Monday, April 15, 2013
Safe Finish?
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Anonymously One with Trash
Sunday, February 24, 2013 marked two years of official
unemployment. That’s unemployment outside of my skillset.
I have definitely worked over the past 24 months. On
several occasions, I was reminded of how much of a metro sexual softy that I
am. Many of my employment assignments were manual in labor. Manual in labor…I like that!
Someone asked me a few weeks ago, “Do you really look
for a job every single day?” I remain puzzled by her question…of course I search
for employment every day…employment that matches my extensive education and training!
What was I supposed to do with my news media overload mornings, occasional boring
afternoons, and lonesome evenings of Two and a Half Men reruns - skipping a day
to relax my overactive brain…rest to avoid depressing frustration? No, I got up
each and every morning with job on my mind. Find a job, I mean!
Inconsequently, I must admit that the search has taken a
toll on my medication induced enthusiastic spirit and the job pursuit has zapped
all the professional self-esteem I had prior to my membership in the Rat Race.
Thankfully, my peculiar self-confidence has not taken a defeated hit. I still do
believe that I am a damn good catch with the unemployment tag written all over
my face…I think. But, I have not had a date or anyone to express further
interest in me after I disclose that I am Seeking Employment. Not sure if that
fact has adjusted my Chi…my swag? Nope…it has not.
My spirit –the life-force- within me has resembled a
tattered work bag. It is somewhat still useful, and the only reason I hold onto
the ‘bag’ is because the bag is all I have…
It is a bag that has somewhat defined me. I can admit it
now…The Peace Corps, the YMCA, AmeriCorps, and Goodwill Industries have been
the Epitome of my Existence. I have been identified from my human service
contribution…from attempting to be unique. Unique as in, I am one of a not too
many African American men working in the capacity of domestic and international
service. But, that life appears to be over – and I am perfectly okay with that.
SO okay with that!
My soul is all that I have remaining besides my
children. They in fact should be enough. Although, having pride in knowing that
I have children and believing that I am a decent father does not pay the financial
responsibilities that I have lingering.
Lingering is a good word to describe my emotional
status. I am just here…lingering on, not leaning on. I definitely don’t lean on the everlasting hand of Jesus! Lingering
for me is identified as staying in range…in range of pinpointing and securing
success.
With humility, I do not need God or a Jesus for that.
God’s job is complete. It is My Time to be what a Divine Force has secondarily
sanctioned Me to Be:
Free from managerial and directorship responsibility. I
have NO desire to manage, lead, or direct. None whatsoever! All I want to do is
be anonymously one with trash pickup. Trash does not chatter excessively, repulsively
whine, lie or mislead to acquire status, call-out because of monthly cramps, deliberately
backstab, or sexually harass females with intoxicating sex appeal.
I prefer Trash…
The Shadow from the Shadow Series
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Employment Indifference
The only
thing worse than defeat...? is Indifference.
When you
don't care any longer and when you are unresponsive to elements of life around
you, you have arrived at a locale that has small windows that will prevent you
from escaping because the windows are slowly but surely closing. Shutting you
out…leaving you without emotion and feeling.
The
window of time for matters of importance is similar to the mathematics portion
of the Scholastic Aptitude Test; time will end most likely when you have
mastered an application to tackle the problems. It is not the math
hypotheticals that are stumbling; it is the way you chose to apply strategies.
Today, I
submitted a job application online that took me almost 90 minutes to complete.
All this valuable time utilized during a potential paid moment that I could have
used to pick up litter, my new job. Time wasted for a position that will require
the selection of someone with less experience, less pay expectations, and less
aptitude...
Yesterday,
I received a letter of rejection for a managerial position with a reputable
company. After, one 45 minute interview and an additional 90 minute panel
interview, I received in the mail –not email or telephone call- a letter that
had two sentences. A sentence of ‘Thanks’ and the other with the dreaded
rejection. No reason why my experience was not a match or sufficient…no
justification why my leadership and management skills/experience was not a
match…Nothing but another piercing Rejection.
