Think it Through: The Critical Analysis of a Meme

Think Before We Believe                

            Take a look at the above photo and read the text carefully. Does it make you swell with pride? Does it make you proud to be an American? Why?

            Perhaps at first glance it does. However, let’s break this down.

            One of the early lines reads; “It fed a lot of families in Kentucky who built it.” It is true that a Corvette assembly facility operates within Bowling Green, Kentucky. Although, it is also important to note that the average GM assembly line worker reportedly makes $41,365 per year (Glassdoor, 2018).

            The next point made is regarding the tires: “it fed the people who made the tires”. Also true, and according to “Tire Business” one of GM’s top tire manufacturers is Bridgestone (Tire Business, 2017). Where the average salary of a technician responsible for the actual manufacturing/and warehousing work makes an average of $47,716 (Payscale, 2018)*.

            Let me pause to state both of these positions offer respectable, if not downright great compensation. But bear with as we continue to examine this text…

            The next two lines reference the wiring aspects including the hauling of said materials; “it fed the people who made the copper for the wires, it fed the people who make the trucks that haul the copper ore.” These positions bring in roughly $62,620 (John, 2018) and $43, 464 (Glassdoor, 2018) on average, respectfully.

How the Other Half Lives

            Now before we get to the final section of the text let me mention a fact. Of all the salaries quoted within this pece the mean is approximately $48,791- to reiterate, still a nice amount for a year’s work.  

            On the other hand, when compared to GM’s CEO, Mary Barra made a whopping $28.6 million in 2015(Rueters , 2018). How do you feel about that $48,000 now? Doesn’t seem so impressive does it? Also worth mentioning that the CEO’s total compensation is +/- 596 times that of the workers that came together in order to the get the Corvette on the sales floor to begin with.  

Welfare Mentality and the Concept of Dignity

            The short text wraps up with this tidbit: “That’s the difference between capitalism and welfare mentality. When you buy something, you put money in people’s pockets and give them dignity for their skills.” There is some truth to this. Conversely, an item that also needs considered is that a new Corvette carries a price tag of $84,445 (Chevrolet, 2018). This makes this vehicle prohibitively expensive to most that had a physical hand in its creation.

            Moreover, the notion that dignity is tied to “the money in people’s pockets” is irrational. If that were true the CEO’s self worth or level of respect would grossly outweigh that of the workers in this example.

            Finally, there is no such thing as “welfare mentality”. Virtually no one in society feels compelled to take handouts when there are other options available. Handouts are taken in order to make ends meet (Couch, 2014).

Thinking Critically About Success 

            As with anything else there is a spectrum for success and likewise the path to succeeding. On one end, there are those that have connections and advantages that enable them to almost effortlessly rise to the higher tiers of society. In contrast there are those who have disadvantages due to developmental issues, racism, classism, childhood upbringing, and many other factors. In the middle there are those that lack the drive to apply themselves, and much the same there are those in the middle that will give that extra effort in order to advance to a place better than what they were born into. Don’t be surprised if you can’t fit every person neatly into your box of assumptions.

Closing: Capitalism vs. Corporatism          

            Recall that there is a distinct difference between the merits of capitalism and corporatism.  

            The point of this piece is not to belittle the entrepreneurial spirit or to tell people how to spend their money. Nor is this a knock against GM, or Ms. Barra. Lastly, it needs stating that money (and the things that come with it) is not the end all be all of life satisfaction.        

            The point is to remind people that all of these social issues that seem so black and white upon first glance are in actuality complex concerns with many layers.

-- Oh, and I didn't even touch on this aspect ;)

*Note, this figure is an aggregate of the engineering and logistical staff positions responsible for typical tire creation and transport. $67,348 (Engineer) + 28, 083 (Warehouse Tire Technician) = $95,431 / 2 = $47,716.

These calculations are generalized salaries/positions for simplicity in order to match the examples given in the picture/text.

           

Works Cited

Chevrolet. (2018). Corvette Z06 Pricing. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Chevrolet: www.chevrolet.com/byo-vc/client/en/US/chevrolet/corvette/2017/corvette-z0

Couch, R. (2014, May 09). Think Welfare Recipients Abuse The System? You Should See This Chart. Retrieved June 17, 2018, from Huffington Post: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/09/welfare-abuse-america_n_5289997.html

Glassdoor. (2018, May 10). General Motors Assembly Line Worker Hourly Pay. Retrieved June 2018, 2018, from Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/General-Motors-Assembly-Line-Worker-Salaries

Glassdoor. (2018, June 15). Salary: Truck Driver. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/truck-driver-salary-SRCH_KO0,12.htm

John, C. (2018). Miner Salaries. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Chron: work.chron.com/miner-salaries-1463.html

Payscale. (2018, June 10). Bridgestone Tire Salary. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Payscale: https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Employer=Bridgestone_Tire/Salary

Rueters . (2018, April 26). GM CEO Mary Barra Got a Huge Pay Raise. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Fortune: http://fortune.com/2016/04/22/mary-barra-gm-pay-general-motors/

Tire Business. (2017, April 27). 4 tire firms among GM's top suppliers. Retrieved June 16, 2018, from Tire Business: http://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20170425/NEWS/170429969/4-tire-firms-among-gms-top-suppliers

The Job Search Codified

           

            Ahh, it’s that time once again. Time to brush the dust off the old resume and start pounding the pavement, shaking hands and smiling my best smile all in the hopes that I can earn a living like a typical adult.

            But it’s really none of that stuff anymore, is it? You don’t have the luxury of meeting someone (anyone?) face-to-face in order to show off your personality. You have the luxury of “saving time” (or saving someone time) by doing everything via the modern personal computer (Hold applause, no really).  

            Thanks to the advent of the internet, I’ll edit my resume electronically. All the while keeping a keen eye peeled to make sure my key words match their those used in the job description at a rate of 80% or more. From there, before I even meet a prospective hiring manager, I will answer a 100 question “personality test” that basically gauges whether or not I’m a sociopath, likely to steal office supplies, or generally be an unproductive waste of space once hired. And in my favorite part of the process, I’ll get to upload my resume and then on the very next screen, fill in each section of my resume in overly complex little boxes that require the most minute details. If I miss anything, or have any typos, I get to see that glowing red box of idiocy if formatted even the slightest bit outside the website’s parameters.

            I can chose to check boxes that tell a company my ethnicity, military and disability status, or I can keep it a secret. Because maybe I’m afraid I’m too Caucasian, or not Caucasian enough (Just what the in the blue hell is “Caucasian” anyway)?

            Luckily, if I don’t get the job, I’ll get that important hope-crushing email that proudly declares “We have decided to pursue other candidates”. Worse yet, I may never hear anything...ever. In fact, I am still waiting on that mortgage broker gig from 2001.

            Speaking of that, how many high quality candidates, hard working folks, are lost in the information algorithm that is the online job hunt? Do you feel like you’ve missed out on jobs, careers even, because you checked the “wrong” answer in response to a question? Or simply the computer program couldn’t exactly reconcile your qualifications with that of the position you were applying for? I know I often do.

            It has been said that looking for a job is in effect a full time job. And often times it does feel like a full time job, minus the pay, human interaction, and personal sense of satisfaction or accomplishment.

Job Hunt

            Shh. Don’t make a sound! There it is in the distance. It’s a job…Oh my, it’s a beaut’! Wonderful benefits, amazing pay, and oh my- could it be? It has weekends off!

            No for Christ Sake’s don’t move- you’ll spook it! Stay still; let me handle this I’ve got just the thing to take ‘er down. What is it you ask? My fully loaded tactical resume. It’s got enough qualifications and near-fantasy bragging to put down any job.

             Ok I’ve got to wait for just the right moment. Hold your breath. Ready. Aim. Fire!

            Oh hell, that shot went wide. Really, really wide. And…yep I’ve spooked it, there it goes.

            It’s gone. And oh, wait someone else got it to boot.

            Shit, oh well let’s hunker down and wait for another…

            So, as you might’ve guessed from reading the above I’ve been job hunting, and it’s a lot like what I’ve written. I have a rather impressive (IMHO) resume. The problem is it’s in an industry completely different from where I’m currently looking. And it’s because of this frustration that I feel a rant is in order. I think we have a highly outdated and ultimately archaic method to recruit, hire and maintain talent in our society. And here are the top 5 things I just don’t get about job hunting and hoops that employers make potential employees go through to get that ever elusive job:

5)  Never taking a chance on a “different” candidate

Hire. Resign. Repeat. This is typical of most high turnover workplaces and it means that employers are in a constant state of flux; training, rehiring and the like. But why?

My theory is that it’s because they are conditioned to hire what looks good on paper, but never works out in reality (that whole theory vs. practice thing). Certain jobs take certain types of mentalities, that’s no secret, but some skills are usually also in line with particular personalities and character types. The aloof person may not be the best at detail-hearty tasks. Likewise, the polished multi-tasker may not be able to sit and focus on one repetitive thing with nothing else to occupy their mind. This isn’t wrong or right, but it can lead to getting the same stagnant “type” in a position, and that may also lead to finding a replacement due to this ill-suited individual seeking a more appropriate position for themselves elsewhere.  

4)  Not realizing skills are transitional from one environment to another

Twenty years of work experience is a twenty years of work experience, with few exceptions. I don’t believe that years selling cars qualifies you to perform brain surgery, but I do believe that critical thinking, problem solving and a strong work ethic is universal. Employers tend not to see a good candidate that may need some refining to familiarize themselves with operating procedure, but once that’s done those years of experience (even in another industry) are like rocket fuel. You get a great payoff for minimal investment because a talented person can transition their strengths into varying areas.  

3)  Interviews where nearly everything involved is fake

What is the main determining factor in getting a job in today’s workplace? Ah, that’s right the interview. That act where the potential hire dresses in clothes they likely wouldn’t normally wear, answers inane prepared questions they’ve probably either researched or answered a dozen times in another interview and acts like they are nice and generally care about a company and a cause. Seems like a great way to select someone who is going to ultimately be a letdown, or at the very least, not what you expected based on a first impression.

Why not have a candidate job shadow for a couple hours? See what the job actually entails versus a perfectly crafted HR description that always ends with “other duties as assigned” anyway.  Think of it; your potential candidate gets a first look at the way the company runs on a typical day, and you (or an employee) can see their willingness to assist, ask questions, discuss the business, or even offer different perspective on operational tasks.

2) No follow up

We’ve all had this happen to us, you crafted your resume, you wore your best outfit, you bathed and even answered all the right questions in all the right ways. But alas, the phone never rings. You botched something? Interviewer didn’t like your tie or handbag? You dinged the boss’ car on the way out of the parking lot?
If you were impressive, or at least impressive enough to get a call for an interview, why no follow up on what was lacking? Now granted the first thing a hiring manager will say is that they do not have the time to contact a dismissed candidate and help them figure out what dots didn’t get connected. However, I would argue the opposite; you don’t have the time not to. If you, as a hiring manager, are picking unsuitable candidates based on resumes that don’t live up to their potential in person, than my guess is your going to be spending a great deal of time spinning your wheels in that interview room, and beyond that, looking for new candidates after the current crop exit due to lack of job satisfaction or fit (see #5).

Think of it this way, perhaps that guy or gal that you felt wouldn’t have made the best contracts clerk, would be a good fit for another position that happened to open up after the fact? There, you just saved yourself some time, and helped develop a better method to help you recognize who might be better suited for a particular role.

1) Filling out an online resume (or paper resume) when I’ve just given you a copy of my resume!

This is the biggest waste of time on both the employer’s side and the prospective employee. If you’re online and you’re filling out an application and you attach your resume, why on God’s green mud ball do you need to then spend the next hour filling in those same details in tiny little boxes on several different pages of the application?

This goes double for any employer that still utilizes paper applications. Just read my damn resume- after all that’s why I put it together!

Besides, you will learn more from me by way of the personal style indicated in my resume than you will from me writing in fill in the blank answers on some bureaucratic form.

Ok, there that’s it, that’s my big five…and by the lack of activity in my bank account I know that I still don’t have a steady paycheck coming in, so I better get back out on the hunt.

            Wish me luck, and thanks for reading!