This was sent to me by a colleaguie in Portugal, and is a serious job advert:
"CANDIDATES MUST BE NOT OLDER THAN 30 YEARS, SPEAKING AT LEAST 5 LANGUAGES AND HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF A MANAGER OF 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE BUSINESS!!!"
Now tell me HR is a profession!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
start young over there don't they?
on a more serious note i have had made many visits to portugal over the years with my job and they are fairly expert in english,spanish, french and italian.
they realise that as a tiny country that absolutely no-one outside of portugal and brazil speaks portuguese.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
Well you could try Goa, Macau, Timor, Cape Verde, Guine-Bissau, Sao Tome e Principe, Angola, Mozambique and creole is based on the portuguese language but what do I know?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
you can be such a smart alec some times barry.
must be the blue blood in you.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Well all I can say about working is ,I miss it alot and if it was not for the old legs I would still be doing it.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
Not me, you must be confusing me with Mr Sheldon
Vic, What are you on?
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Barry,I do not know but it is great.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
working
hate it
now relaxing wif me feet up
glass of beer
that sounds good
I love my work - if I didn't I would do something else or assume I am doing it wrong. For me: If it isn't fun, stop doing it or do it differently!!! True of so much in life..........
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
bern
in todays climate
thats not as easy as it sounds
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i think that most people take what they can get nowadays, job satisfaction is not a priority for many.
Agreed chaps, options are somewhat limited for most right now, but there are 2 things about that: it is possible to change your approach to your job even if it's not what you really want to do, so that it is more pleasant or at least more bearable - there is always something that one can find that is reasonable, satisfying or fun that can be focussed on; and, even if options are limited, taking the time to really reflect on what one wants to do can open the doors towards doing it - creating the plan, researching what you need to do to get there and creating yoruself an action plan can really drive you forwards. Immediate gratification it ain't, but gratification is on the radar.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
in todaysc climate howard there isnt to much choice
families have to be fed'
bills paid=
etc
Idealistic Bern, and probably only works for a relative few.
Going from an unqualified fruit picker or roadsweeper to a qualified better paid position is almost impossible in our society. We are hidebound by levels of degree rather than ability to do a job. Consequently many are disenfranchised by their own people, HR types usually.
As Keith rightly points out, in today's climate most are grateful for what they can get first and then worry about career enjoyment and progression last.
Idealistic - sounds like an insult Sid! I prefer to consider it aspirational. It is possible to achieve things and to turn around ones negative views. I am not saying it is easy, but it is possible. But it won't happen without a bit of work and some drive - that might be the tripping point!!
I suspect it is Bern. I have travelled the road myself and recognise the hardships and prejudices found along the way. A combination of determination and unbounded self belief have got me through.
But, overall I would say folks are prepared to give others a chance but are prevented by the "rules of employment" laid down by the self serving HR types who I so despise. They, by their actions (their words are not to be trusted), almost single-handedly prevent and/or deter/discourage personal development for those without the necessary "qualifications" for employment.
In my experience, virtually all the prejudices suffered by prospective employees emanate from the HR departments of companies. There are of course exceptions to this, but generally I find this to be true.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I enjoyed my 24 years at Natwest's computer centre in London; I/we also enjoyed running our own business - a guest house (the reason we came to Dover); I was also very happy as Marketing Manager at the Ramada Hotel, but the job I absolutely loved the best and had waited 5 years for and had put my heart and soul into, lasted the shortest time - just over four months.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
interesting posts on the subject of job satisfaction.
like the last one from roger, even if he had been paid it would have been his lowest wage for very many years.
you cannot beat the feeling of waking up in the morning and thinking along the lines of "cannot wait to get into work", sadly this is not the case for many.
And it is a tragedy. We spend so much time at work we should enjoy at least part of it. We can't all have fandabidozi jobs, but what jobs we do have can be leavened a bit, and realistic aspirations encouraged. I am always pleased when staff I manage move on for good reasons -towards rather than away from something. it means i have done my job well and they have grown and developed and have something to look forward to. Sid is right - risk averse HR types can be a stumbling block, but they aren't all lie that, and it is our job as directors andmanagers to make sure people of all sorts get opportunities.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
take your point bern but going back to what sid said about personnel(hr) the problem there is that they see a cv and then do an interview based on how trite the interviewee is and amke a judgement.
surely the line manager should be doing the interviewing?
that person(sorry blue barry) will be looking to see what the interviewee knows about the job and how they would fit in with the team, then make a judgement whether or not to employ.
there are many people great at interviews useless at doing a job.