plus 3, Behold, political egocentrism - Vindy.com |
- Behold, political egocentrism - Vindy.com
- Higher education gets boost from bad job market - Columbia Missourian
- Thousands of Recent College Grads Expected at Rutgers ... - MyCentralJersey.com
- Recharge your job search with four innovative ideas - Syracuse Post-Standard
| Behold, political egocentrism - Vindy.com Posted: 23 May 2010 08:20 PM PDT  Monday, May 24, 2010 WASHINGTON In understanding the foibles of politicians, I've always found it is a benefit to have spent large amounts of time with toddlers. Me! Me! Me! The narcissism of the toddler has its adult manifestation in the career politician: If self-absorption is not a job requirement, it is at least a helpful attribute in getting ahead in politics. Is there a better explanation for soon-to-be-former Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's artless explanation that he switched parties solely to keep his seat than a preschooler's sense of entitlement? It's mine! Gimme! Anyone who's watched a gaggle of politicians jockey to see who'll speak first at a news conference understands that taking turns and sharing nicely come as poorly to elected officials as to 4-year-olds in a sandbox. Specter is a fascinating study in political egocentrism, but the similarities between young children and politicians came most vividly to mind this week with the seemingly different foibles of Richard Blumenthal and Mark Souder. 'Magical thinking' Blumenthal, the attorney general of Connecticut and would-be senator, seems to have engaged in a bit of what the psychologists would describe as "magical thinking" about his service in Vietnam — oops, I mean Vietnam-era service. At various points, Blumenthal described how "we have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam." He told a crowd cheering for troops that "when we returned, we saw nothing like this." He noted that "I served during the Vietnam era," adding, "I remember the taunts, the insults, sometimes even physical abuse." Certainly Blumenthal knew he had not been in Vietnam — and, yet, there is in his words something of the child's capacity to imagine that saying something makes it so. Blumenthal has been a champion for veterans' rights, not the most obvious focus for a state attorney general. Was there a small piece of him that began to think of himself as truly part of their band of brothers? As Joan Didion wrote in "The Year of Magical Thinking," about her inability to acknowledge her husband's death, "I was thinking as small children think, as if my thoughts or wishes had the power to reverse the narrative, change the outcome." Pretend play and the concrete reality of the imaginary are the essence of childhood.
Likewise, politicians excel at trying on costumes, assuming identities (the angry populist, the slayer of pork), delivering lines written by others. Is it any wonder that the division between fantasy and reality starts to blur for some of them? Ronald Reagan spun untrue stories about how he had photographed Nazi death camps. As a radio broadcaster, he once continued announcing a baseball game after the newswire relaying the plays went dead. Joe Biden, channeling Neil Kinnock, spoke about his (imaginary) coal-mining ancestors. Hillary Clinton vividly described being under (nonexistent) sniper fire in Bosnia. Were those deliberate lies or some more mysterious mechanism of the unconscious brain? "Reagan is a romantic, not an imposter," his aide Michael Deaver explained. "He saw this nightmare on film, not in person. That did not mean he saw it less." Extramarital affair Souder, the Indiana Republican forced to resign his congressional seat after an extramarital affair with an aide, raises the question of why so many politicians stray, and here, too, politicians share similarities with children. Most of us learn, eventually, to survive without gold stars and frenzied parental clapping. There are not many occupations other than politics — acting comes to mind — that reward the need for constant adulation. Politicians crave the affirmation of the cameras, the crowds, the voters. The same neediness for ego gratification is, I think, part of what motivates their desire for new sexual partners as well. Along with this goes another form of magical thinking — the false conviction that they will be able to get away with it. John Edwards denying that he was the father of Rielle Hunter's baby reminded me of a 4-year-old, chocolate smeared across his face, denying that he had eaten the cookie. Similarly, Souder seemed to believe he could get away with having an affair with an aide — a part-time aide, he said, as if that matters — who served as his co-host on a video promoting abstinence. You really cannot make these things up. This leads to an important difference between politicians and toddlers. Both can be entitled narcissists with a problem distinguishing fantasy from reality. But it takes a politician to simultaneously preach abstinence and play footsie. It takes a grown-up to be such a hypocrite. Washington Post Writers Group Five Filters featured article: The Art of Looking Prime Ministerial - The 2010 UK General Election. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Higher education gets boost from bad job market - Columbia Missourian Posted: 23 May 2010 10:00 PM PDT ST. LOUIS — A degree from one of the nation's top business schools should be enough to make a job search as difficult as choosing what to wear in the morning. In normal times, that might very well be the case. But with the nation still struggling through its economic malaise, this year's crop of more than 100 MBA students coming out of Washington University's prestigious business school are finding the job search to be rather daunting. "It's a rough time to come out as an MBA. You can't paint it any other way," said Mark Brostoff, director of the career center at the Olin Business School. It is, he says, one of the worst markets he's seen, even worse than the one that followed on the heels of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It has the economy playing a key role both in driving record