|
Post by zemira on Jul 21, 2008 8:29:59 GMT -5
I Google myself because here in America, potential employers will also Google you, and I like to make sure they're not seeing anything about me. It's usually to check for drug use or partying or whatever, but the place I used to work at wouldn't allow gay people to work there, so I had to hide my sexuality. And yes, it is technically illegal to not hire/fire someone for their orientation, but this company would sneak around that and find other pointless reasons to give besides a person's orientation. >_<
|
|
|
Post by lisajane on Jul 21, 2008 22:21:05 GMT -5
I Google myself because here in America, potential employers will also Google you, and I like to make sure they're not seeing anything about me. I'm not sure about Googling over here, but employers have taken to looking at Myspace and Facebook accounts in the hiring process (everyone who's hired in the future by my boss can hate me, as I showed my boss how to use Facebook and what can be found on it). That's pretty messed up that they wouldn't hire you because of your orientation, Zemira. At least a quarter of my workplace would be fired if they didn't want gay people here.
|
|
|
Post by zemira on Jul 22, 2008 7:47:29 GMT -5
Yeah, the Google results usually lead to social networking sites, so that's usually what employers base your personality on. Which isn't really right, because I'm much different in real life, and I'm much more professional than what I show online. But, that's why I keep those accounts under a different name, so they can't find me. I'm sneaky that way, lol.
|
|
|
Post by kaiku on Jul 22, 2008 14:07:20 GMT -5
Wow, I never thought that potential employers would even think to do that. I mean, I don't think I have anything to be worried about on my Myspace, but it's still a bit of a worry, isn't it?
|
|
|
Post by nicholai441 on Jul 22, 2008 14:22:30 GMT -5
i heard on my local news, that some employers do look at peoples web pages like myspace.
|
|
|
Post by zemira on Jul 22, 2008 17:38:37 GMT -5
It's very much a worry, and here in America, since we supposedly have so much "freedom" it just seems hypocritical that we can't even be ourselves online without worrying about who might see it. >_<
|
|
|
Post by shyviolet on Jul 23, 2008 4:28:43 GMT -5
I'd say if you're worried about who might see it, you shouldn't put it on a public internet page. It's the cyberspace equivalent of sticking up things around town - everyone can see it, and you put it in a public place so everyone has the right to see it.
I imagine you wouldn't behave in front of an employer the same way you do at home, surely you also wouldn't behave in a public netspace the way you do in a private or isolated one (like here, where no one would know it's you without a lot of snooping, which hopefully they wouldn't do in real life either).
|
|
|
Post by lisajane on Jul 23, 2008 4:59:56 GMT -5
I don't think it's a worry, I think it's very smart for employers to do it. If one is stupid enough to put questionable information about themselves on the internet, they shouldn't complain if someone questions it, or if they don't get hired because of it. When it comes to myspace or Facebook, your personality shows through on your page. If your personality doesn't fit in to the potential workplace, why should the employer be forced to hire you and spend money only to find that out, when they could find out for free before hiring?
There's been a few reports of female school teachers over here being fired from teaching due to posing nude (or close to it) in magazines - and then they whinge about being fired. I think the schools are absolutely right in firing them, I wouldn't want my future children being taught by someone who strips for magazines.
I'm pretty much the same in real life as I am online.
It's pretty simple - if you don't want one person to see a particular picture of you or whatever, don't put it online.
|
|
|
Post by zemira on Jul 23, 2008 8:02:58 GMT -5
My problem is that online, I'm the type of person no one would hire. I'm lazy and opinionated, and often cruel. But that's because, like shy said, I'm not too afraid of someone snooping around and finding the real me. In real life, I'm quiet, very nice and kind, no opinions (or if I have any, they agree with whoever I'm talking to), and a hard worker.
