I a long-winded way of saying “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”
This irks me chat. This is an elephant in the room that should be causing mass chaos
I a long-winded way of saying “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”
This irks me chat. This is an elephant in the room that should be causing mass chaos
As someone who's both ND and with a diminished social circle from an isolating family, I hate that people still talk about getting a job as just a matter of applying like there isn't preferential treatment for connected people.
And framing education as the 'great equalizer' hasn't done anything to dispel the myth of meritocracy.
100% this
So you'd like to go back to a time when it was far more "who you know"?
I've been hired many times merely from submitting a resume and interviewing, and not knowing a soul.
And I don't have a bunch of letters after my name - I have a nominal education.
I've been hired exactly one time from knowing someone (I've had many jobs) - but I also had the skills, stayed with the company and took on a lot of work for my team. I felt a serious obligation to the relationship with the person who recommended me. (Plus the interview was good, I wouldn't have been hired otherwise).
So meritocracy exists - it's just that you don't see it fully. Those soft skills are as important (perhaps more important) than the technical - and that's noticed. The merit can be someone's ability to contribute to the team spirit, help keep their peers on the same page, motivated.
And I say this as someone who's soft skills aren't really that good, in fact it's probably my weakness.
In my experience it's like that now. All work I've got was because someone I know knew someone else who's current employer was looking for workers.
I think every job I've had I got by knowing the right people. The meritocracy thing isn't something I've ever experienced.
I've had both. My first job was at McDonalds, it was about 4 years after my brother had worked there and I applied on a whim. The owner happened to be there and when she saw my last name she asked if I was related to my brother, and when I confirmed it she hired me on the spot. My second job was as a deckhand on a tug boat, my dad knew the owner and they needed someone to do manual labor, so I got the job. My 3rd job was in retail and I got it on my own at college - I applied with a bunch of other people and nailed the interview. My 4th job was another retail job that I applied and, again, nailed the interview. My 5th job is the one that got me started on my career, and it absolutely was because of who I knew... one of my prior work friends had gotten a job at a local ISP and he was able to get me onboard as well. That friend then left after a few years and got a job at a larger ISP in a much larger city, and about a year later he got me onboard again. Then I decided to go back to college and graduate, and after graduation that same friend got me a job in an IT department for a software company he was working for... during the interview process one of the interviewers asked if I knew anyone who worked there and when I dropped this guy's name the interview was over, he said I got his vote. Then 16 years later I was laid off and had to find a job on my own. After 3 months - and 1000+ applications submitted - I got on with a large medical equipment manufacturing company all on my own. It helps a TON to know the right people, but it isn't impossible to find something if you have the right skills (both job skills and social skills for getting through an interview). If you find someone who can get you in the door, cherish them because they can be truly life changing friends.
Being well connected and having high social standing are ‘soft skills’ or whatever the fuck.
From your account of your own experiences, I can predict and promise you your name and social class has made a big difference in getting the job
Meritocracy in the current US workforce is absolutely fake, what lmao. What is this shit.
It exists among the skilled trades within the construction industry, where the value of one's labor is tied to a very tangible and measurable output. High producers are able to command a higher wage because they earn the bosses more money (or they'll take their skillset elsewhere).
This reads a lot like you really want meritocracy to be real so you're trying to find evidence for it. Even if you got a job without knowing anyone, how do you know it's not some other reason?
If meritocracy exists how do we explain the absolutely massive wealth gap? What about all those economists who say it's a myth? Even the liberals like Robert Reich say it's a myth.
I think you misunderstand - Education is good, but it is not an equalizer when it is just the default requirement in a given field. Other factors come into play based on your free time. It's hard to do an unpaid internship, make connections with peers, or take on extra skill training when you're forced to work a full time job just to go to school.
And being neurotypical isn't a merit one earns. If I don't inherently understand how to socialize outside of work or build team spirit, that's extra work I have to do outside of actually doing the work I'm paid for.
How is that rewarding merit and not just the circumstances you inherited?
Edit: I don't want to go backwards. I want to go forward to a time where we don't screen for people based on their ability to smile and attend Christmas parties. We can get there by not accepting this as normal or fair.
Many such cases!
As someone who probably has had a similar amount of professional success with getting jobs cold, you just dont see the LACK of meritocracy. I know I wouldnt've been hired to several of my jobs if my name wasnt so white. You get to know hiring managers after enough time. Just because the is a minimun set of skills required for a job does not mean meritocracy exists.