Meat Market
I felt like these last two days, I’ve walked into a meat market. They were selling and buying people. They’d exchange handshakes and papers, a few words, size you up and determine if you’re worth it. Hundreds of people selling themselves and only a hundred buyers. There will be people who go home happy, others disappointed. I feel sorry for alot of the other seniors at these career fairs. I was talking to a Raytheon employee with two other CS seniors. One had an idea of what he wanted to do, the other, clueless. I was the only one asking the guy any questions, they were just along for the ride. So many people have no idea of what they want to do. They go around selling themselves off to the highest bidder, or even the only bidder. Begger’s can’t be choosers. I’m thankful I have direction and bargaining power. I don’t have to settle like some others may. I have the power of choice.
I’m disappointed with the four companies I talked to, Raytheon, Northrup Gruman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin. They’re all bid defense contractors. Most of them just shuttled me off like I was one of the cattle. They told me to apply online; why are they even here? Atleast Northrup Gruman said they’d be back for on-campus interviews. You say I’m proud, I feel I’m being realistic. What I expected was the treatment I got from Lockheed Martin. The guy, Jeff, shakes my hand, looks at my resume and asks me when I want an interview tomorrow. He sees value. No idle chit-chat. He knows what he’s looking for and he knows that I’m intentional in talking to him. Why waste time. The only reason our conversation went for a few minutes was because I asked him some questions. Please pray for me as I have an interview with Lockheed Martin tomorrow at 4pm.
I saw my friend Judy representing Palm. She and I hung out almost every weekend our freshman year. Now she’s in sunny California working on the web-browser for Palm. She asked if I wanted to apply and probably would have gotten me an interview with one of the other guys from Palm. I couldn’t take the interview because 1) I don’t really want to move out to California, 2) I don’t really want to be doing that kind of work. It was cool seeing her again and knowing that she enjoys her job. She seemed like she really wanted me to apply and I can understand why. When you enjoy your work and were you are so much, you want your friends to be there too. Besides, who in their right mind turns down a chance to interview with Palm at a career fair? But that makes me think of my Christian walk. Don’t I enjoy it enough that I wish all my friends could join me? Mmm . . . rebuking.