UBA Blog

When the outcome of some job search activity doesn’t  turn out the way we expected, most job searchers react the same way:  It’s not my fault – the (hiring system, employer, economy) isn’t fair!

After gathering every piece of information I could from 314 Hiring Managers, their feelings could also be summarized:  It’s not my fault – the (hiring system, employer, economy) isn’t fair!

After analyzing information gathered from 1,033 Baby Boomers – 62% employed (their stated feelings at time of interview was 46% underemployed, 9% miserably employed,  and 38% unemployed) during the research for United Boomers of America, their feelings about using the Traditional Hiring System to find work can be summarized:  The (hiring system, employer, economy) isn’t fair!

For the last week I have read hundreds of comments posted on internet groups that discuss Job Search, Hiring, Employment, Recruiting, and many other HR related matters.  The comments express frustration, aggravation, desperation, pain, heartache, stress and other human emotions caused by the Hiring System not working “the way I expected”.

Let’s take a simple example.  I decide on a goal, and then develop a series of activities to achieve that goal.  Now my mind has created an expectation that the goal will be accomplished if I just do the activities.  But the marketplace doesn’t care about my expectations.  When talking with a business executive about an applicant’s expectations, the response was, “So what?”  Until one of the hundreds (sometimes thousands) of applicants is chosen to become an employee of the organization, the organization has neither the time or resources to consider the expectations of an applicant.

Hundreds of Hiring Managers (301 out of 314) all stated the following – If you bring me an applicant who could clearly show they knew the organization’s culture, knew what benefit they could deliver for the organization over the next 90 days, knew that the organization needed it done during that period, and, most importantly, convinced me of their commitment to deliver that benefit to me, AGE WILL NOT BE PART OF MY DECISION TO HIRE!  Are you ready to be hired?  Find out with our FREE REPORT at United Boomers of America.  Remember what others think -

I LOVE MY AGE

• Youth envies the experience of age.
• Age envies the enthusiasm of youth.
• Youth envies the wisdom of age.
• Age envies the technological knowledge of youth.
• Youth envies the connections of age.
• Age envies the activity level of youth.
• Youth envies the perspective of age.
• Age envies the creativity of youth.
• Youth envies the accomplishments of age.
• Age envies the innovation of youth.
• Youth envies the toughness of age.
• Age envies the optimism of youth.
• Youth wants everything to be fair,
• Age understands everything is not fair.
• Youth is “I can do anything for anyone” – remember when?
• Age is doing the right thing – at the right time – for the right person.

I love my age!

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United Boomers of America appreciates and supports ANY program that helps returning veterans re-enter what is certainly a challenging workplace. However, while the current media is patting themselves on the back for joining the Chamber of Commerce in assisting the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, the UBA community wants to once again express frustration and aggravation that veterans of previous wars don’t seem to warrant equal effort with a highly publicized national project.
UBA has chosen the Viet Nam Veterans of America organization as our social giveback. My foster brother was shot up in the Mekong Delta and eventually died from complications caused by the wounds. It sickens me when I think about how these veterans were treated when they returned, and never forgetting that time is a good thing for us all. While reading a recent post from Bruce Krasting, titled Heroes, published February 10, 2012, I was so moved by Eddie’s story that I wanted to share some of it with you:

‘I know a man. Call him Eddie. He’s African American, going on about 63. When he was a boy he had no real home or much education, so when he was eighteen he took the only option available to him. He joined the military. That was 1967. He must have been a hell of a soldier. He ended up in the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division – one of the toughest outfits around.

In February of 1968 he fought in the battle of Hue during the Tet offensive. He was in non-stop firefights for three weeks. He said half his platoon were killed or wounded. He told me about the time he held onto a fellow soldier, while he bled to death from a sniper round through the throat.

After the Tet Offensive his tour was up, but for some stupid reason (probably a few thousand dollars) he did a second tour. In April of 1968 he went back “up country” with the 1st Cav. This time he fought in the A Shau Valley (referred to at the time as the “Valley of Death”). The fighting was as intense as any combat in history. Eddie once talked of the time that he spent a night in a bomb crater with two dead comrades while the Viet Cong were shooting AK47s with green tracers over his head. He also talked about killing the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. His buddies did the same.

Eddie walked away from the war he was sent to fight, but he was a broken man. He has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He has never been able to function properly. He is afraid of everything. On the Fourth of July he has to be sedated. He’s terrified by the noise of the fireworks. The Army never questioned that he was damaged goods, and that it was his time in battle that was responsible. They gave him antidepressants; after a while he got a half disability pension. Life was just a struggle. Eight years ago I (Bruce) banged on a bunch of doors and helped him get a full disability pension. He’s okay these days, sort of.’

I bring up Eddie’s story in connection with a new report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Almost one in four (21%) of our soldiers are coming home with PTSD. The CBO attempts to come up with a price for this. By its calculation, it costs an average of $10,000 per year for each soldier with PTSD. For how long? The CBO reports that 80+% of those with PTSD were still in need of treatment after four years. For Eddie, it’s been forty plus years now. Of course the CBO numbers don’t measure the real cost. What is the cost of a busted life?

“I watched my brother wither away as jungle rot infections started at the bullet holes and spread throughout his body. Can we put a $10,000 per year price on his life? Like Eddie, he fought to keep America free, and we all owe vets a debt that can never be fully paid.

As our elected officials in Washington consider our future economic responsibilities, let’s remind them that before we send millions to foreign military, we should fulfill our responsibilities to our own military – past and present. We have many choices to replace soldiers with technology in the future. We only have those choices because millions of previous vets stepped up and said they were willing to go fight so we could have those future choices. UBA is dedicated to helping the very ones who gave us the opportunity to help. Thanks Vets!

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How much joy will be added to your life if you end up working for a company your friends or family hate. The American Customer Satisfaction Index (“ACSI”) rates companies based on thousands of consumer satisfaction surveys. In industries where competition is intense, companies must do everything to make customers happy or go out of business. If there is little competition, their attitude can be drastically different. The worst five in the current survey:

#5 Charter Communications

ACSI Rating 59 out of 100

This company is known for improper billing practices (class action settlement in 2004) and poor customer service following the closing of domestic call centers in 2006. In 2009 the company filed for bankruptcy and was forced to downsize. Charter’s rating decreased two points from last year.

#4 Comcast

ACSI Rating 59 out of 100

Complaints include poor communications to customers, poor channel delivery, long waiting time on service calls and rising prices. One of the largest cable companies, Comcast remains one of the worst for customer satisfaction. Their rating has fallen two points since last year.

#3 Time Warner Cable

ACSI Rating 59 out of 100

Customer frustrations include “caps” on customer usage, fees rising faster than inflation, fraudulent business acts and horrible service. When cable companies have no competition, they are not focused on service. Time Warner’s rating has dropped two points since last year.

#2 Delta Airlines

ACSI Rating 56 out of 100

Outrage exists over their charging for food, beverages, and baggage. Delta collected almost one billion dollars in baggage fees in 2010, almost twice as much as any other airline. Since acquiring Northwest Airlines, Delta’s rating has nosedived. Delta’s rating declined another six points this year.

AND THE WORST

#1 Pepco

ACSI Rating 54 out of 100

The Washington Post noted Potomac Electric had among the worst ratings in both power outage frequency (70% more) and length of outage (twice as long). Pepco’s satisfaction rating plummeted an amazing 16 points during the last year.

How much research do you think you should do to really understand the attitude of a potential employer?

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