Daniel Ho’s Musings

Over at FT, Tyler Brule pretty much ranted about what I’ve been thinking. What is it with this “new generation of attention-seeking, needy, overconfident, comfortable” graduates looking for jobs?

We have a pretty simple rule at our HQ concerning entry-level posts. Unless you have special qualifications or are coming into the business at a senior level, you start on reception.

If you can juggle multiple phone lines, organise bicycles to be sent to photo shoots in Spain, get journalists rebooked on oversold flights out of Nairobi, charm visitors, keep the front of house looking spotless, help the accounts department track receipts from hotels in Seoul, write firm but diplomatic e-mails to employees enforcing house rules and also wield trays of beverages hot and cold and remember who ordered what in a packed conference room then there’s a very good chance you’ll graduate from our finishing school and take up a post elsewhere in the company. Those who think such tasks are beneath them tend not to last too long.

So when intern season officially kicks off it’s always intriguing to hear how potential candidates view their assignments and life in the world of the working. Some recent gems from a round of interviews included: “I did an internship earlier and I was quite surprised that I was asked to help organise the library and file things”; “when I was at a creative agency earlier in the year I thought ‘let me have more input with the clients and do some writing’ but that didn’t happen, so that’s why I’m here”; “I don’t really want to help sort out other people’s stuff as I’d like to come here to work on my projects”; “before I start I just need to tell you about my summer travel plans and when I’ll need to take time off”.

I try to offer these interviewees a sympathetic and understanding smile and not write them off as a bunch of layabouts. I even resist the temptation to track down the article from the Christmas issue of The Economist that dissected the problems with this new generation of graduates (attention-seeking, needy, over-confident, comfortable). While there are always one or two that slip through the net and end up being something of a liability, we’ve also managed to find a couple of keepers who’ll stay on and rise through the ranks. People who don’t want to pitch in with a bit of heavy lifting, don’t know that Milan is a city in Italy and not Germany and are above offering decent service to clients, guests and colleagues need not apply.

Read the entire article here.

Sad…

Excerpt from a pretty strongly worded editorial in the British journal, Nature.

“Comparisons of nations’ scientific outputs over the years have shown that Canada’s researchers have plenty to be proud of, consistently maintaining their country’s position among the world’s top ten (see, for example, Nature 430, 311–316; 2004). Alas, their government’s track record is dismal by comparison.

When the Canadian government announced earlier this year that it was closing the office of the national science adviser, few in the country’s science community were surprised. Science has long faced an uphill battle for recognition in Canada, but the slope became steeper when the Conservative government was elected in 2006.

…

Concerns can only be enhanced by the government’s manifest disregard for science. Since prime minister Stephen Harper came to power, his government has been sceptical of the science on climate change and has backed away from Canada’s Kyoto commitment. In January, it muzzled Environment Canada’s scientists, ordering them to route all media enquires through Ottawa to control the agency’s media message. Last week, the prime minister and members of the cabinet failed to attend a ceremony to honour the Canadian scientists who contributed to the international climate-change report that won a share of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.”

Working on this blog: http://saynotocruelty.com/

This site is setup to bring awareness of the bills against Animal Cruelty that are in front of the Canadian Parliament. It is our desire for our Members of Parliament to vote against bill S-213, and lend support to bill C-373…to pass legislation which goes to the core of a just and decent society and urge them to stand up for creatures who cannot defend themselves from barbarous acts.

Click on the link and read the first story from the front page of yesterday’s The Globe and Mail!

An article in the Toronto Star on the city’s debt problems gave us this gem of a quote from Rob Ford, Toronto City Councillor for Etobicoke North:

“I can’t support bike lanes. Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks. My heart bleeds when someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day.”

Umm…thanks Rob for your brain dead analysis of the situation Roads are NOT built just for buses, cars, and trucks. If you knew anything about the laws of our land, you’d know that bicycles arguably have MORE of a right to be on the road than your car. As well, if you knew anything about history, you would know that roads became part of the North American urban landscape partly due to efforts of the bicyclist lobby in the US at the turn of the last century.

I’m just thinking out loud, but does this guy even know that the City of Toronto has a Bike Plan? Or that Mayor David Miller publicly stated last month that “We will be the leading environmental city in North America, without question.”

Rob, dude, have to tell ya…don’t think that having less bikes and more buses, cars, and trucks is going to make this happen.

When I ranted about this to a buddy, she pointed out that in the same article there was this bit. “Asked if there was still fat to cut, Miller said, “absolutely not. The city lost its fat a long time ago. Faster than I have, actually.”

My buddy then suggested that maybe the City of Toronto could start cutting fat again with Rob Ford. Hmmm…now THAT’S fresh thinking!

Edit: Here’s another great blog entry about this topic.