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I like the message TD Bank is giving, "Bank human." Companies need to "Hire human." Like they used to.
Carolyn Palo
carolynpalo -at- gmail -dot- com
617 491-0551
"Don't find fault, find a remedy." - Henry Ford
> On Sep 11, 2016, at 8:01 PM, "Al Geist" <al -at- geistarts -dot- com> wrote:
>
> I applied to a company that must have used the same test. It was then
> "judged" by someone who had taken a couple of psychology courses (I found
> this out later) and was told by the person who would have been my manager
> that I "wasn't smart enough to work for that company." Ironically, two years
> later, after that company had a significant reduction in workforce, the
> person who delivered the "you're too dumb" message was sitting in the
> conference room for the technology company where I was Publication's Manager
> with her resume, references, and writing samples. Unfortunately, she was
> totally software oriented and out systems needed someone with experience in
> robotics, hydraulics, pneumatics, electronics, and mechanics. She didn't
> make the cut and I told her why, but I never stooped to making a comment
> about her intelligence. Her former boss had applied to IBM and ended up
> being interviewed by someone who also had been told they weren't smart
> enough. The company where I had originally applied is no longer in business
> and the company I was contracted to perform as Publications Manager paid
> nearly double what the original company had offered. I call it Karma......
>
> Al Geist-Geist Arts
> Fine Art Photography
> Mobile: 231-301-5770
> E-mail: al -at- geistarts -dot- com
> Website: www.geistarts.com
> Facebook: Geist Arts
> See Also:
> Technical Writing, Help, Publication Management
>
> "...I walked to work, quit my job, and kept walking. Better to be a pilgrim
> without a destination, I figured, than to cross the wrong threshold each
> day." (Sy Safransky)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+al=geistarts -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+al=geistarts -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of
> Julie Stickler
> Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2016 5:27 PM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: Interesting Article on Pay and Hiring
>
> Almost the only jobs postings around these parts that list pay rates are
> often half of the current market value for qualified technical writers.
> I'm guessing they're getting a lot of desperate people who have zero
> qualifications in the field, because anyone with experience would know
> that's a bargain basement rate.
>
> There's also a local company that I applied to back in January that had the
> most ridiculous pre-employment screening personality test I've ever taken
> (and I took a two day battery of personality tests when I was in school as
> part of a match your personality to your career experiment). Their test,
> which purported to be based on "typical" business situations, was so odd and
> difficult that I almost bailed out it. And I usually ace standardized tests.
> But I figured I might as well finish it. Unsurprisingly I turned out to not
> match whatever their ideal profile was on the test. It's been nine months,
> they're still looking to fill that position. I keep wondering if I should
> send that letter that I wrote to HR about how their bad written test is
> probably weeding out perfectly qualified candidates. In my case, it let me
> know loud and clear that they were not a company that I wanted to work for.
>
>
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