Downloads
| Events | FAQs | Photos
| Humor | Articles | Links
| Search | Home
Back
009 - Job Opportunity Guidelines
Thanks
to Carole Lipski for passing along the following interpretations of standard
lines by job applicants and interviewers:
EMPLOYER
TALK:
- ENTRY-LEVEL
POSITION:
- You'll
be making under $7 an hour.
- ENTRY-LEVEL
POSITION IN AN UP-AND-COMING COMPANY:
- You'll
be making under $7 an hour; we'll be bankrupt in a year.
- AN
UP-AND-COMING SOFTWARE COMPANY:
- We
want you to get your hopes up, but there's no chance in hell we'll be the
next Microsoft.
- PROFIT-SHARING
PLAN:
- Once
it's shared between the higher-ups, there won't be a profit.
- COMPETITIVE
SALARY:
- We
remain competitive by paying less than our competitors.
- JOIN
OUR FAST-PACED COMPANY:
- We
have no time to train you; you'll have to introduce yourself to your coworkers.
- NATIONALLY
RECOGNIZED LEADER:
- Inc.
Magazine wrote us up a few years ago, but we haven't done anything innovative
since.
- IMMEDIATE
OPENING:
- The
person who used to have this job gave notice a month ago. We're just now
running the ad.
- SALES
POSITION REQUIRING MOTIVATED SELF-STARTER:
- We're
not going to supply you with leads; there's no base salary; you'll wait
30 days for your first commission check.
- SELF-MOTIVATED:
- Management
won't answer questions
- WE
OFFER GREAT BENEFITS:
- After
90 days, you can join our HMO, which has a $500 deductible and a $25 co-pay.
- PENSION/RETIREMENT
BENEFITS:
- After
3 years, we'll allow you to fund your own 401(k) and, if you behave, we'll
give you a 5 percent matching contribution.
- SEEKING
ENTHUSIASTIC, FUN, HARD WORKING, PEOPLE:
- ...who
still live with their parents and won't mind our internship-level salaries.
- CASUAL
WORK ATMOSPHERE:
- We
don't pay enough to expect that you'll dress up; well, a couple of the real
daring guys wear earrings.
- COMPETITIVE
ENVIRONMENT:
- We
have a lot of turnover.
- EXCITING
AND PROFESSIONAL WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Guys
in gray suits will bore you with tales of squash and their weekends on yachts.
- JOIN
OUR DYNAMIC TEAM:
- We
all listen to nutty motivational tapes.
- FUN
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Your
coworkers will be insulted if you don't drink with them.
- A
DRUG-FREE WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- We
booze it up at company parties.
- MUST
BE DEADLINE ORIENTED:
- You'll
be six months behind schedule on your first day.
- SOME
PUBLIC RELATIONS REQUIRED:
- If
we're in trouble, you'll go on TV and get us out of it.
- SOME
OVERTIME REQUIRED:
- Some
time each night and some time each weekend.
- SALARY
RANGE $24k - $32k:
- We'll
offer you $22k to start.
- A
HIGHLY VISIBLE POSITION:
- You'll
give boring speeches on your own time.
- FLEXIBLE
HOURS:
- Work
40 hours; get paid for 25.
- DUTIES
WILL VARY:
- Anyone
in the office can boss you around.
- MUST
HAVE AN EYE FOR DETAIL:
- We
have no quality control.
- COLLEGE
DEGREE PREFERRED:
- Unless
you wasted those four years studying something useless like philosophy,
English or religion.
- NO
PHONE CALLS PLEASE:
- We've
filled the job; our call for resumes is just a legal formality.
- SEEKING
CANDIDATES WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF EXPERIENCE:
- You'll
need it to replace three people who just left.
- PROBLEM-SOLVING
SKILLS A MUST:
- You're
walking into a company in perpetual chaos.
- REQUIRES
TEAM LEADERSHIP SKILLS:
- You'll
have the responsibilities of a manager, without the pay or respect.
- GOOD
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
- Management
communicates, you listen, figure out what they want and do.
- ABILITY
TO HANDLE A HEAVY WORKLOAD:
- You
whine, you're fired.
- ASPIRATIONS
FOR GROWTH WITHIN OUR COMPANY:
- We
loooooove brown-nosers.
APPLICANT
SPEAK
- I
KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH STRESSFUL SITUATIONS:
- I'm
usually on Prozac. When I'm not, I take lots of cigarette and coffee breaks.
- I
SEEK A JOB THAT WILL DRAW UPON MY STRONG COMMUNICATION & ORGANIZATIONAL
SKILLS:
- I
talk too much and like to tell other people what to do.
- I'M
EXTREMELY ADEPT AT ALL MANNER OF OFFICE ORGANIZATION:
- I've
used Microsoft Office.
- I'M
HONEST, HARD-WORKING AND DEPENDABLE:
- I
pilfer office supplies.
- MY
PERTINENT WORK EXPERIENCE INCLUDES:
- I
hope you don't ask me about all the McJobs I've had.
- I
TAKE PRIDE IN MY WORK:
- I
blame others for my mistakes.
- I'M
BALANCED AND CENTERED:
- I'll
keep crystals at my desk and do Tai Chi in the lunch room.
- I
HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR:
- I
know a lot of corny, old jokes and I tell them badly.
- I'M
PERSONABLE:
- I
give lots of unsolicited personal advice to co-workers.
- I'M
WILLING TO RELOCATE:
- As
I leave San Quentin, anywhere's better.
- I'M
EXTREMELY PROFESSIONAL:
- I
carry a Day-Timer.
- MY
BACKGROUND AND SKILLS MATCH YOUR REQUIREMENTS:
- You're
probably looking for someone more experienced.
- I
AM ADAPTABLE:
- I've
changed jobs a lot.
- I
AM ON THE GO:
- I'm
never at my desk.
- I'M
HIGHLY MOTIVATED TO SUCCEED:
- The
minute I find a better job. I'm outta there.
- I
HAVE FORMAL TRAINING:
- I'm
a college drop-out.
- I
INTERACT WELL WITH CO-WORKERS:
- I've
been accused of sexual harassment.
- THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION:
- Wait!
Don't throw me away!
- I
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU SOON:
- Like,
I'm gonna hold my breath waiting for your stupid form letter thanking me.
Back
Downloads
| Events | FAQs | Photos
| Humor | Articles | Links
| Search | Home