There are some very attractive job offers available daily.  Employers, in there gracious efforts to assist the  wounded victims of a lethal economic disaster, are reaching out to do their part.  However, their part is often nothing short of tossing a cement life-preserver into the turbulent, shark filled waters.

Employer:  “Your the 200th person we have interviewed for this job.”

Job Seeker:  “200?  So, your saying I have chance for this opening.”

Employer:  ”Its a good thing for us.  We can choose from over qualified people and don’t have to pay them what they’re worth.”

Job Seeker:  “Thank you.  That makes feel better.”

Employer:  “We do require that you are proficient in Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Web Design, MRP, Lean Manufacturing, know a second language, been to college…

Job Seeker:  “Should I be taking notes?”

Employer:  “Type 70 words per minute without errors, 10 key… , and pay is $8 to $9 per hour depending on experience and references.”

Job Seeker:  “Do you validate?”      

Another job offer just popped up.  It’s so exciting to see things turning around.  This add reads:               

Must be a multi-tasking friendly team player who likes both physical work receiving furniture shipments and be poised and experienced in assisting very demanding customers.

You need not apply unless you are ready to work in a no air conditioning warehouse environment continuously.  It is very hot during the Florida summer months.  Don’t apply if you can’t take a  little sweating. This is not a office job, however you do need computer skills, be a calm and cool person who can make the warehouse seem like an office to the customer and be the perfect host for our art and furniture warehouse emporium.  You will need to wear a uniform always be neat appearing.  This is a Fast-paced warehouse environment.  You will be an important link on our small team.   We are an Award winning company.
Hourly Position. Full time / Part time & Temporary position depending on our business, but remember we are Award winning, so business should be good.  You will be a part of our success.                                         

   Saturday & Sunday required EVERY week. Generally no nights.  But some nights and then you must work nights.  Reply to this posting with resume including job and pay history, experience, talents, language skills, computer skills, and ability to lift, push, pull very heavy furniture.   Must have clean driving record.  Driving is not part of every day tasks, but when driving is required it is part of the the every tasks.                                                                                                                                                                           Your application will not be considered if we receive too many applications.

Pay is $9 — $10 per hour depending on experience.

The ads and the interviews are abundant.  Everyone is pitching in to do their part.  It makes your heart swell to realize that businesses are searching for the rare talents that only you possess.  It inspires you to aspire to the end results of an honest hard days work after the hard working, raise from the sweat of your brow,  Stephen Schwarzman, who earns $702 million a year.  It should be noted he works for another award winning company. 

So, boys and girls, men and women, it is my great pleasure to announce we’re all in this together.  Schwarzman  and the Schwarzmans of the small and big businesses who are doing all they can to be award winning, didn’t get where they are today without your hard work and suffering. 

“Thanks folks.”

The word strong almost always means several years of experience at a given job or in a field. It could mean ability like a strong typist, but most ads for typing or data entry type work will just go for words per minutes or keystrokes per minute. Most of the time it will be phrases like “strong management skills,” “strong sales ability,” or “strong computer skills.” This lets the company get around saying that they want someone who is a little older.

When words like energetic are used, they imply young or healthy. At the very least, it means no physical problems. Energy implies youth. Those with gray hair need not apply. The reason behind this is normally a substandard wage. The company is looking for young people who will work cheap and long hours.

An ad looking for someone with a college degree will usually mean experience. Unless the job requires some type of certification that requires a certain level of education to qualify, a degree in a non-professional field is rarely required. Someone coming in the door without the degree who has ten years of experience will beat out the youngster with a degree almost every time.

One of my favorites the phrase “looking for the right type of individual.” This is normally the right race or other physical attribute. Since they cannot say white, black, pretty, slim, or any of those of words, they say “right type.” This is vague enough to leave the door open, but gives them room to say, “You just do not fit our needs.”

As long as the government continues to place restrictions on what companies cannot exclude from their hiring pool, these ads will keep popping up. The smart job seeker will take the time to learn what the intent of the wording used in his or her area is and respond to what is meant instead of what is said.