump with no originality at all.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
General Musings, Part 5 & How to Spot a Scam Artist
Here we go again. Got all these stories & now it's time to share some thoughts:
Call me a prick or whatever you want but I do happen to be in support of this. It's this kind of thing that has been making the US a safe haven for illegals & having seen my family's former neighbors pop out baby after baby that they then allow to roam freely in busy streets without a care in the world or Social Services coming after them, I'm all for cutting that kind of nonsense. I don't blame Social Services since they've overworked, underpaid & have enough to deal with but I think curbing that whole thing might help everyone's caseloads.
If you disagree, talk to me about it when you see the mother of these children doing zero child rearing or even speaking English. The men will at least parent if you tell them their children are messing in your yard or standing in the middle of the street waiting to be a human speed bump. I really don't have regard or sympathy for women who do this. That also ties into my rant against breeders, who come in all nationalities, religions, economic classes, etc. & are equally hated by me.
As a lawyer & somewhat liberal minded person, you can guess what side I take on this. Videotaping the police should absolutely not be a crime. Guess how many regimes in history violated basic civil rights; a lot. If you ask me, this is a check against police corruption that we sorely need in society as a while.
I can think of worse, don't worry. But, let's get serious: you'd better MENTION weekend work unless it's standard practice in the job. You'll not get ME to do it unless it's for my own business or some enterprise where I will receive ample compensation & recognition for doing so. That's sorely lacking in your typical job.
I did my weekend time & paid my dues there, thank you. Now, I'm a married woman with a Master's level degree & deserve to have quality time with my spouse. I simply avoid jobs demanding me to do that since I am a freelancer & get the luxury to create my own schedule.
Some truly bad questions:
1. What's your policy on personal hygiene? (I'm not kidding; my husband could tell you stories about this.)
2. Are you solvent? Financially, that is.
3. May I bring my dog/cat/snake/other household pet to work? (and you aren't handicapped)
4. When will the soul sucking begin?
5. Would you like to go out with me? (That would creep me out.)
6. When will your company join us in the modern age?
What's the use of life if you can't laugh once in a while? It would also make me lash out even more at the corporate world, where personality isn't allowed, if I didn't do stuff like this.
I can relate to this one since I also found college & law school textbooks to be too damn high. I'm surprised the law school scam bloggers haven't talked about that yet. My own law school once openly told us they weren't e-mailing us the ISBNs for the books as they had in prior semesters b/c "the bookstore won't let us & wants to make money."
Well, I want my own gold mine. We want lots of things in life but that doesn't mean we'll get them. I just walked to the bookstore myself, found my books, wrote down the ISBNs, then went home & looked them up online. Unless you store yours in the back & make employees fetch them for students, I guess you're out of luck aren't you, evil campus bookstore??? Saved 1/2 the money buying from non-bookstore sources.
Ed Koch, you rock!!! Good luck to New York Uprising. Stuff like this makes me hopeful for the American spirit & people getting together to say "Enough is enough!" I didn't even live in NYC when he was Mayor but anyone who gets things done & doesn't crumble in the face of controversy to the PC crowd is someone I admire.
All I can say is "Cut the shit!!" Where have you dinosaurs been living since the rise of You Tube, the Internet, cable television, etc.? Is this 1988? I find it ridiculous that they even have a cable show entitled "Dance Your A** Off"; what the hell??? Why can we not spell the word "Ass"; it is in the Bible, after all. Furthermore, since when do the Christians govern this nation??? One religion does not have the right to dictate what everyone else does, especially when others don't follow that religion. You don't see the Amish or the Mormons doing this stuff. Take a lesson from them.
You know you're just going to end up like Terry Rakolta & give the show even better ratings + press. People will speak out against the Parents Television Council and deem them out of touch with modern society's mores. Furthermore, some of you people need to be looking at yourselves & what you are teaching your kids instead of blaming popular culture, television shows and the media in general for your children's spiritual corruption. Let me tell you right now, we have a little thing called a TV remote & I bet your children have seen more Internet porn in 2 months than I've seen in my entire life.