enrollment on colleges campuses across the nation, and in making life difficult for those ready to leave. To be sure, reports suggest that the job market for undergraduates appears a bit stronger this year. But many companies still are reluctant to go after the pricier graduates such as those with master's degrees in business administration, Brostoff said. The school won't say how many of its graduates are still looking for work, but even many of those who have found jobs say the search has been tough. Chris Curtis, 28, of University City, spent several months chasing jobs before capturing a position with Anheuser-Busch. It was a search marred by frustration and dead ends. "A lot of those jobs — you apply, and it goes off into a black hole," Curtis said. The lean market prompted Peter McCarthy, 39, of St. Louis, to join the school's two-year-old MBA search team program. It puts students in support groups, meeting once a week to offer each other encouragement and advice in sessions designed to improving networking and personal marketing skills. Working with those other students — some considered among the best in the class — kept McCarthy's spirits up during a lengthy search that finally yielded a job two weeks ago with a local financial services firm. "You get a lot of rejections," McCarthy said. "But there's a comfort level knowing we're all struggling." There also seems to be a general understanding among students that this is simply the way things are right now. And that they won't stay this way forever. Relief could be coming as soon this summer or fall, suggests John Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based job consulting firm. "Corporations can ill afford to keep the pipeline closed down to new graduates for too long," Challenger said. It's the sort of talk that's encouraging for students such as Ashwin Pejaver, 26, of India, who has applied for more than 100 jobs in his quest to find a spot with a multinational company, with an eye toward returning to India. "There have been a lot of times where I thought I did a good job, and I thought I was close," Pejaver said. But even as Pejaver and others look to their future beyond college, there's an even larger group of would-be students lining up to replace them. Campuses across the nation have reported record enrollments during the current academic year, and there's no reason to think the coming fall will be any different. At the University of Missouri-St. Louis, enrollment topped 16,500 students last fall, after hovering in the 15,500 range for four years. St. Louis University witnessed a 4.6 percent increase last year. The same held true at smaller schools in the region, with Fulton's Westminster College reporting an increase of more than 8 percent. The increases have even prompted the Missouri University of Science and Technology, in Rolla, to consider limiting freshman enrollment. Certainly, the economy isn't the only factor involved. Some schools, including MU, see little correlation between the economy and the influx of students. "There's been steady growth here since before the economy tanked," said Barbara Rupp, the school's director of admissions. The simple fact, Rupp and others say, is that high school graduating classes are bigger today than yesterday. Yet the influx of larger graduating classes does not, by itself, explain surging enrollment everywhere, experts say. Law schools across the nation, for example, have seen record numbers of applicants, said Jeff Thomas, director of the pre-law program at New York City-based Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. "It's a historic trend that we see time and time again related to the economy," Thomas said. Indeed, all levels of higher education — from community colleges to doctoral programs — are seeing new or renewed interest by those looking for new careers, skills and credentials. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the pool of young adults. Recent U.S. Labor Department statistics showed 70 percent of last year's high school graduates were enrolled in colleges or universities — the highest level on record since data collection started in 1959. "The kids college-bound now are simply more savvy about the value of an undergraduate degree," said Robert Franek, a senior vice president with The Princeton Review, which publishes a mix of college guides and help books. It's easy to see why, with so many families suffering. High school students are watching their parents struggle with layoffs and job uncertainty. That's particularly true in cities such as St. Louis, which has seen a steady loss of jobs — automobile assembly lines, for example — that once beckoned to students who had no wish to pursue a college degree. "Those good-paying jobs, where you only needed a high school diploma, are evaporating," said Joanie Friend, director of enrollment management for St. Louis Community College, where enrollment grew by 13 percent this spring. But even as new students are flocking to campuses, older students aren't always in a hurry to leave. With new job opportunities still tough to come by, some students are prolonging their college careers, pursuing advanced degrees. That helps in two ways. First, it gives the economy more time to recover. But it also delays the onset of student loan payments, which kick in once the student leaves school. "They figure they might as well stay in school if they don't have a job or any solid leads when they graduate. They just enroll in grad school," said Alan Byrd, director of admissions for UMSL. It wasn't exactly the economy that spurred Paul Snitker, 28, of University City, to head back to graduate school at Washington U. But it was certainly on his mind during the past two years. He watched from the comfort of his classrooms as the economy slid into the tank. He couldn't help but marvel at his good fortune. Surely, he figured, it would all be over by the time he was ready for a job search. "I thought, great, this is perfect timing. But that turned out not to be the case," said Snitker, who did manage to find a job — only instead of staying in town, he'll be moving to Texas.
