pax
ONE love, blood, life
As some of you may know, I just graduated from college and am looking for a job, preferably in publishing, but I'm looking elsewhere (events planning, administrative support, Wal-Mart, etc.) because publishing is such a tough market. I was looking for jobs online today and I came across one ad which I will excerpt for you all here:
You will also be expected to read (on an ongoing basis, and on your own time) several books on copywriting techniques, strategic marketing, etc...
Your attitude should be upbeat and positive, bubbling over with can-do flexibility. You must be very responsive to requests from other employees and clients. You must be able to learn how to intuitively and scientifically probe for client needs and requirements. You must also be available to occasionally work nights and weekends (typically from home) to make deadlines...
Along these lines, we need a person capable of taking responsibility for themselves and their work ? who values a ?career? ? and doesn?t want to forget about work when they leave at the end of the day. We?ll need you to learn how to ?manage your manager,? so you proactively ?pull? work onto your plate, through each client project ? keeping your time best organized...
And here's the kicker:
We want a person who is looking to commit for the long run (5 to 10+ years), and we?ll train as appropriate. Approximately 10 hours per week to start; expected to ramp to 20+ hours per week in 3-4 months. Compensation starts at up to $17 per hour...
So let me get this straight: for $170 a week (BEFORE TAXES!) you expect someone to be at your beck and frickin' call, study on his or her own time, be willing to work nights and weekends, "manage his or her manager," and God only knows what else?!
I'm not above learning on the job, or putting in some grunt work to get ahead, but some of this strikes me as a bit ridiculous for a job that starts at 10 hours a week and is "expected" to ramp up to 20 in a few months. It's fine for someone living at home whose parents are supportive of this kind of thing, but for a grown-up looking for a real job, it's patently ridiculous. You'd have to be working a second job for 25-35 hours a week for at least a few months to be able to do this, which would surely not leave you very much time for your "homework"--and how could you promise to be available nights and weekends?
What I'm getting at, I guess, is this: How good is it to be "married" to your job? Do the employers that expect this really have a right to do so at such piss-poor compensation (granted, $17 an hour would be great if you were doing it full-time, but for 10 hours a week--?)? Do any of you have jobs like this and what do you think of it?
In the interest of full disclosure, the job is in the Philadelphia area (read: not cheap to live), offered on-the-job training, and a woman-friendly, flexible office.
You will also be expected to read (on an ongoing basis, and on your own time) several books on copywriting techniques, strategic marketing, etc...
Your attitude should be upbeat and positive, bubbling over with can-do flexibility. You must be very responsive to requests from other employees and clients. You must be able to learn how to intuitively and scientifically probe for client needs and requirements. You must also be available to occasionally work nights and weekends (typically from home) to make deadlines...
Along these lines, we need a person capable of taking responsibility for themselves and their work ? who values a ?career? ? and doesn?t want to forget about work when they leave at the end of the day. We?ll need you to learn how to ?manage your manager,? so you proactively ?pull? work onto your plate, through each client project ? keeping your time best organized...
And here's the kicker:
We want a person who is looking to commit for the long run (5 to 10+ years), and we?ll train as appropriate. Approximately 10 hours per week to start; expected to ramp to 20+ hours per week in 3-4 months. Compensation starts at up to $17 per hour...
So let me get this straight: for $170 a week (BEFORE TAXES!) you expect someone to be at your beck and frickin' call, study on his or her own time, be willing to work nights and weekends, "manage his or her manager," and God only knows what else?!
I'm not above learning on the job, or putting in some grunt work to get ahead, but some of this strikes me as a bit ridiculous for a job that starts at 10 hours a week and is "expected" to ramp up to 20 in a few months. It's fine for someone living at home whose parents are supportive of this kind of thing, but for a grown-up looking for a real job, it's patently ridiculous. You'd have to be working a second job for 25-35 hours a week for at least a few months to be able to do this, which would surely not leave you very much time for your "homework"--and how could you promise to be available nights and weekends?
What I'm getting at, I guess, is this: How good is it to be "married" to your job? Do the employers that expect this really have a right to do so at such piss-poor compensation (granted, $17 an hour would be great if you were doing it full-time, but for 10 hours a week--?)? Do any of you have jobs like this and what do you think of it?
In the interest of full disclosure, the job is in the Philadelphia area (read: not cheap to live), offered on-the-job training, and a woman-friendly, flexible office.