Not to mention the whole gay thing. I'm a big advocate for gay rights, and I hate that I can't even have a picture of my fiancee in my office because of homophobes or bigots. So, online, I will gladly scream it out to the world that I'm gay, but that would be frowned on by employers. And this place would probably lay me off as well if they found out.
I understand searching for drinkers and big partiers, but when it's the orientation that you find and thus refuse to hire a person, that's wrong. At least to me. But, that's what's happening so I'm just going to work around it and try to succeed without being myself.
|
|
gepno2
Junior Member
Posts: 96
|
Post by gepno2 on Jul 23, 2008 15:29:19 GMT -5
We should change that if we haven't already. I don't think it should matter what you do for your spare time, so long as it doesn't affect your work style. And can't they be arrested for not letting homosexuals work at their place? I wouldn't put up with being with people like that, it's only because they think that way that makes the world so biased and violent. I get into a lot of arguments with people that have weird prejudiced views like this. I just can't let it slide, y' know? P.S: You don't seem cruel at all here...
|
|
|
Post by lisajane on Jul 23, 2008 22:27:26 GMT -5
And can't they be arrested for not letting homosexuals work at their place? I think they can be fined, but not arrested. I know it's against the law here to not hire someone based on their orientation (and based on a lot else), but I'm yet to hear of a company over here who didn't hire based on one's orientation. Then again, most people here really don't care if someone's gay or not. I've been told I'm cruel (and an arrogant, cold-hearted b all in the one sentence - at work. I also realised this is why most people are scared of me at work until they speak to me, and find out I'm not so bad) in real life but I'm nice online... I hope.
|
|
|
Post by zemira on Jul 24, 2008 7:55:16 GMT -5
Yes, it's a major fine, and they would risk being shut down. But they're being sneaky about it. New jobs will usually give out packets of information telling about the company to make sure they comply with national laws. And then I also had to watch a sexual harrassment video. But, in the packet, the small print says "We will hire people based on their abilities, not on their race, religion, or gender." The law requires companies to put that. However, they also require companies to mention orientation now, but that was absent. And the S. H. video was just sad, as there was a little bit of subtle gay bashing. I got to my desk later that day, and already there was a woman who rubbed me the wrong way. Later that week, she grabbed another woman, held her hand and paraded all around our work area proclaiming they were lesbians. It was incredibly offensive, and all I could do not to jump up and scream at her. However, our boss came by, and rather than stop then, she stood and laughed and joined in.
About a year later, I had stopped working there but my very flamboyant friend needed a job. He had a business degree, with a minor in accounting. And this was an accounting firm desperate for anyone. They didn't hire him, didn't even give him an interview. Me, however, who hadn't even graduated college yet and had no math skills to speak of, got 2 interviews and called back for a job. Granted, I have no proof that they didn't hire him because of his orientation. But, well, his was obvious, mine wasn't.
But...meh, we probably shouldn't fill up Chris's question thread with this stuff, lol. Sorry Chris. *hangs head sheepishly*
|
|
|
Post by nicholai441 on Jul 29, 2008 3:27:57 GMT -5
i've recently been told (by no one who knows about writing a book) that i should get a legal copyright on my story as soon as possible. even though it's not done. i'm thinking that that's not how copyrighting for books go.
i'm guessing that you copyright your work when it's published. am i right? or can you put a legal copyright on your story while your still writing it?
|
|
|
Post by lisajane on Jul 29, 2008 20:24:14 GMT -5
When it's published it'll be copyrighted, I assume it's the same for where you live as it is in Australia.
There's little point in getting it copyrighted yourself. Publishers look after that kind of thing, as far as I'm aware.
|
|
|
Post by nicholai441 on Jul 30, 2008 1:13:19 GMT -5
so.. i'm guessing you can't just think up a story, then go to a copyrighting location and say "i have this idea for a story, i want to put a copyright on it." before you even finish or start on a book. but yeah that's what i was thinking anyway, that you copyright the story after, not before you finish it. just had to confirm it.
|
|