Dreams and Careers | pinartarhan.com

Lying on your CV (and job ads that ask for way too much)

Posted on December 18, 2009 Written by ripitup

Most of you are probably familiar with the TV show friends . Even if you are not, here’s a perfect example of Joey’s situation regarding lying on CVs:

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D30U-nz_Hts[/pro-player]

Of course it is a ludicrous idea to lie about speaking a foreign language fluently when you don’t even know a word or about digging in Cairo when you haven’t been there but it is not uncommon practice for job applicants to lie on their resumés. Beginner levels are stated as intermediate and intermediate as advanced. Experiences are exaggerated and told in a more impressive way than they actually happened. So how much do you lie (if ever;) when applying to a job?

Normally, I don’t. I believe they can always check you out and find you out. Or worse, you can get caught after you get the job which is more embarrassing. But recently I have stumbled upon some job ads that made me actually, really want to lie.

Here’s why:

1) Most writing ads state they only want native speakers. Because all native speakers are better writers? International writers can’t have perfect command on English? Well, this is logic is stupid at best and makes me want to lie, just to prove the idiots who post these kinds of ads wrong. Because usually the ads include statements like: “No internationals please.” “Don’t even bother if you are not a native speaker.” OK. But how the hell are you going to prove I am not a native? My country of residence doesn’t prove anything and I can fool you with my skills. Oh,and the payment method is PayPal.

The lesson? Well, I am all for lying when there is discrimination. It is also a bonus when they can’t prove it. Of course it is best not to apply at all- when you decide that your potential employer is narrow-minded.

2) Unclear job ads: Oh, it is priceless when a job ad asks all sorts of information from you: cover letter, resumé, portfolio, salary expectation,years of experience…This is all too much effort but it does seem pointless if the potential employer hasn’t revealed any important information on their part. Who are they? If they even kept their website/company name confidential, why should I bother to apply? Who are these people? What are the advantages of working with/for them? What’s in it for me? Any job involves at least two parties. I am not going to provide a company who hasn’t bothered to fill in the blanks with my life story. Time is money and I am not spending on them.

Job-hunting is by nature a painful process. Double-standards, one-sided expectations, discriminations and funny anecdotes should always be shared. The gap of the power levels of the employer and the employees only get bigger if candidates desperately say yes to everything without questioning. Sure, the economy is tough. But then again, job- hunting has never been smooth sailing. So why don’t you assess yourself and make an honest assumption of what you are worth? Then decide if you should decide whether to “exaggerate” or “lie”. Maybe you shouldn’t consider that particular job at all.

For related articles, you can click on the links below: (if right clicking on your mouse doesn’t work, try copy pasting.)

* on interview techniques:

http://www.bukisa.com/articles/212726_bizarre-business-interview-techniques

* selling your career

http://www.bukisa.com/articles/213643_its-all-about-sales

* relationship between the job interviewer and the interviewee

http://www.bukisa.com/articles/212727_the-power-play-between-the-potential-employer-and-the-employee

Swine Flu and Other Distractions

Posted on November 18, 2009 Written by ripitup

The world is hard and complicated enough without a natural disaster or an epidemic taking control of our lives. We struggle to make money without sacrificing our freedom completely, try to keep our relationships going and try to stay healthy in today’s hectic world. We are supposed to be patient- I mean if we try hard enough,good things do happen.But of course working hard and staying loyal to your schedule doesn’t seem meaningful when an awful hurricane strikes or a new epidemic such as the swine flu is scattering around. The balance between living each day as if it is your last and working hard to make your dreams come true is very fragile and it often results in us losing perspective. It’s not like my everyday plans will be the same no matter what. But then we don’t know how,what and when something is gonna happen so we slack and mess around and we also get serious and hope it all works out in the end.

Inspiration to get your ass in gear part 2 feat. Bon Jovi’s It’s My Life, Keep The Faith and Have a Nice Day

Posted on October 27, 2009 Written by ripitup

Well, my previous post is about how songs can actually get you in the mood not to give in your dreams and it gives Poison’s Cry Tough as an example. The song is fast, hopeful and it just tells you not to give up. The fact that the band came from nowhere and went to the top of the charts through persistence and hard work makes the lyrics credible.

You may not know Poison. But I’m pretty sure you have heard of Bon Jovi. Don’t dismiss them because rock isn’t your thing or because their sound is just too “soft” for you. They have songs in a lot of genres (hard rock, classic rock, pop-rock, country rock, glam rock…), and they have written songs about almost all aspects of life. Don’t think about the ballads. Please, we are not going to talk about “Always” here. But, if you are thinking of the chorus from their hit song “It’s my life”, great! You are exactly where I need you to be. The whole song is about not giving up and standing your ground. In fact, this song is only one example from the band. They are huge on songs that encourage you to work on your dreams.

