Date: Fri, 29 Nov 1996 15:20:10 -0800 (PST) From: William Wong <wwong@wiley.csusb.edu> To: "William Wong"@wiley.csusb.edu Cc: jkh@time.cdrom.com, terry@lambert.org, wes@xmission.com, chat@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Laws of Physics (was Re: SCSI A/V drives) Message-ID: <199611292320.PAA15012@wiley.csusb.edu> In-Reply-To: <13554.849305943@time.cdrom.com> from "Jordan K. Hubbard" at Nov 29, 96 02:19:03 pm
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> > > So in order of "importance" for marketability: > > > > 1) Ability to get an interview. > > 2) Ability to sell yourself in an interview. > > 3) Ability to do what you claimed you could so that you keep > > the job. > > Terry Terry Terry, now we *know* you're an academic. None of this has > been relevant in Dilbert's America for some time - I think you must > have been looking in one of those Job Strategy Handbook's from the > 50's again (the tip-off is when the illustrations all have hairstyles > like June and Ward Cleaver). Here's the modern version: > > 1) Ability to get an interview. > 2) Ability to sell yourself in an interview. > 3) Ability to appear like you're working hard so that you can keep > the job. > 4) Ability to delegate tasks to others so that nothing ever actually > winds up in your inbox, where it could damage your career. > 5) Ability to call attention to the previous strategy during your > golf games with the boss in such a way that it makes you look > like great management material. > 6) Ability to get promoted to management, where you can now walk around > the office all day with a cup of coffee, hassling people and appearing > like the kind of "hands-on" manager they need rather than just some > jerk who has no actual job of his own. > 7) Ability to write memos containing so much jargon that nobody can > actually understand just what it is you're talking about, making > you a clear and acknowledged expert of some sort. > 8) Ability to cash out your hefty stock options at age 40 and retire > to become a "management consultant", giving pricey seminars to others > about your 8 step program for success. > > Needless to say, the degree is not that important a component. If you > want a bragging wall in your office, it's also far better to cover it > with certificates of completion from various training seminars (see > #8) claiming that you've been Crosbyized, Fagin Processed and > personally certified as ISO-9000 compliant. Since these will also > enable you to spend up to 60% of your time away from the office in > training, it's another good way of avoiding any actual work. > > If you're going to instruct the impressionable youth on this mailing > list, Terry, at least make the effort to stay current. Thanks. > > Jordan > I think Jordan has hit the mark here. Here at my university is where you can see a prime example of what Jordan describes (especially 4), 6), and 7)). One item was left out that could pre-empt items 1) and 2). It is about knowing somebody high enough in the chain of command to "squeeze" you in. I know a lot of friends who got lucky this way. I'm seeing more companies that will not hire unless the applicant has at least one degree from some university. Qualcomm is one that comes to mind. I'm sure there are others. I remember working at GTE as an equipment technician a while back and seeing the folks upstairs programming a little, drinking lots of coffee and getting > 50-70k a year. That was their starting salary, by the way. When I asked how one can obtain such a job, their response was at least a BS in computer science. This infuriated me because I could have handled their jobs with aplomb. That was when I decided to go and get those degrees. When I responded to the original message by Wes Peters, I had no idea that you guys would be scrutinizing this "chat talk" with a razor! I guess I have to be more careful of what I write and how thorough I cover my grounds. ;) ... Or at least respond with enough replies to subtly shape shift my direction of movement. :) :) :) William T. Wong Network Analyst, Assistant Cal State University, San Bernardino Phone: (909) 880-7281 email: wwong@wiley.csusb.edu
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