Work is work - or why job application forms and CVs are bullsh!t

[cecilia]

hey, Kenny, while I agree that the "interview" is a giant pain in the a55, and I personally hate all that bullsh.it, it seems to be the way things are. Wayne basically has it right.

what I do - when I have the energy for it - is the turn the tables and interview THEM. I basically want to know if their company is good enough for ME. what do I get If I work at their place? does it satisfy MY creative needs, my ambitions, my goals?
Of course, I have Emmys, so I can use that to my benefit. But I've only recently come to the conclusion that I need to push that. Previously, I was too humble. And that wasn't doing me any good.

Speel, I disagree that the trend is moving away from self-employment. When the economy is bad, such choices happen more often. mostly out of dire need.

[cecilia]

well, lets not go beating up on Kenny.
The facts of life are that none of this is fun, fair or nice.
You people should try Los Angeles, the phoney arm-pit of the universe.
there is every know prejudice there and then some.
Even after getting an emmy nomination it still took the company I was working for about a year and a half to get work.
And the first person to get employed (elsewhere) was this 23 year old kid. because he was a GUY and 23.
I've gone to interviews where I've basically been told it was a "boys club".
so, i'm OUT.

I'm not one of the beautiful people. I don't have a goatee, I don't look like a surfer, blah, blah, blah...
mind you, they don't SAY that because they are all a bunch or sniviling cowards, but I know.

There is such a thing as "The Grey List". it's mostly for directors, but anytime they think you are Too Old, forget it.
a 30 year old writer was fired because they found out how old she was and figured she was TOO old for that series!!!!

Yeah, you read right 30.
man, are they stupid!

anyway, even at my age, i still get no respect. I still get people who are quite happy to rip me off and shaft me. even while they try to figure out how to exploit MY Emmys for their own benefit. (well, they TRY, I do what I can to prevent it).

Yeah, I refuse to lie, I refuse to suck some fat pigs' dick, I refuse to steal, i refuse to be a piece of sh.it

sorry, but that's how I am and I'm not changing.
Basically it takes alot of time and effort to find people who are worthy of my abilities and talents.

Unfortunately, the superior people I knew in LA have died and I'm at a loss to know what to do at this point.

What I do know is that at least I didn't waste my life and I have nothing to be ashamed of.

[cecilia]

If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play. - John Cleese, comic actor

[cecilia]

mikeymike wrote:

Ah, at least Cecilia understands what integrity is, out of the lot of you. Pride in one's own values, and complete refusal to compromise them. Some of you should learn how to be more faithful to your own beliefs and not make system whores of yourselves.

Thanks for the insult KennyR.  Not sure what I said to deserve it.

ah, well, try to forgive kenny his outburst, born of frustration and youth. I'm sure he really didn't mean you. everybody knows you are a nice guy.
 :-D

[cecilia]

Speelgoedmannetje wrote:

cecilia wrote:
I've gone to interviews where I've basically been told it was a "boys club".

Such is explicitly forbidden here in NL (and most probably also in the US). You can sue them.

I've no doubt that Europe is more civilized than Los Angeles.
However, suing everytime someone does this is only possible if (a) one has endless money and (b) endless time to waste.
plus, once someone proves themselves to be such scum, THEY don't deserve me. I don't want to work for people that don't appreciate me.

this is also where the whole stupidity of Political Correctness comes in. Afraid to "say" what they think, they dance around the issue. People in LA NEVER say "no". they just don't call you back.

they are spineless, dickless eunuchs.

Just being on the right place on the right time, having a patient and friendly attitude and focus primarily on your motivations why you chose the job should be enough.

yup! luck seems to be the only saving grace, here. it was luck that put me in contact with Tony and Frank and I just took the bull by the horns and realized I wanted to be associated with these wonderful guys. and at first I didn't know how great they were.
you have to trust your instincts.
but, often there seems no luck at all, and that's very depressing.

[cecilia]

KennyR wrote:
Why does everyone think I'm young? For someone trying to get their first job, I'm horribly old (26 is old for someone who's never had a job, trust me). And that counts against me a lot, I'm certain.

you are younger than me, so that makes you "young". not immature, just young.
I know what you mean, however.
After I left graduate school (experiments, don't ask  :lol: ) I was told that I was overeducated for the jobs I was looking for. they fully expected me to get bored and leave.

well, duh! So, that is one of the reasons I became an artist. I don't really have the personality for office work. I love working alone. and. being a very disciplined person, I am completely self-motivated. I don't need and in fact hate people telling me what to do. I know EXACTLY what I have to do.

That, in fact, is a requirement for special effects. no one has time to hold your hand, you have to solve the puzzle on your own. and do it as quickly as possible.

the reason I'm going on about this boring aspect of my career is because it takes some effort to find the best place to apply your abilities. I've done lots of different things over the years - all creative and artisitic in some sense, but sometimes not very fun. I've tried to see each as a learning experience as well as an adventure. and because most of the jobs were fairly short, if it was unpleasant i knew it would be over soon.

at this point widen your net. try different things, just for the hell of it. don't look at any one job as THE JOB of the century. Each or any job should just be for trying on. plus this gives you a chance to see if you like the people who work there.

I really do understand how soul destroying this can be, but even great and talented people like Asimov got rejection slips. alot of people are just TOO dumb to appreciate intelligence and quality.
If the world was fair my mother would be rich and bill gates would be in jail.
 :-P

[cecilia]

i have 50 tonnes of respect for you...snipers are cool

I can give people the [color=FF0000]Evil Eye[/color][/b]

 :lol: