A few days ago, I talked with Gabe Evans, Chief Intern over at Fuck that job (Let’s call them FTJ). Here’s what FTJ is about:
In this recession, it’s easy to find job listings that are obviously taking advantage of the somewhat desperate job market. Employers with too much gall will ask for everything from their prospective hires, yet pay minimum wage or maybe nothing (build your portolio!). Check out this job listing as an example.
Normally, my attitude is “so what, FTJ? Whiners! Your bitching does not me entertain. If you don’t want the job, don’t take it.” Employers aren’t the only people to ever press their advantage. Anyone over, ummmm, 25 years of age remembers the late 1900’s, when any barely qualified, inexperienced, cocky pothead buffoon could choose from a dozen job offers. We had employers bent over a barrel, yet asked for more money, more benefits, casual clothing, and a ping pong table in the breakroom, beside the espresso maker and the organic blueberry muffins. AND, we wanted some of those sweet stock options, so we could own the company too.
And now that that insanity has passed, the tables have turned, and you’re fumed enough to launch a web site?
Yes. That’s entrepreneurism. Maybe, someday soon, FTJ will have to hire its own employee.
In just a year or so, the site has become a huge success, tapping into a groundswell of pissed-offed-ness among frustrated job-seekers, who have plenty of time to kill on the internet. Personally, I still think it’s stupid, but what do I know? Here I am writing about it, so obviously the ignoring part of my logic is harder to follow than it is to preach. Preaching from a moral highground is, by the way, both fun AND easy.
FTJ is the Brainchild of media maven Tanya Bershadksy; you’ve seen her on the Daily Show and a few other places. She and her website have been profiled in TV, radio, print, and – you guessed – the “internet”. Could a major motion picture about not applying for jobs be far away? Clearly, the sour, FTJ ball is rolling, even if Tanya and Gabe and their fans aren’t making money at it, yet. But if indignation were currency, they’d be at least rich enough to deserve scorn from their own readers.
(Rumor has it, by the way, that Tanya and Gabe are an item.)
But as I see it, the real brilliance of FTJ is that when George Bush’s tax cuts ENIVITABLY work their voodoo magic – BRING IT ON! – and we’re once again lettin’ the good times roll and dodging job offers, FTJ will simply morph into fuckthatjobapplicant.com, an on-line community for employers to bitch about the lame resumes they get. Someone smarter than I should go register that domain name now.
But getting back to my point … Gabe thought that since I’m clearly a let’s-don’t-fuckthatjob.com person, I might be a good “foil” for some point-counterpoint? FTJ’s biggest shortcoming is that everyone who posts to the site agrees. Unless the employer defends themself, it’s just an angry mob yelling ‘not fair!’ ‘Boo!’.
So anyway. That’s my point. Gabe, you there?