Life and Times

I don't really post very much these days. I started out posting about VOIP products and telecommunications because that's what I know, but somehow fell off of that.

So I started to post about other things. Life in general.

I've been in business for several years and sometimes not successful and yet other times fairly successful. I, like many others, have a lot of knowledge to share, but I don't believe in Life Coaches or anything that I consider to be, at best, hogwash! Life Coaches should be people who set examples, not people who charge to give their opinion about what you should, or should not, do. One should take it upon themselves to go to the Library and read books about the subjects that they wish to learn about and stop watching so much television.

I am not successful in trying to interview for jobs. I have never held a position that I had to interview for. Every job that I have ever had I have created by establishing a company for myself. This is me. Good bad or indifferent.

But I have studied Human Resources. I have studied about human psychology. And I gotta admit that I think that Charles Schultz probably knew more about the Human Psyche than most of these so called psychological experts.

Now, why do I say that? Most jobs in the age that we live in do not require one to be a Rocket Scientist --- and believe me, I know some Rocket Scientists. Most jobs require some basic understanding of things and the ability to just get along with people. That's it. Not much more unless you get into very specific stuff like accounting. Other than that, that's pretty much it. But most HR people don't see it this way.

I once took a test to work at JC Pennys - the Store. I was taking a test to take a job as a store merchandiser. You know, help arrange merchandise and how it is presented to the public within the store. Well, here is an example of the kind of questions asked by the computerized test that JC Pennys will ask you to answer --- things like:

Would you recommend to people you know to shop in JC Pennys? Well, I would if I found that I got good deals their, but I don't because JC Pennys is almost always the highest price for those kinds of goods. By the way, if you ever want to work at Pennys then do not answer a question like that with that type of answer.

Now, of course, JC Pennys is trying to screen out people. These are psychological test that supposedly will lead them to having better employees. But I just don't buy that argument. For instance, I once talked with a former "Lifer" that worked for JC Pennys for almost all of his working, adult life. He was hired the old fashion way. He had to go into the store and fill out a written application - Oh the Humanities! Writing! And without a computer too!

He was hired before all of this online employment crap (and it is just that - CRAP! - sorry HR people!) and was held over after online employment started to take off. He eventually became a Division manager over several stores in the Mid-West. Now here's what he told me - he took the online test just before he retired from JC Pennys. Now mind you, this is a man that had worked for JC Pennys for over FORTY (40) YEARS! As a top level Manager in Corporate! And he couldn't pass the online test! So, if he had been applying for a position at Pennys he couldn't and wouldn't have worked at JC Pennys! Let alone retire from CORPORATE JC Pennys years after having had a very successful career their! And JC Pennys would not have ahd a very good, long lasting employee that helps their company!

So, HR Managers, just who is it that you are trying to screen out? You can make all kinds of justifications about those online tests and hat you think (or have been lead to believe by some "experts") as to what they tell you, but the facts are that these types of test are not scientific and do not tell what the "experts" think that they tell you.

Let's just be honest for a second with each other (I'm talking to the directors of HR now). You're just trying to alleviate human interaction with potential employees because you don't have the manpower to interview all of them on a personal level. And you're also trying to minimize lawsuits from potential employees.

You can justify your positions however you like, but in the end it boils down to these two things just listed above. And HR is not a science! and nor are these so called psychological tests administered online. In the end people are hired because of a "Gut Feeling" or not. And that takes personal interaction.

I ran across this tune from Suzie Plakson which I think sums this up pretty well (Ms Plakson I hope that you don't mind my linking to your song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ntEJQ61sBM

Thanks to Suzie Plakson for writing that song and making the video. This, of course, needs to be taken as it is intended -- tongue in cheek. I do not want people to go around "Blowing stuff up".
SO THERE!
BLFER