Ten years after the first job meltdown, the dot bomb/dot con bubble of 2000, this job drought looks worse.
Not only are there no faces to blame like Jack Grubman, Henry Blodget, Frank Quattrone or Dennis Kowalski, the nameless wonks at AIG, Fannie and Freddie still have their jobs! Thank goodness for Bernard Madoff.
Even the help wanted ads are different. (Both of them.
Sure the patronizing and tautological ones are still there.
Ambitious? Hard-working? No, I'm a lazy slacker!
Want extra cash? What do you mean "extra"?
Career minded? No I want my name on my shirt!
Tired of the run-around? No, I want more rejection.
Looking for a job? This isn't the recipe section?
Sure the old bait and switch is still operative.
Like money? Must have dependable car.
Be your own boss! Demonstrate my proven cleaning system.
Pleasant sounding telephone voice? Cemetery plot sales may be for you.
Sure "need self-starter for fast-paced office" still means "do the job of two people with no managers on duty"; "join our growing team" and "varied duties" still mean anyone can-- and will-- boss you around and "tremendous income potential" still means no paycheck in the foreseeable future.
But whereas pre-dotcom job ads serenaded you with "competitive salary; outstanding benefits," the only benefit associated with today's jobs is the company's charity golf outing.
While pre-dotcom job ads offered generous stock options which devalued to a goose egg, today's jobs sometimes offer salaries that are themselves goose eggs as in, "There is no salary with this job [then what makes it a job?] but it offers plenty of chance for interns and volunteers to gain experience."
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