This is
what has come to pass in the United States of America....the experienced, skilled,
and proven talented are not getting selected for jobs any longer. The men/women
who are shamefully willing to be what the employer demands them to be are
getting the offer letters that typically have an insulting annual salary of
$22,000 -with an important sounding
title- that the hiring manager presents as a Favor.
It does
not matter any longer if you are the exceptionally Qualified Candidate. That's
completely irrelevant. The employer wants mediocrity so that the pay can
support mediocre outputs.
The
company I interviewed with staged a panel interview that displayed incompetence
from the beginning. One of the four questioners was so disinterested that he
occupied himself on his laptop…he never asked a question, he never looked at
me, and he projected a white Good Ole Boy Club affront. The other incompetent
fumbled over his paperwork…my resume –and failed to articulate a decent
interview question. One other nice but clueless interviewer was salivating…I
could not determine if it was my handsomeness, the “he speaks well” ability, or
if she wanted me to Mandingo her in the restroom afterwards. And, the final
most competent interviewer was pleasant – but she was overly enthralled with my
Peace Corps experience so much so that she preferred to discuss my training
facilitation experience in Eastern Europe. Consequently, I participated in a
pathetic sham...a Pretense that sadly encourages the following:
Resumes
are collated by top of the line keyword software that essentially does the work
for the HR Generalist, applications are sorted by years of experience (a limited
amount of years are surprisingly valued and the details within the application/CV’s
are not thoroughly reviewed – but thoughtlessly scanned), a cover letter is
deemed 'impressive' when it is only two paragraphs in length, indications noted
on the curriculum vitae of advanced education e.g. Masters or PhD are
professionally toxic (downplaying one's education attainment is a craftier
approach), any evidence of labor union advocacy is an immediate rebuff, removal
of significant accomplishment and work responsibility are encouraged, signs of
passionate work energy are not positive personality traits, and speaking legitimate
English during an interview is viewed as a threat to management.
At the
end of the day, companies/agencies are not hiring the top talent. They are securing
talented actors and well coached androids...say
this, do this, and you are hired...emulate what you are told and imitate
what you learn from the inept senior authority. Then and only then are you
considered a recipient of dynamic
coaching. Coaching that does not teach you to really win…it is the loser-type
coaching that teaches one to be an Opposite of what they are.
All of
this foolery implemented and used to build a 'strong workforce'...?
The cemented
result of this ridiculousness will be condoned
poor performance from employees –and finality will produce lackluster employers
that are knowingly deceitful when they convey a mission statement that boldly
implies that their company values decency, dignity, and respect.
Ultimately,
millions of men and women will remain unemployed, become permanently jaded,
lose faith in the process, forfeit the ability to be whole parents, male egos
will be forever bruised considering man categorizes his worthiness via a job,
education will become useless in the minds of aspiring degree seekers, and most
sadly and personally,
I have
been defeated – and I have become Indifferent...this status after doing
everything The System told me to do:
The Shadow
01/16/13
Friday, January 11, 2013
Truth Evaders...Evading
People kill me when a blatant truth is told…when a damn OBVIOUS truth…when I damn FACT is shared - and then the truth evaders begin to use the ridiculousness of semantics to critique the words used to communicate the truth so that they will not feel uncomfortable or be emotionally convicted by the Truth. These are the men and women who use Political Correctness to avoid the results of a Truth. These are the same men and women who begin to attack the Truth Teller’s character in an effort to demonize the teller of the Truth so that the Truth told will be lost in the cloudiness that they have created. These are the same men and women who evade the Truth because the Truth exposes their dangerous liberalism or conservatism. These are the men and women who have polluted the atmosphere of this world with their inability to stand for Truth! The Truth is impenetrable…it cannot be removed…it cannot be eliminated because us -flaky humans- want to live lives that give us guilty pleasure or makes us feel better about ourselves! Humans are jacked souls that worship Lies and value the Lies that absolve them from The Truth!! Pathetic…
The Shadow
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