Whatever happened to the 60's notion that technology would have us working less?
Depends. Are you talking about the thousands of people who get fired for no reason? They're working less.
The people who work 70 hour days trying to start their own businesses so they can afford food and light and the people who are doing four people's job because more layoffs were just announced are working more.
Management is moving on to the salad course during the air-conditioned bonus announcement party. They're working less.
The customers are trying to figure out the voice mail menu. They're working more.
It would be nice if people could work less. It would be even nicer if work were pleasant instead of a giant fucking bitch-gripe grab the money contest.
Marvel probably would've filed for bankruptcy AGAIN.
Marvel didn't file for bankruptcy in the first place because of poor sales.
you tend to get a mix of stories.
Hollywood, game publishers and comic book publishers are no different. American companies cannot green light a new idea. They simply cannot do it. New ideas cannot be explained in elevator pitches, and all three industries' entire creative output is elevator pitches.
But it is not (yet) a phenomenon of mainstream media.
There is no such thing as "mainstream media." It is a myth invented to justify publishers' guessing and calling it a "forward-thinking business paradigm."
I admit the bar is high but look at this from the hiring manager's point of view.
I am looking at it from the hiring manager's point of view. Their point of view is "disqualify everyone as quickly as possible so I can go play golf." I have so many examples of this it would bore everyone to the point of weeping openly.
Education level is not strongly correlated with performance.
Nonsense. Anyone with the dedication to earn a degree has the dedication to do a job. What hiring managers don't realize is that such a statement renders all education WORTHLESS. If education is not rewarded (part of that "go to school, get a good job" social contract that employers find it convenient to ignore), then we go back to 70% illiteracy, and it will be the EMPLOYER'S FAULT.
If you were told this, you were at best misinformed at worst; at worst you were lied to.
Oh, I figured that out not long after the fifth round of layoffs.
BTW, nobody outside of your family and friends gives a rat's ass about whether you get married
Congress does. There are significant financial benefits to being married.
nor do they care whether you have a family or buy a house.
Congress does. There are significant financial benefits to having a family and a house.
There are no financial benefits to being single and a temp worker. In fact, it is MORE expensive.
No, what you have promised to pay for, you lose, if you miss the payments.
That wasn't the point. I've already done the work, several times over. Employers simply ignored the agreement when payday arrived.
It's all about the hiring manager's estimation of whether you are the best choice he or she has.
Nice and subjective and all the advantages are with the employer. Businesses would NEVER agree to such an arrangement.
Business A: "Oh, we can cancel this contract based on this guy's opinion."
Business B: "My ass you can. Have a nice day."
Number of languages doesn't really matter.
Of course not, because that is one of my most important skills. See my point now? I'm not even interviewing with you and you are disqualifying me. You don't even know whether I've "shipped a product" or not.
I've hired people who have never worked in the language that we're using.
I thought experience is what counted?
The problem is that many people with a CS degree come out not being ready to contribute in any meaningful way.
They were never supposed to. Businesses seem to have forgotten that everyone must be trained to do their job. That is the entire basis of the experience that every employer claims is so important. But businesses prefer to enjoy the benefits of that experience without actually contributing to it, or paying for it. And now, since ALL businesses are like that, it is impossible for college graduates to find a good job. As I have said before, competent, intelligent, educated people are no longer welcome in the modern workplace.
People lie about their skills so there's no help there.
Yes, of course. When all else fails, call the candidate a liar.
I can call former employers and at least verify history.
But can't call the college and verify the degree?
It's always been "what have you done for me lately."
Not for my parents it wasn't. They had their jobs for DECADES without even the slightest hint of layoffs.
It's just that companies wanted you to believe that company loyalty (both directions) still existed.
Now they want loyalty from the employee (with no raises or promotions, of course), and the ability to fire anyone, any time for any or no reason at all.
Society can't function this way. It simply cannot. People must be able to depend on a reward for their own hard work, or there will be no more work.
