I had an interesting phone screen.
It promised to be interesting work. Big data. Politics. Good money.
Then I heard the catch: Republicans.
You know, fascists who are becoming more and more like nazis.
As my stomach grew ill at the prospect, I turned it down right then with hardly a second thought. It was a third party recruiter, and I was polite. If it wasn't, I might have said something like this:
"You are an agent of evil. If you are personally opposed to fascism, quit. I will help you. If you are a fascist - if you are for human trafficking of children, stealing from the poor to feed the rich, and believe that women are objects to serve the state.... You will lose.
"My grandparents generation defeated you seventy years ago, and we will defeat you here and now. Not with guns or money or violence, but with that best weapon: human decency.
You and yours will not divide us."
But, it was a third party, so I said no and stewed on it for a while. I hope his search takes a long time and racks up a whole lot of billable hours.
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While that sounds like it might be cathartic, I am glad you did not say that. There's a lot I am unpacking with the "I will help you" comment....
ReplyDeletePlease expand, Matt
ReplyDeleteSo, it's an incredibly privileged statement. Maybe from your perspective, where I know you have savings, and a wife that is working, and no children or dependents that you care for saying "I'm leaving my job" isn't a soul crushing thought, but for many who live pay check to pay check, might be the sole earner, might be caring for children or sick family members, "leave your job" might as well be "kill a family member".
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to stand on principle when all it does is inconvenience you. It's much harder when you are literally supporting not just yourself but family members and have to provide food, shelter and medical care for them.
I mean, I don't know your situation exactly since this is all via inference, but from previous things said you sound very much in the upper ranges of financial security so maybe you could do it... but "Help them"? I mean, you don't know their situation. Can you pay for their rent? Their health care? Any medical care their family needs? How long can you keep that up in a soft job market with someone who probably /doesn't/ have a masters and 10+ years of experience and senior in their title.
So, it's like yelling at the Chik Fil A cashier... it might feel good, but ultimately you are just yelling at someone in a crappy situation who can't really do anything about it.
Your are not wrong.
ReplyDeleteMaybe about some facts - at 2 percent unemployment, the regions job situation is far from soft - but your overall point is very true.
I'd try to help. And maybe I could get him an interview. I know people hiring people who are good on the phone, which he was.
And maybe I'd fail. But, is be willing to put in some time to find out.
Wow, your area's numbers are half the US average (4.1% last figures I saw) and PA's run around 4.8%.... Pittsburgh area itself is closer to the national average at around 3.9%. So all in all your area is doing pretty well compared to what i'm used to.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to want to help, and if you are in a position to that isn't a bad way to approach it. I'm a little touchy on this because I've seen a lot of people complaining about the workers in the various facilities that are supporting all this and... man, I get it, but those people are doing the best they can with crappy situations too. Sure, there are some bad actors there, or those that just don't give a damn, but a lot of those people are barely getting by, and they are in areas without great job markets, where pissing off one of the biggest employers around means you condemn your own family. Giving these people life lines to allow them to stand up is great, but that's a taller order than most people seem to understand.
Maybe I'm being to sympathetic. That'd be a first.
Matt Johnson or I'm bring too privileged, which happens a lot.
ReplyDeleteI've got feels here, predicably, but quitting ice or any other fed won't piss off the bureaucracy - it won't notice.
Now, leveraging an ice job to fight it from the inside? That'd be heroic.
This caller is a headhunter. He's looking to score a commission from making a placement. In this case, he's not looking for a finish carpenter to build some new cabinets for a Republican Senator's office (which would be morally neutral). Rather, he's looking to find people who'll advance Republican strategy by leveraging technology.
ReplyDeleteIn short, he's a profiteer. As such, he arguably deserves to hear how offering aid and comfort to those people is a bad lifestyle choice.