Dirty secret about an industry that you have worked in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was 20 years ago in lobbying ..many of the guys drank all afternoon. We used to drag our head guy in to testify on the Hill. I had to go to his favorite watering hole...Garys (no longer there )to drag him out

I was waiting for lobbying to be mentioned. I know a couple lobbyists like this but it's damaged their reputation -- I think by and large it doesn't happen anymore outside of evening receptions. Hill staff can't afford to drink with lobbyists and lobbyists aren't allowed to buy them drinks. I think lobbying is one profession where the perception is far worse than the reality.

Honestly I doubt it. There are so many alcoholic political staffers and television reporters that lobbying is the last profession I would think is actually on a downward booze swing (I mean they practically have mandatory office hours in bars)...

I didn't see a lot of alcohol during my brief stint lobbying, but the sexual harassment was unbelievable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sibley Drs, nurses, staff are gossips. It is not uncommon to hear Drs trash patients or their colleagues. Major unprofessional culture.

Sibley nurse here. This isn't true at all in my experience, with respect to the patients. I've worked at six different hospitals in DC and MD and Sibley (and Georgetown) had the most professional, collegial cultures. The rest weren't even close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Nonsense like that, by the way, is why teachers are leaving the profession in record numbers.

I don't understand why you'd work at a preschool whose philosophy you didn't agree with. There are schools that aren't like this--

Because I like working with the children. Because I like some of my coworkers. Because I love my room. Because I get paid very well. Because of the health insurance. There are lots of reasons why people work in places whose philosophies they disagree with.

Also, I've worked in a number of preschools. The only ones I've worked in that didn't have an obsessive assessment culture are the ones that weren't part of the public school system, which meant the pay was very, very, very low. Been there, done that, not going back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Nonsense like that, by the way, is why teachers are leaving the profession in record numbers.

I don't understand why you'd work at a preschool whose philosophy you didn't agree with. There are schools that aren't like this--

Perhaps because there are things more important about the job than agreeing with the philosophy? That's like saying you don't get why someone would live in the US while thinking Trump was a freaking idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Nonsense like that, by the way, is why teachers are leaving the profession in record numbers.

I don't understand why you'd work at a preschool whose philosophy you didn't agree with. There are schools that aren't like this--

Pretty much every school that accepts federal or state dollars has an inappropriate level of testing; that's why many parents who can afford to choose private or homeschooling options. The schools that "aren't like this" are also typically schools that pay much less money, don't include health insurance, have no pensions, and feature less job security.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sibley Drs, nurses, staff are gossips. It is not uncommon to hear Drs trash patients or their colleagues. Major unprofessional culture.

Sibley nurse here. This isn't true at all in my experience, with respect to the patients. I've worked at six different hospitals in DC and MD and Sibley (and Georgetown) had the most professional, collegial cultures. The rest weren't even close.

...."with respect to the patients". Do you really think that Drs, administrators and staff omit (high profile) patients from the inner circle gossip? Drs are the worse. Don't get me going on covering up for each other. If you go back a few years, you would see that Georgetown educated Drs left Georgetown Hospital when Medstar took over. Now they're at Sibley. Hopkins bought Sibley....but the culture remains. This is surprising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Nonsense like that, by the way, is why teachers are leaving the profession in record numbers.

I don't understand why you'd work at a preschool whose philosophy you didn't agree with. There are schools that aren't like this--

Perhaps because there are things more important about the job than agreeing with the philosophy? That's like saying you don't get why someone would live in the US while thinking Trump was a freaking idiot.

No, not at all. If I don't agree with the direction of my employer, I believe it's my duty to find a new job. I'm an early childhood administrator, and one of my first interview questions is about teaching philosophy. It's important to have a cohesive school culture. I am opposed to the assessment culture and push-down academics, so I know I wouldn't fit in public schools. I've made a nice career without doing so, and I don't have to go against what I believe when it comes to how young children learn. Plus I don't have to work with a bunch of people who are faking their work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Feds don't hire the best and brightest. They hire people who are willing to wait 3+ months after an interview for a job offer.

