Dear Telus

So I have been receiving many sales calls over the last few days.  The dreaded pause before going ‘live’ usually allowed me to hang up before the scripted conversation started.  But a time or two I waited too long, and the sales pitch began.

Dear Telus.  Here’s some free advice.  You’ve made a choice to saddle up the poor people in your phone rooms to call out to all of your existing customers and annoy them by upselling their current phone services.  Perhaps you would want to take care that the phones/lines your people use are not so static-y and broken up and delayed that the person being sold to can not understand a word your people are saying.  Just a thought.

I did not buy the exciting bundle and lightning fast internet service.  I do not care if I get a free HP laptop.  I am very glad I am not a phone salesperson.

Employment Status – Getting By

I was out the other day, doing various official things – passport renewal, car insurance etc.

Several forms required me to provide my employment status – either by giving my employers for the last two years, or indicating whether I worked full time or part time, was self employed etc.

And what is the answer to that question?

I have the same problem when someone asks the social question “where are you working these days?”  or “are you working?”.

I find myself tripped up.  I have several consulting projects for which I am very grateful.  They pay the mortgage, keep the lights and cable on, and allow me to sleep well at night.  A new one was referred to me by an old friend just this week.  So I’m working.

But I’d like to be employed full time.  Working for one organization, contributing to their long term plans and progress.  And I’d like people to know that.

So I check the form “self employed.”  When asked I say something along the lines of “I’ve got some really interesting consulting work on the go while I’m looking for the next full time job.”  Meh.  I tend to think that’s the worst of both worlds.  Someone who’s looking for a consultant isn’t going to think of me, because I might be gone when a job offer turns up.  Someone who might have a position doesn’t think of me a “looking” for work because I’m busy consulting.

And so it goes.  The real answer?  I’m getting by.  Which, as they say, is better than the alternative.

Sunshine Slowdown

I love radio.  All radio, whether via podcasts, live over the air or via the interweb.

So this morning I was listening to a Seattle Washington pop station, and in among the ads and Rhianna songs they give regular traffic reports.  Seattle seems to have epically bad traffic, which I’m happy to avoid.

However, it sounds like there are some Seattle traffic problems that really could be avoided through a little public education.  This morning the biggest issue seemed to be “Sunshine Slowdowns” on various major highways.  This means that  people in Seattle are so startled on those odd occasions that they see the sun that they slow their cars to a crawl, causing region-wide traffic chaos.

It brought back happy memories of a Bill Cosby routine where he talked about Seattle’s weather.  It’s the first part of this clip: 

I am pleased to submit my application…

…and yes, I know that is not how you’re supposed to begin a job application.

I bring a record of success and achievement in government, non-profit and private sector enterprises to this first posting on Submit Your Resume Here.

For the last two years I have been working at a senior level in the meta world of job hunting.  I have interviewed directly with CEO’s, Human Resources Directors, and managers from unrelated departments drafted in for the afternoon to fill a place on the panel.  I have developed complex RFP documents, and taken responsibility for submitting the required hard copy and electronic format and number of copies to the security guard at the front desk of the corporate headquarters at the appointed time. I have faxed my personal information to unfamiliar area codes.  I have email alerts arriving on my desktop every day and coffee meetings booked up for next week.

I have some thoughts.