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Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Prostitution Anyone?


Prostitution.

The act of selling one's body for profit.

Now, fortunately or unfortunately depending on which side of the fence you are standing, a legal and perfectly legitimate job choice.

Did you know that prostitutes can get ACC to cover RSI (repetitive stress injury) in their jaw?? For real.

Just saying.

This has never been a profession that I have shortlisted as something I would be interested in. But I seem to have this uncanny, and slightly worrying, knack of being able to associate everyday normal things with the not so 'normal'.

Like job interviews and prostitution.

Call me crazy but selling myself has never appealed to me, and so I have been recently shocked to discover that this is exactly what was required of me!

First I have to write up a resume explaining how amazing I am. This is accompanied by a letter telling the employer that I am waaaaaaay better for them than any of my competition. This is then (hopefully) followed by an interview where my entire person has to be summed up and put on display for 15 minutes while someone decides whether or not they want to pay me for my time.

I feel like a prostitute.

Perhaps not in body (though some jobs do specifically ask for people who 'look' a 'certain way' to fit the company 'branding'. Don't believe me? Try and get a job at Supre when you are a woman of my size and they sell things that wouldn't fit around one of my thighs!) but I am still trying to present my self in order to get paid.

There is something very wrong with this!!

As a Christian I believe in the fundamental worth of all human beings. I do not believe in pitting one against the other in order to see who comes out the winner. Nor do I like taking such a one dimensional view of people like the workforce does.

For example, say Fred and George are applying for the same job as a social worker. Fred has graduated with a degree in the appropriate field because he needed to get a degree with some kind of job security at the end of it. He actually doesn't like people very much but he is good a putting on the face to get through the day and his CV is immaculate.

George on the other hand didn't get a degree because he was staying at home to look after his younger siblings while his single mother worked two jobs. He has spent years working with at risk teenagers, spending time with the elderly, and looking after children at an after school programme. He has also worked extensively with his church youth group and pastoral care teams. He loves people and would put his heart and soul into the job even if it would require a little more training on behalf of the company.



Who would you hire?

Who would the company hire?

You may think this is a situation that would never happen. Unfortunately you would be wrong. 

If it isn't a degree you won't get a show in.

Because the interview process is all about selling your credentials, employers look for specific things and don't look at a person holistically. People who may deserve a fighting chance are passed over without a second look. Those that can fake it may very well make it on the backs of those who would work hard and with passion.

There has to be a better way. There must be.

What would you suggest?

3 comments:

  1. Flip! I'm finding the same thing at the moment looking for work. ESPECIALLY when places won't take your CV or let you talk to anyone because the whole process of selecting people for interviews is done online! How do you get around it??? Seems like the only way to get a job these days is through family or friend connections.

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  2. The trouble is when the employee is viewed as a unit of input rather than an actual human being with needs as well as potential. So the only purpose of the human is what they can do for the company. This is similar to how certain animals are 'de-animalised' so that there primary and only purpose for existence is to be a unit of input in meat production. we see them as a thing rather than a being which means we treat them like things. Sorry thought I would get that in there, slightly off topic. Anyway..could there be a way for an interview or CV to be seen as the starting point of getting to know an employee and seeing if a relationship could be built with them, rather than a critical analysis of potential property, which would remove the idea of having to 'sell' yourself but seeing if you can establish a genuine connection with people you might be spending a bit of time with. its difficult when the employer has to hire someone based off only maybe meeting them once so they can't always base their decision on the whole person. Which is why like Sam said above..it seems like family and friend connections are really important and helpful in getting a job. I know that my last two jobs came from someone I went to uni with and a friend's recommendation (still had to have an interview though). I think that sometimes employers are potentially looking for people who can relate and suit their work not necessarily the 'better human being', but the better person for what that job requires and involves. its really hard though. I am finding it hard to write a CV where the purpose is to make yourself look as good as possible I guess trying to sell yourself. Although there is nothing wrong with celebrating achievements etc is kind of hard to think someone is going to be judging you based on what you are writing about yourself.

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  3. Yeah...something that has been on my mind lately is how to do business as a Christian. Every coin has a flip side, and the flip side here is that the employer is looking for the employee that will best enable success in the enterprise (business, church, social welfare organization or whatever). But the business owner is, in a sense, prostituting him/herself out to money, ideas about success, and the worldviews of the day. How can a Christian business owner do business inspired by the gospel and Jesus Christ? If you are the head of a department or a business owner you are probably more of a church leader than the worship team. You are daily (not just on Sunday) leading the people of God in pursuing the social/business activities that you or your organization is involved in. A tough challenge.

    Side note: As employees of these leaders we can live our lives as Christ like employees by being honest, working hard (not being lazy), praying for our employers, and so forth.

    Here are a few ideas (and do read this from the employer and employees perspective):
    1. Start everything with prayer. God is powerful and can open doors for us, we should ask our Father. Prayer also aligns our thoughts and plans with God's, thus helping us to pursue that which would honor God.
    2. Thinking about how the gospel might impact your workplace (employer or employee). Working out a strategy that might help you live out the gospel in your context. And don't be afraid to use Scripture to help you to work out your strategy :)
    3. Support groups who can support one another in living out the gospel. It is a tough task when you stand all alone against the world. We need all the help we can get.
    4. And on that same note...encouraging, exhorting, and (sometimes) comforting others who are passionate about living out the gospel in their contexts. Gentle in our criticism, excited in our encouragement.
    5. Doing the gospel everyday wherever you find yourself (the hardest part probably).

    God bless our business leaders :)

    Cheers,
    Constant

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