There's a practice called abstinence; it's not just for sex. Grown ups do live in this country & when you infringe on my rights to watch a program or those of my fellow creatives to express themselves, that's when you're asking for trouble.
Finally, some tips on spotting a scam artist:
I saw this Craig's List ad for a job. In case they actually pull this one, here's what it says.
Executive Business Assistant for Modeling Agency (New York)
Date: 2010-08-06, 10:52PM EDT
Reply to: gigs-2hbup-1885186759@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Good Evening Everyone-
An up and coming modeling agency is looking for an Executive Business Assistant for the New York City area.
THIS POSITION IS NOT FOR THE WEAK AT HEART..DIVAS NEED NOT APPLY EITHER!
The company is presently looking to work with eye candy models, so if you have experience there then please include related experience in your response email.
The people selected for this particular position would be responsible for building a team of personnel for the following core management positions in the New York City area: (a) Director of Operations, (b) Director of Marketing, (c) Director of Model Development and (d) Business Assistant
The duties of each of the listed personnel will be discussed with the individuals who surpass the initial screening for the Executive Business Assistant Position
The Executive Business Assistant would also be responsible for finding 10 strong modeling candidates to upstart the market in the New York City area
What the agency is looking for:
(a) A Female who is at least 28 years of age
(b) Someone who is aggressive, detail oriented, organized, and not easily persuaded/influenced (AGAIN THIS POSITION IS NOT DESIGNED FOR WEAK INDIVIDUALS)
(c) Someone with a positive attitude and can share various ideas to move the New York market as well as other markets forward
(d) Must be able to communicate effectively
(e) Must be able to make herself accessible
If you are interested in this position, then please forward your resume and/or bio, 2-3 photos, statement of why you would be the best fit for this position, contact email and contact phone number. Someone affiliated with the agency will be in touch with all candidates who possess the strongest capabilities within 24-72 hours
* Location: New York
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: will be discussed with individuals who surpass initial screening process
PostingID: 1885186759
Freaking demanding of total strangers, eh? I sent in information & corresponded w/a lovely person who completely agreed with my basic points. Apparently, the guy was a clone of the scammer at the fake BMG Network referenced much earlier in this blog.
So, how to spot a scammer? I've noticed a few things:
1. Job ads asking for pictures when the job isn't for an acting, modeling or some creative project. Personal or Executive Assistant to the CEO does NOT count.
If they're asking for pics, chances are the person's seeking a future sexual harassment victim. It actually happened to someone I know. They're also setting themselves up for a serious employment discrimination lawsuit with evidence right there for the world to see.
2. The business owner is evasive. The scammer I dealt with wouldn't even give financial information to potential investors, despite the fact that it's par for the course in this business.
3. The business owner might as well be a 7th grade girl since (s)he talks behind people's backs. I loathe that shit with a passion & it corrodes a business when you don't have honest communication. This kind of drama is juvenile + a waste of time.
4. The business owner never gets back to you on things. The scammer was the worst person in the company I worked in. Everyone else was on the ball, ready to go but that guy always dragged his feet. I loathe this as well.
5. The business owner doesn't want to work with a lawyer or is scared of one. The one concerning this ad apparently claimed to have one but I think that's BS since no attorney I know would have someone post an ad that so obviously violates labor laws. Nor would any sane business person turn down the opportunity to even speak to an attorney, especially in the entertainment game. Remember, attorneys actually get respect in this business. Even if they have one, any sane person would still talk to other lawyers since you never know who might be a resource in the future.
This probably doesn't cover everything (one obvious thing is never giving money on the condition of a job or reimbursement if you've not dealt with the person in the past) but when I see things like this, it's a huge red flag screaming "Lying crook. Get away!"
