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Chad is stoopid....
Usually, to write Weekly Commentary, I find something stupid in my life and
attempt at finding reason in this... Or simply mocking it openly. No where
have I found a better place for this type of nonsense than on the
Monster.com's open chat forums. Simply put, they're a great resource for
job seeking individuals. However, give an idiot an open door, and he'll
walk through it. (See this column.)
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So, as you may have guessed, I've been doing some guest commentary on some
of the forums there. Most have been widely accepted as my guidance is
always fruitful and well rounded, not to mention insightful. However, this
week I was bashed by thunderous crowds. Sent running for shelter. Of all
things, I was likened to a Union Organizer. The poor misguided souls
obviously didn't get what I was saying. My jokes, obtuse at best, weren't
understood, and until they learn to read between the lines, they won't see
that I'm showing them that they're number one.
The ruckus started when some individual, who will remain nameless, came up
with the following advice. Chad stated, in summation, that to get a job
you
must undercut the competition. That to get a job, you should always
undercut your salary. If another applicant is asking $75K - you should be
willing to ask for $40K - $50K. So, I noted that if this trend continues,
we could all work for less than minimum wage. I mean, why flip burgers
when
you can design web sites for less. (I think this is what started the
problem.)
So as you may have guessed I made a big argument over not undercutting your
skills and assets and more to the point, selling yourself short. Accepting
a job for less than you feel its worth - or worse, than you know its worth,
will result in workforce unhappiness and urge you to continue your job
search. Not to mention, drive down wages throughout the industry. Now this
is all fine and dandy if you go into this with these thoughts... But who
are
we kidding, here.
I then offered, that instead of cutting yourself financially short of your
BMW, maybe you should look at how you are marketing yourself. Our industry
(IT) often looks to people as skill sets. Do you know Java? Do you know
ASP? Can you type while running on a tread mill? So I offered that, since
we all have these skill sets, alter your personal marketing to your own
personal accomplishments and goals. I wrote:
"When our industry smartens up and realizes that we're not a bunch of
individual skill sets - but individual resource centers - that's when the
change will happen. So before you settle for less (and screw the rest of
us) - make sure you marketed yourself correctly.
You're not Joe Blow Java Programmer II... or Sally Sue Network Engineer.
Those may have been your jobs, but that's not who you are... and NOT why
you're worth the money. Not any more you're not. Now that the industry has
matured you have to realize that companies aren't just hiring code monkeys
to have them on staff. They are hiring code monkeys who have something to
contribute - to build an effective business unit. So ask yourself Monkeys,
why are you worth the big bucks?"
And that's what got me in all the trouble. It's like I made fun of his mom
or something. (Although, I hear when she sits around the house, she sits
AROUND the house.) So, when Chad came back with, "Forget it--it's a dog
eat
dog world in many ways, and I'm looking out for myself." I was dismayed.
First of all, he missed out on the famous Norm Peterson ending of that
phrase... "And I'm wearing Milk bone Underwear." Second, his world is
populated by cannibalistic dogs. (In mine, they just eat their poo.)
Third, he just announced that he's going to sell himself short and help
drive the price down on the industry jobs. Did he ever stop to think, that
the job he's selling himself short for was even going to offer more? Sure
he undercut that bastard asking $75... But maybe they were gonna pay $70.
What a doofus.
I could rant and rant on this - but it's running long. I'll sum it up with
the following: Stay in School, Don't do drugs, find a job that pays well
and makes you happy. Never settle for less. And of course, make fun of Chad
if you see him - He likes it. (Also - his cohort "arturomclaros" who
responded to Chad with "great response!!!!" It must have been great to get
his four exclamation mark award... He obviously didn't give it to me.
* Look for Mr. Sweeney's article "Job-Auction.com The fastest way to loose
money." later this week.
**The opinions expressed in Weekly Commentary are those of Mr. Sweeney and his alone. Any attempt at finding sanity or logic in his rantings are feeble, at best.
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