Are you happy or sad you live in the era of bullsh!t?

ThinkAboutIt · 11-07-2012 03:32PM

Hercule Poirot wrote: »

Spent 18 months unemployed after college, realised (through a friend) that I was being too honest. When asked to describe myself I would use phrases like"nothing spectacular, a decent, honest hard worker" - failed 9 interviews from phrases such as that one. When I started using "excellent analytical skills, great at organising duties, etc, etc." I felt like such a fraud but feck it, I've been working for three years now. Although I'm worried they might find me out soon!

THAT'S MY POINT!! People can't be honest these days, the bloke who uses the fanciest word usually gets the job, and he may not deserve it over the 'honest' people.

Hercule Poirot · 11-07-2012 03:39PM

ThinkAboutIt wrote: »

THAT'S MY POINT!! People can't be honest these days, the bloke who uses the fanciest word usually gets the job, and he may not deserve it over the 'honest' people.

From a purely business perspective they want ambitious people, unlike myself, who want to run the place later on down the line, people who want to climb the ladder ASAP. Then they can set all these employees against each other and the winner is gennerally the one who is brazen enough and ballsy enough to get to the top.

P.S. Words like "synergy" make me weep at the society in which I live

DavyD_83 · 11-07-2012 03:47PM

Hercule Poirot wrote: »

From a purely business perspective they want ambitious people, unlike myself, who want to run the place later on down the line, people who want to climb the ladder ASAP. Then they can set all these employees against each other and the winner is gennerally the one who is brazen enough and ballsy enough to get to the top.

P.S. Words like "synergy" make me weep at the society in which I live

We used to have a guy who's favourite word was 'Synergize', with an associated joining hand gesture.
What a tool!

Micky Dolenz · 11-07-2012 04:47PM

BillyMitchel wrote: »

I applied for a bin man job once. The manager told me it was easy that no training would be provided that I'll pick it up as I go along..

Thats rubbish.

seachto7 · 11-07-2012 04:53PM

DavyD_83 wrote: »

We used to have a guy who's favourite word was 'Synergize', with an associated joining hand gesture.
What a tool!

worked for some people like that, who used "buzzwords" as if it changed folks opinions on them.....:mad::mad::mad: Detest! Speak plain English!!!

lifelongnoob · 11-07-2012 05:05PM

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Thats rubbish.

yet another re-cycled smart assed answer

ejmaztec · 11-07-2012 05:20PM

lifelongnoob wrote: »

yet another re-cycled smart assed answer

I refuse to take any notice of them.

starlit · 11-07-2012 05:53PM

Yes and no but happy enough to be in this era I guess.

Capt'n Midnight · 11-07-2012 06:04PM

Hercule Poirot wrote: »

From a purely business perspective they want ambitious people, unlike myself, who want to run the place later on down the line, people who want to climb the ladder ASAP. Then they can set all these employees against each other and the winner is gennerally the one who is brazen enough and ballsy enough to get to the top.

Why do they want to hire people who could replace them ?

How many places advertise for a 'self starter' for marketing or other roles where the skipping off to another company or setting up one with a list of customers they've built a relationship with is their most useful asset

the groutch · 11-07-2012 06:10PM

DavyD_83 wrote: »

Does sometimes (very often) seem like the guy who is furthest up his own the interviewer's hole will get the job

fyp

dd972 · 11-07-2012 06:21PM

krudler wrote: »

Toilet attendant required, must have toiletry distribution experience, 5 years minimum, micro management and multitasking essential. 13 stage interview required.

Don't forget the personality questionnaire and two sets of internet based psychometric testing or the face to face interview ( if you get that far, where your're expected to give instant off the cuff responses to all mannet of outlandish questions), and the four week gap until you get an email stating other applicants were better matched for the role.

amacca · 11-07-2012 08:35PM

Stiffler2 wrote: »

It's not too bad OP, you just have to amend your cv to reflect the marketplace.

currently I'm a nasa engineer with moon experience

I'm a flasher.............

I also have lots of moon experience but cant get a job

what is a nude boy to do!

TheBegotten · 11-07-2012 08:46PM

This thread title sounds like a Green Day song...*Gets out writing pad*

bnt · 11-07-2012 09:23PM

aidan24326 wrote: »

It makes me wonder though, what happened to the days of simply being a good honest worker who shows up on time and gets the job done? In reality that's still what's needed and what most companies want for the majority of positions, unless it's something very skilled or highly specialised.

The way I see it, advertising a job today is a numbers game. Make the job spec too loose, you get too many applications. Sorting through all of those takes time, so you have to do something to reduce the number of applications. "Solution": add more requirements to the job spec.

I'm seeing job specs today that look like Christmas trees, with so many extra requirements added on that you have to wonder if they'll get any responses at all. This is where recruitment consultants should be putting their foot down, telling their clients that they're taking the piss, instead of just accepting what they're told. But no, it seems like the main function of recruitment consultants and HR departments today is to find reasons to keep people out of jobs they probably could do, if allowed just a little time required to adapt to specific systems or procedures used in that company. The myth of the "self-starter" is too strong these days.

risteard7 · 11-07-2012 10:28PM

Yea and the stupid interview questions "where do yo see yourself in ten years" wtf? I want a job to earn a living i couldnt give a **** about the company. cut out the bullsh1t have i got the job yes or no

Micky Dolenz · 11-07-2012 10:51PM

risteard7 wrote: »

Yea and the stupid interview questions "where do yo see yourself in ten years" wtf? I want a job to earn a living i couldnt give a **** about the company. cut out the bullsh1t have i got the job yes or no

Erm, no. Thanks for coming in any way.

bnt · 12-07-2012 05:28PM

risteard7 wrote: »

Yea and the stupid interview questions "where do yo see yourself in ten years" wtf? I want a job to earn a living i couldnt give a **** about the company. cut out the bullsh1t have i got the job yes or no

I had a job interview yesterday, and thankfully that bloody question never came up. which might help to explain why I got the offer today. It could have been very different had I been inspired to answer as that question makes me want to: "in ten years time I'll be running this whole company from my private LearJet, and you'll be out on the street giving BJs for spare change so you can afford your next bottle of Buckfast".

starlit · 12-07-2012 09:43PM

From a job hunt point of view its a cac era. A lot of hype and as mentioned in the title.

A lot of second guessing really what interviewers and employers want.

Its hard to know there are some ads for jobs that are genuine but there are the few that aren't.