It's not hard to understand. You set the bar at "gold medalists only" and thereby disqualify every silver medalist in the process. Seems simple enough.
There's a vast difference between school work/projects and real products.
Yes. The difference is today's candidate's new job.
Don't be bitter that all the hard work in school doesn't automatically get you a job.
It should. The sales pitch was (and I quote) "go to school, get and education and get a good job." I did my part.
But I'm WAY past bitter. I was bitter after the second major financial disaster and fourth round of layoffs. Now I'm just amused. I'm amused that I am expected to get married and sign a mortgage based on a job I could lose at any moment for reasons (or non-reasons) that are totally out of my control.
What I have earned I don't get to keep.
Of course, I couldn't rent a job any more. I became unemployable rather soon after the entire job market became an economy of layoffs. Oh sure, I know eight programming languages and have a great deal of experience in a number of different types of businesses, but that doesn't matter at all.
Then again, of what value is a job that can become a layoff at literally any moment? It is valueless. It is only as valuable as the next paycheck, which is usually a below average wage for above average ability and work hours.
Find a small software house and get in any way you can.
Shouldn't have to. Should be able to say "here are my EDUCATION, skills and experience, which you will find perfectly qualify me for this job" and start work. Shouldn't have to wheedle, bullshit and argue my way into a career.
Then work your ass off while all the while letting them know that you really want to work on the product.
Been there, done that. Got fired anyway. No one gives a FUCK about anything except their catered lunch.
See, people still think it actually matters if they work hard and are "team players." It doesn't matter. At all. There is nothing that an employee can do to make their job any more valuable than today's wage. It's all temp work.
Blah blah blah conservation of energy blah blah blah moon falls out of orbit blah blah blah river sediment destroys entire regions blah blah blah volcanoes swallow the Earth blah blah blah water all gone blah blah blah we need four million times the energy to grow corn blah
Solar energy is the solution because all the energy on the planet comes from the sun.
Sorry, everything's was invented in the 19th century when we started using oil in the first place and we're running out of oil so everyone will just have to get used to the idea of going back to oxen, covered wagons and wood stoves. Thank you and goodnight.
At least in the software industry, there's a huge difference between working with folks who have shipped a few solid commercial products and those who haven't.
The folks who haven't shipped a few solid commercial products are worthless.
When I'm involved in hiring, the experience on the rez gets you in the door
Put your degree last.
I count education as experience but at a discounted rate.
Education doesn't matter. We change it to experience anyway.
So I guess the next University commencement address should be: "congratulations on your graduation from college. Remember to put your degree last on your resume, because education doesn't matter and employers think you are worthless anyway. Remember to get your parking validated."
And people often ask me "so why don't you want to see if you can find a good programming job?" It takes all the strength I have to keep from laughing.
I don't have to suck up to my boss because my industry is a meritocracy. I enjoy the freedom that comes from being able to switch jobs anytime because good people are always in demand.
Or do you mean they're unable to navigate the absurd sociopolitical burearacracies found in any large company?
DINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDING!! We have a WINNER!!!
Tell him what he's won, Bob!
Well you've won a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat, and you can take it all home in this new set of Samsonite luggage!! Thanks for playing the Wheel of Cubicles!!
Well, part of the problem is that these PH.d's are 35, and have no actual experience.
So they're useless. Well, BACK TO ITT TECH!!!
but who were comepletly devoid of common sense and unable to deal with real-world problems, due to too much time in a academic environment.
And of course it never occurred to anyone to teach this person how to deal with the real world problems so the company might be able to benefit from the voluminous academic knowledge they worked so hard to acquire...
From an employers perspective hireing a fresh Masters or Ph.D graduate is dubious at best.
Remember when the college advisor said "get an education, and you'll be able to find a good job?" I do.
Employer A is often unwilling to hire a person with the advanced degree as again the employer is concerned the new employee will move on as soon as possible.
Of course that employer will not fail to fire that new employee with no notice whenever they feel like it.
However a person who earned their advanced degree after being employed for a few years can be worth quite a lot.
