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Selling yourself

Bree44
Bree44
I'm in the midst of job searching and people keep reminding me that in order to get a job you have to "sell yourself".

I understand what they mean by that. You have to make yourself as desirable to possible employers as you can, but I really really hate that term!

When I hear it, all I can think about is prostitution, making yourself into an object to be purchased and used. By selling myself I feel like I'm being dehumanized. I realize that to any company I'm nothing more than a number. That's just the way it is, but it bothers me.

I feel like, by excepting that veiw point, I'm not only allowing, but encouraging the idea that it's okay to stop seeing people as people. That it's okay to place the value of a life on what it can do for you.

I quit my last job because my managers did just that. They thought it was more important for my lane to stay open then it was for me to go home and take care of the severe allergic reaction I was having to something one of the other cashiers sprayed in the air. The fact that I was crying and gasping for air wasn't as important as keeping one out of six working registers open.

I stopped being a person in their eyes, I was just another number. Now I have people telling me that I have to do it all over again, become a number.

I'll do it, because after all what choice do we have? If we want to live, we have to work. If we want to work, we have to sell ourselves. And it pisses me off.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Yes, I think I know what you mean. I'm also looking for a job. If I were working, though, what always bothers me are people who say that, whatever they do at work, "it's just business". In other words they can be SOBs, screw people whenever they need to, lie and cheat and it's okay because it's business.

These same people think they're holier than thou because they go to church, volunteer for some screwy community cause or donate to the United Way. I do my best not to act this way but I'll also do my best to stop these types of a*@holes whenever I run up against them. They're usually pretty good at deceit so I just do my best to stand my ground.

Wouldn't it be great if everyone just thought a little bit more about other people at work . . . . and recognized that they're just as responsible for how they treat people in business as they do in their personal lives. Oh, but then I suppose I'm living in a dream world. Maybe that's why my job search is a total failure so far.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I understand what you're saying too. If we want a job, we each have to go through the stinking interview process. We can't just show up for it, say what we're good at, show that we meet the qualitfications, and have the job.

I think if you can find a job that sounds like something you really want, it may be easier if you consider it to be a "performance" because what you are doing is bringing attention to certain things. By acting specific ways, and saying certain things, you are showing your strengths and abilities to do well at that position.
Community Leaderacuriousfish
acuriousfish
It's the Faustian pact we make if we want to work for someone. Working for oneself is the alternative, but even there you need to make compromises unless you are really, really good at something.

Sometimes it helps to realise that everyone else is playing the same game.
deleted_user
deleted_user
The poet said:

"You need to serve somebody, anybody
maybe the devil
or it maybe the Lord,
but you got to serve someone"
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