Call me a prick or whatever you want but I do happen to be in support of this. It's this kind of thing that has been making the US a safe haven for illegals & having seen my family's former neighbors pop out baby after baby that they then allow to roam freely in busy streets without a care in the world or Social Services coming after them, I'm all for cutting that kind of nonsense. I don't blame Social Services since they've overworked, underpaid & have enough to deal with but I think curbing that whole thing might help everyone's caseloads.
If you disagree, talk to me about it when you see the mother of these children doing zero child rearing or even speaking English. The men will at least parent if you tell them their children are messing in your yard or standing in the middle of the street waiting to be a human speed bump. I really don't have regard or sympathy for women who do this. That also ties into my rant against breeders, who come in all nationalities, religions, economic classes, etc. & are equally hated by me.
As a lawyer & somewhat liberal minded person, you can guess what side I take on this. Videotaping the police should absolutely not be a crime. Guess how many regimes in history violated basic civil rights; a lot. If you ask me, this is a check against police corruption that we sorely need in society as a while.
I can think of worse, don't worry. But, let's get serious: you'd better MENTION weekend work unless it's standard practice in the job. You'll not get ME to do it unless it's for my own business or some enterprise where I will receive ample compensation & recognition for doing so. That's sorely lacking in your typical job.
I did my weekend time & paid my dues there, thank you. Now, I'm a married woman with a Master's level degree & deserve to have quality time with my spouse. I simply avoid jobs demanding me to do that since I am a freelancer & get the luxury to create my own schedule.
Some truly bad questions:
1. What's your policy on personal hygiene? (I'm not kidding; my husband could tell you stories about this.)
2. Are you solvent? Financially, that is.
3. May I bring my dog/cat/snake/other household pet to work? (and you aren't handicapped)
4. When will the soul sucking begin?
5. Would you like to go out with me? (That would creep me out.)
6. When will your company join us in the modern age?
What's the use of life if you can't laugh once in a while? It would also make me lash out even more at the corporate world, where personality isn't allowed, if I didn't do stuff like this.
I can relate to this one since I also found college & law school textbooks to be too damn high. I'm surprised the law school scam bloggers haven't talked about that yet. My own law school once openly told us they weren't e-mailing us the ISBNs for the books as they had in prior semesters b/c "the bookstore won't let us & wants to make money."
Well, I want my own gold mine. We want lots of things in life but that doesn't mean we'll get them. I just walked to the bookstore myself, found my books, wrote down the ISBNs, then went home & looked them up online. Unless you store yours in the back & make employees fetch them for students, I guess you're out of luck aren't you, evil campus bookstore??? Saved 1/2 the money buying from non-bookstore sources.
Ed Koch, you rock!!! Good luck to New York Uprising. Stuff like this makes me hopeful for the American spirit & people getting together to say "Enough is enough!" I didn't even live in NYC when he was Mayor but anyone who gets things done & doesn't crumble in the face of controversy to the PC crowd is someone I admire.
All I can say is "Cut the shit!!" Where have you dinosaurs been living since the rise of You Tube, the Internet, cable television, etc.? Is this 1988? I find it ridiculous that they even have a cable show entitled "Dance Your A** Off"; what the hell??? Why can we not spell the word "Ass"; it is in the Bible, after all. Furthermore, since when do the Christians govern this nation??? One religion does not have the right to dictate what everyone else does, especially when others don't follow that religion. You don't see the Amish or the Mormons doing this stuff. Take a lesson from them.
You know you're just going to end up like Terry Rakolta & give the show even better ratings + press. People will speak out against the Parents Television Council and deem them out of touch with modern society's mores. Furthermore, some of you people need to be looking at yourselves & what you are teaching your kids instead of blaming popular culture, television shows and the media in general for your children's spiritual corruption. Let me tell you right now, we have a little thing called a TV remote & I bet your children have seen more Internet porn in 2 months than I've seen in my entire life.
There's a practice called abstinence; it's not just for sex. Grown ups do live in this country & when you infringe on my rights to watch a program or those of my fellow creatives to express themselves, that's when you're asking for trouble.