A Master's Degree or a PhD qualifies a person ON IT'S FACE to teach that subject at any accredited University. Education qualifies an employee for their job. Experience is just an employer-invented bullshit reason to disqualify people.
What business truly wants is designers, engineers and scientist who are creative, intelligent, resourceful, unorthodox.
Business doesn't like creativity or intelligence because they cause change, and business doesn't want change. Creative and intelligent people are fired as quickly as possible to maintain the status quo and keep the management bonuses increasing.
MBAs don't hire PhDs. They are "overqualified." MBAs don't give a fuck about degrees. All that matters is how much short-term profit an employee "brings to the table."
It's amazing how much time you save not channel surfing.
Or watching commercials. The number of commercials in a one-hour show now is nothing short of obscene. Add to that the "commercials in the show" and the series of 3-5 "coming up next" announcements during each break, it becomes its own form of non-entertainment.
Slashdot Mirror
Without God to keep the laws of the Universe functioning, scientists would be very confused.
Eve wasn't punished for wanting to become wise. Original sin was not following God's commandment:
... hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it"
"Because thou
Genesis 3:17
Core beliefs of Christianity:
1) Even though you live an imperfect life, you are welcome in Heaven because God gave His own Son to redeem and absolve original sin.
2) Original sin was the abandonment of wisdom in the pursuit of knowledge by disobeying God.
It really is quite simple.
Employers want full time employees
At least until the end of the quarter.
Whatever happened to the 60's notion that technology would have us working less?
Depends. Are you talking about the thousands of people who get fired for no reason? They're working less.
The people who work 70 hour days trying to start their own businesses so they can afford food and light and the people who are doing four people's job because more layoffs were just announced are working more.
Management is moving on to the salad course during the air-conditioned bonus announcement party. They're working less.
The customers are trying to figure out the voice mail menu. They're working more.
It would be nice if people could work less. It would be even nicer if work were pleasant instead of a giant fucking bitch-gripe grab the money contest.
Firefox has "issues" with DHTML and Opera has "issues" with Javascript.
Uh-huh.
I don't suppose they mentioned IE's "issues" with PNG files and CSS-1 standards.
Typical PC magazine "let's all upgrade again" FUD.
Marvel probably would've filed for bankruptcy AGAIN.
Marvel didn't file for bankruptcy in the first place because of poor sales.
you tend to get a mix of stories.
Hollywood, game publishers and comic book publishers are no different. American companies cannot green light a new idea. They simply cannot do it. New ideas cannot be explained in elevator pitches, and all three industries' entire creative output is elevator pitches.
But it is not (yet) a phenomenon of mainstream media.
There is no such thing as "mainstream media." It is a myth invented to justify publishers' guessing and calling it a "forward-thinking business paradigm."
I admit the bar is high but look at this from the hiring manager's point of view.
I am looking at it from the hiring manager's point of view. Their point of view is "disqualify everyone as quickly as possible so I can go play golf." I have so many examples of this it would bore everyone to the point of weeping openly.
Education level is not strongly correlated with performance.
Nonsense. Anyone with the dedication to earn a degree has the dedication to do a job. What hiring managers don't realize is that such a statement renders all education WORTHLESS. If education is not rewarded (part of that "go to school, get a good job" social contract that employers find it convenient to ignore), then we go back to 70% illiteracy, and it will be the EMPLOYER'S FAULT.
If you were told this, you were at best misinformed at worst; at worst you were lied to.
Oh, I figured that out not long after the fifth round of layoffs.
BTW, nobody outside of your family and friends gives a rat's ass about whether you get married
Congress does. There are significant financial benefits to being married.
nor do they care whether you have a family or buy a house.
Congress does. There are significant financial benefits to having a family and a house.
There are no financial benefits to being single and a temp worker. In fact, it is MORE expensive.
No, what you have promised to pay for, you lose, if you miss the payments.
That wasn't the point. I've already done the work, several times over. Employers simply ignored the agreement when payday arrived.
It's all about the hiring manager's estimation of whether you are the best choice he or she has.
Nice and subjective and all the advantages are with the employer. Businesses would NEVER agree to such an arrangement.
Business A: "Oh, we can cancel this contract based on this guy's opinion."
Business B: "My ass you can. Have a nice day."
Number of languages doesn't really matter.
Of course not, because that is one of my most important skills. See my point now? I'm not even interviewing with you and you are disqualifying me. You don't even know whether I've "shipped a product" or not.
I've hired people who have never worked in the language that we're using.
I thought experience is what counted?
The problem is that many people with a CS degree come out not being ready to contribute in any meaningful way.
They were never supposed to. Businesses seem to have forgotten that everyone must be trained to do their job. That is the entire basis of the experience that every employer claims is so important. But businesses prefer to enjoy the benefits of that experience without actually contributing to it, or paying for it. And now, since ALL businesses are like that, it is impossible for college graduates to find a good job. As I have said before, competent, intelligent, educated people are no longer welcome in the modern workplace.
People lie about their skills so there's no help there.
Yes, of course. When all else fails, call the candidate a liar.
I can call former employers and at least verify history.
But can't call the college and verify the degree?
It's always been "what have you done for me lately."
Not for my parents it wasn't. They had their jobs for DECADES without even the slightest hint of layoffs.
It's just that companies wanted you to believe that company loyalty (both directions) still existed.
Now they want loyalty from the employee (with no raises or promotions, of course), and the ability to fire anyone, any time for any or no reason at all.
Society can't function this way. It simply cannot. People must be able to depend on a reward for their own hard work, or there will be no more work.
I'm not sure why that's hard to understand.
It's not hard to understand. You set the bar at "gold medalists only" and thereby disqualify every silver medalist in the process. Seems simple enough.
There's a vast difference between school work/projects and real products.
Yes. The difference is today's candidate's new job.
Don't be bitter that all the hard work in school doesn't automatically get you a job.
It should. The sales pitch was (and I quote) "go to school, get and education and get a good job." I did my part.
But I'm WAY past bitter. I was bitter after the second major financial disaster and fourth round of layoffs. Now I'm just amused. I'm amused that I am expected to get married and sign a mortgage based on a job I could lose at any moment for reasons (or non-reasons) that are totally out of my control.
What I have earned I don't get to keep.
Of course, I couldn't rent a job any more. I became unemployable rather soon after the entire job market became an economy of layoffs. Oh sure, I know eight programming languages and have a great deal of experience in a number of different types of businesses, but that doesn't matter at all.
Then again, of what value is a job that can become a layoff at literally any moment? It is valueless. It is only as valuable as the next paycheck, which is usually a below average wage for above average ability and work hours.
Find a small software house and get in any way you can.
Shouldn't have to. Should be able to say "here are my EDUCATION, skills and experience, which you will find perfectly qualify me for this job" and start work. Shouldn't have to wheedle, bullshit and argue my way into a career.
Then work your ass off while all the while letting them know that you really want to work on the product.
Been there, done that. Got fired anyway. No one gives a FUCK about anything except their catered lunch.
See, people still think it actually matters if they work hard and are "team players." It doesn't matter. At all. There is nothing that an employee can do to make their job any more valuable than today's wage. It's all temp work.
The famous energy debate.
Wind power: Sux
Tidal power: Sux
Solar power: Sux
Coal: Sux
Geothermic power: Sux
Hydroelectric: Sux
Biomass: Sux
Ethanol: Sux
Blah blah blah conservation of energy blah blah blah moon falls out of orbit blah blah blah river sediment destroys entire regions blah blah blah volcanoes swallow the Earth blah blah blah water all gone blah blah blah we need four million times the energy to grow corn blah
Solar energy is the solution because all the energy on the planet comes from the sun.
Sorry, everything's was invented in the 19th century when we started using oil in the first place and we're running out of oil so everyone will just have to get used to the idea of going back to oxen, covered wagons and wood stoves. Thank you and goodnight.