Here is a part of “It’s my life“:

It’s my life – And it’s now or never
I ain’t gonna live forever , I just want to live while I’m alive
(It’s my life)
My heart is like an open highway – Like Frankie said
I did it my way, I just want to live while I’m alive ,’Cause it’s my life

Better stand tall when they’re calling you out
Don’t bend, don’t break, baby, don’t back down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOfaYFIHt1g&feature=fvst this is for the song’s video.

They might have sold over 100,000,000 records (yes, it is the official number) but it’s not like success fell on their laps. Frontman Jon Bon Jovi worked at odd jobs, he even sold shoes. (I am saying “even” – if you remember the old sitcom Married with Children, the shoe selling thing might put a smile on your face.) He cleaned the floors on a record studio and didn’t get paid for it. Instead he just recorded his demos. One of the demos got him a record deal and a band. But what made Bon Jovi huge is actually another song that tells you to keep hanging on no matter what: Living on a Prayer. This is the video of the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUSDS9pkA2Y&feature=fvst

Oh and the chorus goes something like this:

Whooah, were half way there
Livin on a prayer
Take my hand and well make it – I swear
Livin on a prayer

Not to mention, they have written Keep The Faith (it tells you to “keep the faith: you know youre gonna live thru the rain” ) and Have a Nice Day , whose chorus goes:

Ohhh, if there’s one thing I hang onto,
That gets me through the night.
I ain’t gonna do what I don’t want to,
I’m gonna live my life.
Shining like a diamond, rolling with the dice,
Standing on the ledge, I show the wind how to fly.
When the world gets in my face,
I say, Have A Nice Day.
Have A Nice Day

link to Keep the Faith: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U5gJZh5u2Y&feature=fvst

link to Have a Nice Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UheKmPY1mNw&feature=fvst

ENJOY!

Inspiration to get your ass in gear – when you are working to reach your dreams

Posted on October 27, 2009 Written by ripitup

Did that sound rude? I am just trying to be helpful, and trust me I do whatever I can to get my own ass in gear. What really motivates me is music. Whatever your dreams are, I think the right songs can really help. But I am talking about fast, energetic songs that will make you want to move, make you want to take action. So it is great if you like music, regardless of the kind. But wanting to dance isn’t enough. So if you want your own life-coaching in songs, stick to rock. No, I’m serious. And with rock, let’s get specific. If you are looking to get depressed, Radiohead is lovely. Grunge music can also help you to get lost in the misery of it all. Hell, metal is great for head-banging and letting go of your anger. But, if you -like me- pay attention to they lyrics, rock music (mostly glam rock, hard- rock and classic rock) is a great way to give you the push you need. Let me give some examples:

– Band: Poison, Song: Cry tough

Its lyrics talk about about dreams;m about how persistent you have to be in order to reach them. Now, before I give the lyrics and the link to the video for the song, here’s why you should take this song seriously (and why it might be hard for you to do it) : Poison is rock band that made it big in the 80s. And by big, I mean they became one of the biggest-selling rock bands in the world. Your dream probably has got nothing to do with making it big as a band. But a dream is a dream and becoming a widely known, top-selling band is not a piece of cake. The band members have tons of cash, popularity, chicks, millions of fans and freedom, but they didn’t start out that way. There was a time they actually had to crash at a launderette because they couldn’t afford rent. But they worked their butts off and never gave up. Now they are just enjoying the upside of the ride. Cry Tough is one of my favorite motivators. It’s not slow and definitely not hard- meaning you can take the sound even if you are not a rock fan. The catch? Just brace yourself for some awful 80s fashion. Hell, I like 80s rock but this video might be too much even for me. But remember: they might look funny, but they made it. Millions love their work. 20 years later, they are still together and still loved.

Lyrics:

Remember the nights we sat and talked about all our dreams
Well little did we know then they were more distant than they seemed
Well I knew it, you knew it too
The things we’d go through, we knew the things we had to do
to make it, baby.

You gotta cry tough out on the streets
To make your dreams happen
You gotta cry out, out to the world
To make them all come true.

Life ain’t no easy ride, at least that’s what I am told
Sometimes the rainbow baby, is better than the pot of gold
You’ve got to stick it out, whether you’re wrong or right
And you can’t give in without a fight, to make it baby

for the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjB65dUu_ws

poison450 — Poison, now. They make even harder, faster rock at their 40s.