Finally, some tips on spotting a scam artist:
I saw this Craig's List ad for a job. In case they actually pull this one, here's what it says.
Executive Business Assistant for Modeling Agency (New York)
Date: 2010-08-06, 10:52PM EDT
Reply to: gigs-2hbup-1885186759@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Good Evening Everyone-
An up and coming modeling agency is looking for an Executive Business Assistant for the New York City area.
THIS POSITION IS NOT FOR THE WEAK AT HEART..DIVAS NEED NOT APPLY EITHER!
The company is presently looking to work with eye candy models, so if you have experience there then please include related experience in your response email.
The people selected for this particular position would be responsible for building a team of personnel for the following core management positions in the New York City area: (a) Director of Operations, (b) Director of Marketing, (c) Director of Model Development and (d) Business Assistant
The duties of each of the listed personnel will be discussed with the individuals who surpass the initial screening for the Executive Business Assistant Position
The Executive Business Assistant would also be responsible for finding 10 strong modeling candidates to upstart the market in the New York City area
What the agency is looking for:
(a) A Female who is at least 28 years of age
(b) Someone who is aggressive, detail oriented, organized, and not easily persuaded/influenced (AGAIN THIS POSITION IS NOT DESIGNED FOR WEAK INDIVIDUALS)
(c) Someone with a positive attitude and can share various ideas to move the New York market as well as other markets forward
(d) Must be able to communicate effectively
(e) Must be able to make herself accessible
If you are interested in this position, then please forward your resume and/or bio, 2-3 photos, statement of why you would be the best fit for this position, contact email and contact phone number. Someone affiliated with the agency will be in touch with all candidates who possess the strongest capabilities within 24-72 hours
* Location: New York
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: will be discussed with individuals who surpass initial screening process
PostingID: 1885186759
Freaking demanding of total strangers, eh? I sent in information & corresponded w/a lovely person who completely agreed with my basic points. Apparently, the guy was a clone of the scammer at the fake BMG Network referenced much earlier in this blog.
So, how to spot a scammer? I've noticed a few things:
1. Job ads asking for pictures when the job isn't for an acting, modeling or some creative project. Personal or Executive Assistant to the CEO does NOT count.
If they're asking for pics, chances are the person's seeking a future sexual harassment victim. It actually happened to someone I know. They're also setting themselves up for a serious employment discrimination lawsuit with evidence right there for the world to see.
2. The business owner is evasive. The scammer I dealt with wouldn't even give financial information to potential investors, despite the fact that it's par for the course in this business.
3. The business owner might as well be a 7th grade girl since (s)he talks behind people's backs. I loathe that shit with a passion & it corrodes a business when you don't have honest communication. This kind of drama is juvenile + a waste of time.
4. The business owner never gets back to you on things. The scammer was the worst person in the company I worked in. Everyone else was on the ball, ready to go but that guy always dragged his feet. I loathe this as well.
5. The business owner doesn't want to work with a lawyer or is scared of one. The one concerning this ad apparently claimed to have one but I think that's BS since no attorney I know would have someone post an ad that so obviously violates labor laws. Nor would any sane business person turn down the opportunity to even speak to an attorney, especially in the entertainment game. Remember, attorneys actually get respect in this business. Even if they have one, any sane person would still talk to other lawyers since you never know who might be a resource in the future.
This probably doesn't cover everything (one obvious thing is never giving money on the condition of a job or reimbursement if you've not dealt with the person in the past) but when I see things like this, it's a huge red flag screaming "Lying crook. Get away!"
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
I Hope You're Sticking Around...
Just trying to adjust to having a full time day job again. Of course, the real test comes in when I get paid. I'm not about to have a repeat performance of the scam artistry of last November. I won't be working unpaid for 3 months this time.
Realized that I have some links I really should go & comment on:
* Legalities aside, I & every sane person in this country have been wanting this to happen for years. It's time to start following the example of other countries & treating citizenship with the importance that it deserves instead of letting illegals cash in on everything.