Thats great, but, if you were home.. why didnt you pick up the phone any of the times she called?
Because the telephone is useless. Nobody actually answers the phone any more. Ever try to conduct business by phone? It is absolutely impossible.
Sure you could show them how to do what you wanted, but if you're needing to do this every time you want something done, it becomes a pain.
Gee, that's too bad. So we discard the PhD. It's easier to fire them anyway.
Those who keep their jobs in this type of deal pick up things with minimal input
In other words, people who just happen to guess what management wants from day to day, which explains why there is no such thing as a permanent job.
Wouldn't it be better to train employees in their jobs? Since education has become worthless, it would seem to be of some importance.
At least in the software industry, there's a huge difference between working with folks who have shipped a few solid commercial products and those who haven't.
The folks who haven't shipped a few solid commercial products are worthless.
When I'm involved in hiring, the experience on the rez gets you in the door
Put your degree last.
I count education as experience but at a discounted rate.
Education doesn't matter. We change it to experience anyway.
So I guess the next University commencement address should be: "congratulations on your graduation from college. Remember to put your degree last on your resume, because education doesn't matter and employers think you are worthless anyway. Remember to get your parking validated."
And people often ask me "so why don't you want to see if you can find a good programming job?" It takes all the strength I have to keep from laughing.
I don't have to suck up to my boss because my industry is a meritocracy. I enjoy the freedom that comes from being able to switch jobs anytime because good people are always in demand.
So, what color is the sky outside?
Or do you mean they're unable to navigate the absurd sociopolitical burearacracies found in any large company?
DINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDINGDING!! We have a WINNER!!!
Tell him what he's won, Bob!
Well you've won a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat, and you can take it all home in this new set of Samsonite luggage!! Thanks for playing the Wheel of Cubicles!!
Well, part of the problem is that these PH.d's are 35, and have no actual experience.
...it's so much easier to fire them, right?
So they're useless. Well, BACK TO ITT TECH!!!
but who were comepletly devoid of common sense and unable to deal with real-world problems, due to too much time in a academic environment.
And of course it never occurred to anyone to teach this person how to deal with the real world problems so the company might be able to benefit from the voluminous academic knowledge they worked so hard to acquire...
From an employers perspective hireing a fresh Masters or Ph.D graduate is dubious at best.
Remember when the college advisor said "get an education, and you'll be able to find a good job?" I do.
Employer A is often unwilling to hire a person with the advanced degree as again the employer is concerned the new employee will move on as soon as possible.
Of course that employer will not fail to fire that new employee with no notice whenever they feel like it.
However a person who earned their advanced degree after being employed for a few years can be worth quite a lot.
A Master's Degree or a PhD qualifies a person ON IT'S FACE to teach that subject at any accredited University. Education qualifies an employee for their job. Experience is just an employer-invented bullshit reason to disqualify people.
What business truly wants is designers, engineers and scientist who are creative, intelligent, resourceful, unorthodox.
Business doesn't like creativity or intelligence because they cause change, and business doesn't want change. Creative and intelligent people are fired as quickly as possible to maintain the status quo and keep the management bonuses increasing.
I don't think a passionless person would spend 6+ years studying something in which they have no faith or no love for.
Almost all of the managers I worked for did. All that mattered was the cash. To fuck all with everything, and I mean everything else.
MBAs don't hire PhDs. They are "overqualified." MBAs don't give a fuck about degrees. All that matters is how much short-term profit an employee "brings to the table."
Which is also only five digits, so we could have guessed it in about .0004 seconds anyway. :)
One insurmountable advantage books have over all other forms of entertainment was once pointed out in a discussion of interactive fiction:
With words alone, an author has an unlimited special effects budget.
It's amazing how much time you save not channel surfing.
Or watching commercials. The number of commercials in a one-hour show now is nothing short of obscene. Add to that the "commercials in the show" and the series of 3-5 "coming up next" announcements during each break, it becomes its own form of non-entertainment.
AFLAC!!
(Great commercials)