Five Filters featured article: The Art of Looking Prime Ministerial - The 2010 UK General Election. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Thousands of Recent College Grads Expected at Rutgers ... - MyCentralJersey.com Posted: 24 May 2010 08:58 AM PDT NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. Thousands of new and recent college graduates seeking entry level and advanced job opportunities are expected to attend the New Jersey Collegiate Career Day sponsored by Rutgers' Office of Career Services Wednesday, May 26. The semiannual event, free and open to the public, will take place at the Rutgers Student Center and Brower Commons on College Avenue from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free shuttle buses will transport candidates to and from parking areas at the Louis Brown Athletic Center on the Livingston Campus in Piscataway between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Parking is available on the College Avenue Campus for employers only. About 130 employers from a wide range of industries and sectors will be present to meet with candidates. Last year, nearly 3,500 candidates attended. Candidates may submit their resumes online at http://careerservices.rutgers.edu until May 31 for distribution to employers following the event. Job seekers should also bring hard copies of their resumes that day. Business attire is strongly recommended. Employers and candidates can find additional information including directions, parking instructions, resume submissions, career day tips and a roster of employers online at http://careerservices.rutgers.edu. Five Filters featured article: The Art of Looking Prime Ministerial - The 2010 UK General Election. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Recharge your job search with four innovative ideas - Syracuse Post-Standard Posted: 24 May 2010 01:56 AM PDT By Michael McDonald / Pathfinders CTS, Inc.May 24, 2010, 5:04AM
Help During Hard Times "I feel like I have tried everything! I don't know what else to do." Brutal facts To address these feelings of disappointment, let's declare a few brutal facts about the process and then explore a few innovative ideas to recharge your job search. Brutal Fact 1: You haven't tried everything yet. There is always room to do more. There are endless ways to create or find job opportunities that remain untried. There is a practical limit of time and energy that you can invest in your job search on any specific day, but there is always tomorrow. Brutal Fact 2: Most job seekers tend to rely too much on their favorite job search tools. Many people ignore or neglect job search tools and methods in which they are less inspired or skilled. For example, many people are comfortable working with recruiters or applying for jobs posted online. It is common to be less comfortable with networking, requesting informational interviews or making direct inquiries (cold calling). Brutal Fact 3: Most of us stink at asking for help. Do you try to take care of yourself and refrain from asking others for help? Most people do. Unfortunately, when you finally do ask for help, your requests may be ineffective. The most common error is to make requests too generic and not specific enough. Do you ask those in your network to "keep your eyes open" instead of asking "Do you know someone that I can speak to in XYZ company about ... ?" Without specifics, your "helper" is left to guess how best to help you. With a targeted request, most people will gladly help and connect you with the right people. Brutal Fact 4: Employers can't know how good you are unless you tell them. Many people are tentative in promoting their strengths and qualities to networking contacts or prospective employers. Some people are naturally shy or they lack confidence. For others, this reluctance comes from the belief that "bragging" is rude. Many job searchers are not able to easily identify and describe their own strengths to others. Regardless of the reasons, if you don't tell perspective employers of your strengths, they will not fully understand your capabilities. They will not be interested enough to interview you. Innovative ideas Now, let's explore a few innovative ideas to recharge your job search. Innovative Idea 1: Seek alternate opportunities. Don't be stuck on your previous job. We all have a set of skills and abilities that can be valuable to most any employer in any profession or industry. These are called transferable skills and are those skills that we gain through experience in past jobs, volunteering and other activities. Consider jobs and roles that are in demand and choose those that you could do with limited training (such as product training). Then be ready to explain why you would be a good fit in the new position because of your transferable skills. Innovative Idea 2: Try before you buy. If you can identify a need in an organization and they are not hiring, propose alternate working arrangement such as a temporary or contract assignment. The manager may be able to make some arrangements to fulfill immediate needs despite not being able nor authorized to hire you full-time at the moment. The primary benefits to this approach are:
Innovative Idea 3: Form a job-search action team. Create a group of people with similar needs and circumstances. This group can provide support to maintain a positive attitude. It's a way to share networking contacts. Find opportunities for others as they do the same for you. Rely on your team to provide a form of accountability that exceeds what you may be able to maintain on your own. Innovative Idea 4: Create a 'My Job Campaign' newsletter. Find a format that fits for you and provide periodic updates to the network of individuals who are actively helping you with your job search. Perhaps a special Facebook account would work for you or a simple email to your network will fit your style. As each person in your network sees other's ideas and recommendations, it often sparks new and different recommendations. This "group creativity" can be powerful in keeping your job search efforts fresh. Five Filters featured article: The Art of Looking Prime Ministerial - The 2010 UK General Election. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Add Images to any RSS Feed To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment