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Blogs by Diana J Legun
A Word With The Boss
3/3/2013 1:36:17 PM
Even though this entry was written seven years ago, it still applies today. It may apply even more today. It is fiction based on my own experience.
March 19, 2006 2:06p..m.
Looking at the want ad jobs: my past skill category has been clerical, secretarial. There are three listed here: one, account assistant P/T 12 hrs. a week; second, alarm dispatcher, swing shift, $8/ hr., third, an office manager, temp to perm, must know Quickbooks. That was it in my field.
Then there is “Domestic Help,” caregivers for elderly…or support person working with developmentally disabled people with “challenging behavior”. There was American Maid Cleaning ad for housekeepers….collision repair auto body workers needed, CDL truck drivers always in demand….”jumper barn seeks hard working dependable help call between 9a.m. – 3:30 402-4292.
What’s a jumper barn?? maybe a location for bull breeding?
Oh, here’s one: “Beverage Servers *100* a day or more possible for Pierce County’s number one gentlemen’s club, 18+ no experience necessary Mon-Sat 10a.m – 7pm (253) xxx-1820.”
Here’s where I stop reading. I’ve been sufficiently disgusted now. I was mildly bent, over only three clerical jobs in a world where 20 years ago there were three pages of clerical want ads; I was moderately adverse to what pitiful wage was being offered to an individual who puts herself at the risk of people exemplifying “challenging behavior,” or the tiny wage being offered for the physical drain of working with disabled individuals absolutely single-handedly. But I was largely smacked at the vision of “no experience necessary” 18-year-olds choosing the $100-a-day lure to serve drinks and whatever else in a place that caters to male only patronage.
That’s the Want Ads in a nutshell.
Hairdresser has a nice sound. Has a nice connotation. Here is a little skit script I wrote about 'secretary skill turns towards hair dressing skill:'
I can just see Susie, once filled with confidence in her quality skills and the joy of her work ethics that contain integrity...becoming the poor, slump-shouldered, subservient office “girl,” at the mid-point of the performance review of her position; the review conducted by her boss who has not been respectful to Susie from pretty much the get-go. I can envision what provokes Susie to stand up and stand tall at the conclusion of this 'meeting':
Bossman or Bosswoman: “Well, Susie, we’ve talked before about the need for you to get up-to-speed, improve your multi-tasking and computer skills and work more overtime….”
Susie: “Yes.”
Boss: “Well, seems like things aren’t improving, and Corporate’s put the word out the Big Balloon is falling and it’s time to cut loose some sand bags…”
Susie: “Let me guess…..I’m a sandbag.”
But Susie saw this coming and smartly had a hair-dressing school selected – a future that looked brighter than any desk job that holds the potential to any moment be jerked out from under the multi-tasking, crazy-working American and slid neatly and cheaply to an eager desk and telephone in India. Brighter than a business that could go out of business in a matter of days, or work that can be done by computers and robots.
Boss: “’fraid so, but you’ll get a COBRA health plan tie-over package, and we have a great outplacement service based in India, which might be helpful …..….”
Susie: “It’s okay, Boss. I’ll be just fine, thanks. And when you get disposed of and need a good hair cut for your out-placement job hunt, look me up in the Hair and Beauty yellow pages. We’ll keep all of you out-placed, out-sourced people from looking like Neanderthals. And we’ll do it right here in America, with our very own human hands. Pretty sweet, hugh?”
Susie smiled genuinely and left her Boss’s office with a new lightness of step, wearing purpose across her shoulders like a white, summer lace shawl.
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More Blogs by Diana J Legun
• A Word With The Boss - Sunday, March 03, 2013
• Delightful Experience - Tuesday, October 23, 2012
• Taking Myself to the Movies - Friday, October 19, 2012
• je parle ( I Speak) - Thursday, October 11, 2012
• In A Trunk - Tuesday, October 02, 2012
• Calmness - Wednesday, September 12, 2012
• A Winding Ribbon - Thursday, September 06, 2012
• Revelation - Thursday, August 16, 2012
• Home - Wednesday, August 15, 2012
• Daily Doodlings - Thursday, July 26, 2012
• The Dentist - Wednesday, July 25, 2012
• Questions for Everyone - Thursday, July 12, 2012
• No labels - Friday, July 06, 2012
• Hair - Friday, June 15, 2012
• On Sojourn - Saturday, May 19, 2012
• March 11, 2007 10:31 a.m. - Friday, April 20, 2012
• Dream - Friday, April 20, 2012
• Making Moments II - Thursday, April 19, 2012
• A Zen Moment - Monday, April 16, 2012
• Fingernails - The Long and Short of Them - Friday, April 13, 2012
• Jury Duty - The Verdict - Monday, April 09, 2012
• Jury Duty - Saturday, April 07, 2012
• Dogs - Wednesday, April 04, 2012
• Beginning of the End of the Beginning - Tuesday, April 03, 2012
• A Romp With Nostalgia - Saturday, March 31, 2012
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