* A few comments on this:
First off, honesty is a total misnomer in a job interview. It IS, seriously. You walk in there wearing clothes you don't normally wear, rehearsing your answers ahead of time & telling an employer precisely what they want to hear. Personal style & creativity is generally frowned upon as is not being a robot. A smart interviewer knows that there is a degree of dishonesty in any job interview. I would even go so far as to say that a job interview is the ultimate act of dishonesty, especially when competition for a job is fierce & lots of people are desperate.
Second, I'm glad that some of my methods are things that one should do such as dealing w/overqualification right away. Thankfully, my current position didn't come w/that problem. I'm still learning but at least it's in the title of attorney.
Also glad to see that this person despises the practice of not doing a follow-up after giving someone an interview. I hate that & it's a true pet peeve of mine.
Third, employers should also not rely on candidates filling a position. They may have other interviews & get better offers or people who are more proactive than Potential Employer #1.
A few more comments: checking references off list could lead to potential lawsuits. What if someone said "do not contact X person?" There could be defamation issues so we might want to tread carefully there.
We're also not addressing the catch-22 of "no experience w/out a job; no job w/out experience." You can't volunteer everywhere & for every single field. It's actually a terrible idea to volunteer at a library in order to work as a librarian; my husband found out that it will harm you if you pursue that area.
Also not smart to do it as a lawyer unless you're in law school; if you've graduated, you should already have gotten internships or done something in the legal industry to learn how to practice law. Otherwise, you end up stuck as a permanent volunteer/unpaid worker & never get the respect from anyone to move forward. You end up devaluing your own skills & no one takes you seriously if you're doing it years after getting admitted. I've seen many lawyers not take up & comers seriously but simply exploit them for free labor.
For the record, legal aid & other similar groups have requirements for volunteers; I know Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts requires 7 years of legal experience before you can work w/them. Now my situation has not been on a volunteer basis but is a result of how the entertainment industry works.
Oh, and personality not fitting the corporate culture: what if someone's personality is repugnant to everyone? What if you're in an occupation where you're supposed to be less than happy flowers & sunshine to people, where in fact such behavior would cause those you had to get things from to brush you aside? Somewhere, I'm sure there are people whose personalities & general inner being are offensive to everyone in the room; what then?
Finally, be honest but don't talk about a bad boss? Hmmm.... can we say "be a liar?" I don't think that when your former position was a scam enterprise that you help yourself by defending the scam, especially when you have ethical duties to the general public under a professional license. I also think you have a right to talk about the lack of advancement opportunities if people who don't even interact w/you on a frequent basis are the ones making the decisions while ignoring anyone who does spend time w/you (including your immediate boss) & says you deserve to move upward.
Honestly, I think I did much better in interviews when I wasn't worried about making someone like me & simply approached it like a business transaction.
Two big problems w/this one:
First, if I were still dating I prefer not wasting my time w/an animal hater or a two bit scumbag who's just like an ex. I had no qualms talking about pets or exes & used such conversation to determine whether I needed to bother getting to know this person any further. One doesn't need to be the crazy cat lady or mega-obsessed on something but I certainly think it's pertinent to share stories on these topics to implicitly tell someone just what will happen if THEY try doing to me what X in the story did.
Second, you can use that stuff for bonding. My husband & I bonded over bad ex stories. It became a question of whose exes are worse. We declared it a tie.
Oh, and readers? If you try to seek me out aside from this blog, know that I am a very suspicious & paranoid person. Life & general reality has made me this way.
If you have a complaint about that, then take it up w/all the people who have wronged me in some way. Ask nicely & I'll give you a list.
Realized that I have some links I really should go & comment on:
* Legalities aside, I & every sane person in this country have been wanting this to happen for years. It's time to start following the example of other countries & treating citizenship with the importance that it deserves instead of letting illegals cash in on everything.
