Mr T’s a philosophy master. He’s going to chew this up and spit it out. No problems, easy.
Over to you Mr T, it better be original. Oh, hurry up please, i need to get to bed soon.
In fact, following on from your last point its probably worth jumping back to here - because I agree entirely - the formulaic nature of a lot of application processes is ruling out a lot of potentially very talented people with a lot to offer society even if your typical corporate employer might turn their nose up at them.
I’m a supporter of the National Autistic Society as I have a couple of family members/friends’ family members who are autistic. 85% of autistic adults are unemployed apparently. Now, granted, there are plenty of low-functioning autistic people who are very unlikely to be able to really live indepedent lives, but within that 85% number are a lot of perfectly intelligent people who might perhaps take a little longer to articulate what they want to say, or perhaps have a perculiarity or mannerism that the likes of a Cholula working in HR might take a disliking to.
Ultimately the corporate world wants conformity and shuns independence and quirks. Sucks, but what else you gonna do?
Ha! I came across this a fair old while ago. Its a cute story.
Originally posted by @MrTrampoline
Originally posted by @Saint-or-sinner
Understand you have to jump through all the hoops, but at some point you have to stand out. You are applying for jobs that your higher education choices shout out “this is the last thing I want to do. I’d rather die”.
Next time you’re lucky enough to talk to a real person try being human(no joke, you only need to be noticed once).
You done philosophy, right? So don’t come across as a dull Drone. Show your abilities as a critical thinker(but keep it concise). Who cares what they want to hear. Make them question what they expected for an answer and they’ll take notice.
I couldn’t meekly accept what’s asked of you. Is there no fight or self believe in your generation? Do not answer “that’s just the way it is”. That’ll just make you an accepting coward(Mr philosopher).
This is exactly what I did for PwC and more-or-less what cost me the job.
A friend of mine knows someone who works for PwC and told him the story and recounted that he was instantly worried - saying things like “partners are Gods at the firm, he’d have been shocked at the idea that he was being questioned by a new grad” etc.etc.
Don’t get me wrong - I wish it weren’t so - but that’s simply how it is.
You say ‘don’t meekly accept it’ and that I should ‘fight it’ - but how? Ring them up as rejected candidate no 985146 and object to their hiring processes?
I try to be human and appear relaxed - begin with smalltalk and whatnot - but as I say, these guys have boxes to tick and protocols to follow. They’re all part of the same system that invariably treats large numbers of applicants as potential units of labour, and absolutely despises the ‘generation snowflake’ image of a youngster trying to be ‘different’ and ‘special’.
As I say, I wish it weren’t so. I wish every HR department was stuffed to the brim of duplicates of yourself, but it just isn’t the case. I’ve pretty much passed every single phone/video interview I’ve done so far and its all just been a case of spoon-feeding them what they want. It’d be nice to live as a rebellious young buck but I’m partial to earning my own food and shelter one day.
Come on, everything you’ve said from the beginning of this thread has screamed out that this isn’t what you really want(think of all the people that have got frustrated with you).
You’re doing it to be what’s expected of you, not just by family, but probably by your whole social circle.
I might be wrong but i see someone that has an interest in challenging accepted wisdom(your degree and career choice are polar opposites) meekly buckling. You’re only 26 and haven’t even travelled.
There’s got to be more options out there for you. You do know the world exists beyond London don’t you.
Your answer to my suggestion of you acting meekly just proves my point. A 26 year old philosopher has already accepted he’s just a number. How meek can you get. Nothing personal, i’m just jealous, you still have a future if you choose too.
Of to bed now. I have to get up early. But i don’t begrudge anyone that i’m helping to stay in bed through my tax money. Why is that?
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There was a really interesting debate on the Guardian, prompted with an article more-or-less saying that our generation was the most screwed - with the older generation of commentators asking why we weren’t rebelling and why we were doing nothing and yadayadaya.
It sparked an interesting discussion with a fair few youngsters remarking that we’re the first generation that has literally seen a 0% success rate in every single protest movement - the Iraq war, Occupy Wall Street, student loan increases and so on - all just effortlessly ignored by the incumbent governments and totally ineffective.
Perhaps that reason that our generation is more likely to spin round with an irritated, impatient snarl and words to the effect of “What the fuck else am I supposed to do!?” and skulk off to get a ‘proper job’, scorning the idealism of the older generation that we do see as admirable and likeable, but totally fantastical in this day and age.
Who knows?
Ahwel, perhaps its something for a politics thread.
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It really so amaze me that he seems to obsessed with going this route.
Mr T, what’s the average wage there after 5 years if you follow the route planned out for you?
Not all companies do - a friend at IBM works with a chap with autism. He has v poor social skills, however he can spot bugs in code five times faster than anyone else who works there. they have learned to live with the “quirks” because what he brings to the table is far more valuable.
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He should be just about at final interview stage after 5 years.
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The solutions architect for our current platform replacement is autistic. He’s utterly brilliant.
there was a cleaner at our school who was brilliant at maths. He was autistic our something. He ended up teaching there.
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There’s a vacancy at Sky if you know anything about darts.
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Did pap get the job, CB?
He’s running a forum now, I hear.
That’s a new definition for running.
I guess language evolves.
My favorite interview answer I’ve heard was by a friend of mine.
She was badly floundering in front of an interview panel at St. Barts hospital and knew she wasn’t getting the job, when she was asked the textbook question …“where do you see yourself being in two years time if you get this job ?”
Her reply … “married to a rich doctor” … priceless !!
Needless to say the job wasn’t forthcoming 
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I was interviewing for a job and this guy came in who was applying for a job £30k below his current job, the job was also well below his current “rank”!
On asked why he was willing to take a pay cut and the drop in responsibility he replied :- “I’ve spent the last couple of years at full throttle and want to take my foot off of the gas for a bit!”
I know we work in the public sector but still!!
Needless to say he didn’t get the job!
I hate cocky arseholes who when asked where they see themselves in 5years reply ‘in your job’ - least imaginative, total bollocks answer out there… I actually like those who are more realistic and say they dont know… and qualify this by acknolwedging there is a huge amount that can and will happen in next 2 years let alone 5, especially if they tie this into the broader industry dynamic first and then link the rest to how much and how quicly they can learn - The best always then link this back to development opportunity questions… but then again I work in an environment that attracts alot of arseholes.
If attending any interview, when they invite you to sit down, walk around the desk and sit in their seat.
They love that.
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Colonic Irrigation?
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