#287 Mucho Job-o

I went to a job fair yesterday. I went as an industry rep. It’s nice to see the crop of youngin’s we have coming up the pipe. As in natural for me in events like this, I sniff out patterns. Like I’ve determined that in every college setting there will be at least one guy who wears a cape—the wizard dude. He usually has long curly hair, he is either very slender and tall, or very portly. The only anachronism in his attire is an Ipod wire trailing back to his multiple-zippered nylon backpack. I noticed backpacks and capes are somewhat problematic when worn together. If the backpack is on the outside, it inhibits the free-flowing grace of motion that is the hallmark of the cape. If it’s worn on the inside you risk being confused with Quasimodo. I also noticed numerous youngsters wearing Ipods or Ipod equivalents. As the purpose of the fair was for the young people to ask about possible job openings, it seemed a little counter-productive to be listening to one’s personal hit bag. Ipod earphones may be small but it would be like expecting me to hire someone who walked in to my place of business with a big honking set of headphones on and a distant look in his eye like he was about to jump into an air guitar solo. Translation: Focus folks. Concentrate on the task at hand. If you want to ask about jobs, ask about jobs. If you want to listen to music, listen to music. The two together combine the worst features of rudeness and unemployment. Likewise cellphones; if it’s that important to talk to whoever it is on the other end of your damn phone, then have the courtesy to not come up to my booth and ask me a question and then hold up a finger as I start to reply because your telephone buddy is now talking. I don’t do three ways unless everyone is present. Another couple of interesting trade show job fair dynamics: If you want to talk to people stand up. The chances of engaging strangers in conversation increase tenfold when eyes are at a level. If you sit down people will look right over your head and act like you’re not there. And usually steal all your candy while they’re at it. Trade shows are a lot like adult trick or treat sessions. There’re always lots of giveaways and lots of candy. Interestingly, people seem to take candy in direct proportion to the size of the opening of the container in which the candy is offered. The lady next to me had an open basket of candy. I had a narrow jar. People would come up and take five or six pieces of candy from her and only one from me. She was also giving away a lot of pens when she had about fifty of them laid out. When she cut back to five hardly anyone took one. It seems that apparent abundance promotes gluttony. One things for sure, if I were out of work and hungry I’d go to every job fair I could. Then sell all my collected pens, magnets, and key chains on the corner and live on mints, chocolates and tootsie rolls...
America, ya gotta love it.