* A few comments on this:
First off, honesty is a total misnomer in a job interview. It IS, seriously. You walk in there wearing clothes you don't normally wear, rehearsing your answers ahead of time & telling an employer precisely what they want to hear. Personal style & creativity is generally frowned upon as is not being a robot. A smart interviewer knows that there is a degree of dishonesty in any job interview. I would even go so far as to say that a job interview is the ultimate act of dishonesty, especially when competition for a job is fierce & lots of people are desperate.
Second, I'm glad that some of my methods are things that one should do such as dealing w/overqualification right away. Thankfully, my current position didn't come w/that problem. I'm still learning but at least it's in the title of attorney.
Also glad to see that this person despises the practice of not doing a follow-up after giving someone an interview. I hate that & it's a true pet peeve of mine.
Third, employers should also not rely on candidates filling a position. They may have other interviews & get better offers or people who are more proactive than Potential Employer #1.
A few more comments: checking references off list could lead to potential lawsuits. What if someone said "do not contact X person?" There could be defamation issues so we might want to tread carefully there.
We're also not addressing the catch-22 of "no experience w/out a job; no job w/out experience." You can't volunteer everywhere & for every single field. It's actually a terrible idea to volunteer at a library in order to work as a librarian; my husband found out that it will harm you if you pursue that area.
Also not smart to do it as a lawyer unless you're in law school; if you've graduated, you should already have gotten internships or done something in the legal industry to learn how to practice law. Otherwise, you end up stuck as a permanent volunteer/unpaid worker & never get the respect from anyone to move forward. You end up devaluing your own skills & no one takes you seriously if you're doing it years after getting admitted. I've seen many lawyers not take up & comers seriously but simply exploit them for free labor.
For the record, legal aid & other similar groups have requirements for volunteers; I know Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts requires 7 years of legal experience before you can work w/them. Now my situation has not been on a volunteer basis but is a result of how the entertainment industry works.
Oh, and personality not fitting the corporate culture: what if someone's personality is repugnant to everyone? What if you're in an occupation where you're supposed to be less than happy flowers & sunshine to people, where in fact such behavior would cause those you had to get things from to brush you aside? Somewhere, I'm sure there are people whose personalities & general inner being are offensive to everyone in the room; what then?
Finally, be honest but don't talk about a bad boss? Hmmm.... can we say "be a liar?" I don't think that when your former position was a scam enterprise that you help yourself by defending the scam, especially when you have ethical duties to the general public under a professional license. I also think you have a right to talk about the lack of advancement opportunities if people who don't even interact w/you on a frequent basis are the ones making the decisions while ignoring anyone who does spend time w/you (including your immediate boss) & says you deserve to move upward.
Honestly, I think I did much better in interviews when I wasn't worried about making someone like me & simply approached it like a business transaction.
Two big problems w/this one:
First, if I were still dating I prefer not wasting my time w/an animal hater or a two bit scumbag who's just like an ex. I had no qualms talking about pets or exes & used such conversation to determine whether I needed to bother getting to know this person any further. One doesn't need to be the crazy cat lady or mega-obsessed on something but I certainly think it's pertinent to share stories on these topics to implicitly tell someone just what will happen if THEY try doing to me what X in the story did.
Second, you can use that stuff for bonding. My husband & I bonded over bad ex stories. It became a question of whose exes are worse. We declared it a tie.
Oh, and readers? If you try to seek me out aside from this blog, know that I am a very suspicious & paranoid person. Life & general reality has made me this way.
If you have a complaint about that, then take it up w/all the people who have wronged me in some way. Ask nicely & I'll give you a list.
Monday, December 21, 2009
The Utter BS of Law Firms
I just saw this ABA article.
This sentiment completely sums up why I don't like job hunting & really hate typical law firms, most of which are bastions of conformity. I loved the one I worked at in Atlanta since many of my co-workers were anything BUT conformist robots; the legal clinic was also good since the big focus was helping our clients, not conforming to management's viewpoints. That's how things SHOULD be. Even my company works w/actors who don't have the same political views; one in particular gets some ribbing but he'd NEVER get rejected for a role b/c of who he voted for or his stance on some issue.
