EMPLOYER TALK
 
 
"ENTRY-LEVEL POSITION:" You'll be making under $7 an hour.
 
 
"ENTRY-LEVEL POSITION IN AN UP-AND-COMING COMPANY:" You'll be making
under $7 an hour; we'll be bankrupt in a year.
 
 
"AN UP-AND-COMING SOFTWARE COMPANY:" We want you to get your hopes up,
but there's no chance in hell we'll be the next Microsoft.
 
 
"PROFIT-SHARING PLAN:"  Once it's shared between the higher-ups,
there won't be a profit.
 
 
"COMPETITIVE SALARY:" We remain competitive by paying less than
our competitors.
 
 
"JOIN OUR FAST-PACED COMPANY:" We have no time to train you;
you'll have to introduce yourself to your coworkers.
 
 
"NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER:" Inc. Magazine wrote us up a
few years ago, but we haven't done anything innovative since.
 
 
"IMMEDIATE OPENING:" The person who used to have this job
gave notice a month ago.  We're just now running the ad.
 
 
"SALES POSITION REQUIRING MOTIVATED SELF-STARTER:"  We're not
going to supply you with leads; there's no base salary; you'll
wait 30 days for your first commission check.
 
 
"SELF-MOTIVATED:" Management won't answer questions
 
 
"WE OFFER GREAT BENEFITS:" After 90 days, you can join our HMO,
which has a $500 deductible and a $25 co-pay.
 
 
"PENSION/RETIREMENT BENEFITS:" After 3 years, we'll allow you
to fund your own 401(k) and, if you behave, we'll give you a
5 percent matching contribution.
 
 
"SEEKING ENTHUSIASTIC, FUN, HARD WORKING, PEOPLE:"...who still
live with their parents and won't mind our internship-level salaries.
 
 
"CASUAL WORK ATMOSPHERE:" We don't pay enough to expect that
you'll dress up; well, a couple of the real daring guys wear earrings.
 
 
"COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT:" We have a lot of turnover.
 
 
"EXCITING AND PROFESSIONAL WORK ENVIRONMENT:" Guys in gray suits
will bore you with tales of squash and their weekends on yachts.
 
 
"JOIN OUR DYNAMIC TEAM:" We all listen to nutty motivational tapes.
 
 
"FUN WORK ENVIRONMENT:" Your coworkers will be insulted if you
don't drink with them.
 
 
"A DRUG-FREE WORK ENVIRONMENT:" We booze it up at company parties.
 
 
"MUST BE DEADLINE ORIENTED:" You'll be six months behind
schedule on your first day.
 
 
"SOME PUBLIC RELATIONS REQUIRED:" If we're in trouble, you'll
go on TV and get us out of it.
 
 
"SOME OVERTIME REQUIRED:" Some time each night and some
time each weekend.
 
 
"SALARY RANGE $24k-$32k:" We'll offer you $22k to start.
 
 
"A HIGHLY VISIBLE POSITION:" You'll give boring speeches
on your own time.
 
 
"FLEXIBLE HOURS:" Work 40 hours; get paid for 25.
 
 
"DUTIES WILL VARY:" Anyone in the office can boss you around.
 
 
"WHERE EMPLOYEES FEEL VALUED:" Those who missed the last
round of layoffs, that is.
 
 
"MUST HAVE AN EYE FOR DETAIL:" We have no quality control.
 
 
"COLLEGE DEGREE PREFERRED:" Unless you wasted those four years
studying something useless like philosophy, English or religion.
 
 
"NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE:"  We've filled the job; our call for
resumes is just a legal formality.
 
 
"SEEKING CANDIDATES WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF EXPERIENCE:" You'll
need it to replace three people who just left.
 
 
"PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS A MUST:" You're walking into a company
in perpetual chaos.
 
 
"REQUIRES TEAM LEADERSHIP SKILLS:" You'll have the responsibilities
of a manager, without the pay or respect.
 
 
"GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS:" Management communicates, you listen,
figure out what they want and do.
 
 
"ABILITY TO HANDLE A HEAVY WORKLOAD:" You whine, you're fired.
 
 
"ASPIRATIONS FOR GROWTH WITHIN OUR COMPANY:"  We loooooove brown-nosers.