Warning: This post will include rants, foul language, and a sense of sarcasm and possibly a sense of entitlement. Proceed with caution.
Nepotism- n. the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.
I am tired. More than tired, I am fed up with all the bullshit that goes around in the job market. Four rejection letters in as many days from places who list their requirements for job listing as simply being over eighteen, or having a high school diploma. I have even interviewed for a position, and received a generic "Thank you for your interest" email that did not even include my name.
Let me tell you a story about a job a friend and I both applied for. His father was drinking buddies with the manager of the place in question, but he had no work experience, was still in high school. Me, I have some college, and volunteer experience. Guess who was offered the job? Not me. This is a prime example of nepotism in the workplace.
I have been hunting for a job for almost two years now, and in all that time, I have only been offered a single job, which I felt I needed to turn down because of the nature of the position. I did not feel safe performing the job offered. Moreover, the interviewer had spent the entire time staring at my breasts. And you want to know the sad part? Another friend of mine recommended me for the job.
Everyone tells me I can always go back to college, to get my degree, but it won't help. I know it won't. When McDonald's tells you that you aren't qualified to flip burgers all day, something in you just knows that it's not you that's the problem. It's the system. It's not what you can do. It's who you know. Guess what, though? I'm sick of it. There reaches a point when it's time to say enough is enough. That point is today.
Today, I make a vow... We can end nepotism. It won't happen overnight, or even over the next year, but we can end it. Together. How? Simple. Don't let them push you around. Don't let them push you away. If you're an employer, don't hire someone just because you know them. Hire them because they're qualified for the position and because you think they'll do a good job in the position. If you're looking, don't jump at the job your friend offers you simply because he's your friend. Unless we work together, we will not be able to end this favoritism that plagues us.