But often law firms do put more importance on people's viewpoints on issues instead of helping clients & diminish people's abilities in the process. You ALWAYS hear about this sort of thing in private law firms & big corporate employers.
It makes me feel that I have to lie about who I am. Why should working at your law firm require me to attend church, play/follow sports, laugh at your racist jokes, pretend I want to be barefoot & pregnant someday or otherwise be someone I'm not? Why should THAT diminish my actual abilities & skills?
I think job interviews are total bunk; according to psych studies, their predictability for how you'll perform on the job are 1%. 1%; did you get that???? People are ALWAYS on their best behavior, nervous & dressing plain, even if they wouldn't otherwise. They'll never tell you the truth & you won't find out about the skeletons until they're working at the job. I always feel fake at them, though being on the other side has been a great eye opener & I'd highly recommend doing it if you get the chance. They're never like ANY first date I went on, that's for sure.
For the places that don't quiz you on views outside the workplace or doing your job properly, hats off to you. If you make me feel comfortable being myself, then you are definitely doing something right.
Did some of these firms ever think that maybe they're opening themselves up to lawsuits on gender & racial discrimination? Maybe even 1st Amendment lawsuits when telling people who to vote for or what to believe? Now, if you have a rapport w/someone, great. I was a sorority member myself & common interests aren't a bad thing.
BUT....when an employer says "you weren't in this group/disagree with my views on race/health care/politics/whatever/don't practice an activity I practice so you're inferior/not worth hiring.", we've got a serious problem. This article sounds to me like firms want mini-mes. Honestly I don't get this obsession w/working for 7th grade gossips, which is exactly what a typical law firm partner sounds like. Who needs it?
This sentiment completely sums up why I don't like job hunting & really hate typical law firms, most of which are bastions of conformity. I loved the one I worked at in Atlanta since many of my co-workers were anything BUT conformist robots; the legal clinic was also good since the big focus was helping our clients, not conforming to management's viewpoints. That's how things SHOULD be. Even my company works w/actors who don't have the same political views; one in particular gets some ribbing but he'd NEVER get rejected for a role b/c of who he voted for or his stance on some issue.
But often law firms do put more importance on people's viewpoints on issues instead of helping clients & diminish people's abilities in the process. You ALWAYS hear about this sort of thing in private law firms & big corporate employers.
It makes me feel that I have to lie about who I am. Why should working at your law firm require me to attend church, play/follow sports, laugh at your racist jokes, pretend I want to be barefoot & pregnant someday or otherwise be someone I'm not? Why should THAT diminish my actual abilities & skills?
I think job interviews are total bunk; according to psych studies, their predictability for how you'll perform on the job are 1%. 1%; did you get that???? People are ALWAYS on their best behavior, nervous & dressing plain, even if they wouldn't otherwise. They'll never tell you the truth & you won't find out about the skeletons until they're working at the job. I always feel fake at them, though being on the other side has been a great eye opener & I'd highly recommend doing it if you get the chance. They're never like ANY first date I went on, that's for sure.
For the places that don't quiz you on views outside the workplace or doing your job properly, hats off to you. If you make me feel comfortable being myself, then you are definitely doing something right.
Did some of these firms ever think that maybe they're opening themselves up to lawsuits on gender & racial discrimination? Maybe even 1st Amendment lawsuits when telling people who to vote for or what to believe? Now, if you have a rapport w/someone, great. I was a sorority member myself & common interests aren't a bad thing.
BUT....when an employer says "you weren't in this group/disagree with my views on race/health care/politics/whatever/don't practice an activity I practice so you're inferior/not worth hiring.", we've got a serious problem. This article sounds to me like firms want mini-mes. Honestly I don't get this obsession w/working for 7th grade gossips, which is exactly what a typical law firm partner sounds like. Who needs it?
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