No, if you can wait 3+ months for an offer, that means you already have a job that you are not desperate to leave. Feds hire people who prefer time and security more than money. Some are bright and some aren't -- and my dirty secret for this thread is that it's EXACTLY THE SAME in the private sector. Same distribution of bright and dim, superstars and lazybones.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. There is a huge range in the quality of nannies and people rely too much on references. Most parents don't have much frame of reference for what makes a good nanny, so if her old bosses loved her that could mean that she's great or it could mean that she didn't complain when they were late and was willing to clean their bathtub during naptime. If you want a great nanny, look for someone who can clearly and articulately respond to specific questions in detail and can give you the reasoning behind her answers. Look for someone who lights up when she talks about development.

Also, "you get what you pay for" is true about 50% of the time. There are high priced nannies who aren't great at their job but know how to market themselves and there are amazing nannies who are bad at interviewing or just look bad on paper for one reason or another. If you need a bargain nanny, take a chance on someone with 3-ish years experience with only one or two jobs under her belt as that is looking to make nannying a career, or hire a nanny with an infant who has worked with multiple kids before. Jobs that will let you bring your kid are rare and those women often will be incredibly loyal and reliable because they know how lucky they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Nonsense like that, by the way, is why teachers are leaving the profession in record numbers.

I don't understand why you'd work at a preschool whose philosophy you didn't agree with. There are schools that aren't like this--

Perhaps because there are things more important about the job than agreeing with the philosophy? That's like saying you don't get why someone would live in the US while thinking Trump was a freaking idiot.

No, not at all. If I don't agree with the direction of my employer, I believe it's my duty to find a new job. I'm an early childhood administrator, and one of my first interview questions is about teaching philosophy. It's important to have a cohesive school culture. I am opposed to the assessment culture and push-down academics, so I know I wouldn't fit in public schools. I've made a nice career without doing so, and I don't have to go against what I believe when it comes to how young children learn. Plus I don't have to work with a bunch of people who are faking their work.

I know plenty of people who work in the fed govt who absolutely disagree with current leadership. However, as noted several times earlier, there are things more important to most people than being in lockstep with the work culture. I show up because I like some things about where I work, including the fact that I get paid enough to support my family with it. If I changed work every time I thought the boss was wrong, I'd never work!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Nonsense like that, by the way, is why teachers are leaving the profession in record numbers.

I don't understand why you'd work at a preschool whose philosophy you didn't agree with. There are schools that aren't like this--

Perhaps because there are things more important about the job than agreeing with the philosophy? That's like saying you don't get why someone would live in the US while thinking Trump was a freaking idiot.

No, not at all. If I don't agree with the direction of my employer, I believe it's my duty to find a new job. I'm an early childhood administrator, and one of my first interview questions is about teaching philosophy. It's important to have a cohesive school culture. I am opposed to the assessment culture and push-down academics, so I know I wouldn't fit in public schools. I've made a nice career without doing so, and I don't have to go against what I believe when it comes to how young children learn. Plus I don't have to work with a bunch of people who are faking their work.

That's great that you believe all of that. However, not everyone does. It's a rather American narcissism to believe you need to identify with your job this much to be happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked in daycare and quit because my co workers abused the kids... then I worked at a nursing home and guess what... pretty much the same. Like wow! I didnt grow up here in the US so it was an eye opener. You send your kids to daycare, then your kids send you to a nursing home. Circle of life.

No way, not for me or my family, including in-laws. Not an option for everyone, but SAHM and in-home care has been the way of my family for decades/generations.

I understand and have satisfied my need to be a working professional outside of the home. Understand the draw and the use of a high paying challenging career/job outside of the home. Did it for 2 decades, until I was 40.

Saddens me sometimes to think of all of us who are no longer being given choices. I do worry its the children who may suffer. The PP's post makes me worry about our elders now more than I have.

Don't shoot the messenger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nanny here. There is a huge range in the quality of nannies and people rely too much on references. Most parents don't have much frame of reference for what makes a good nanny, so if her old bosses loved her that could mean that she's great or it could mean that she didn't complain when they were late and was willing to clean their bathtub during naptime. If you want a great nanny, look for someone who can clearly and articulately respond to specific questions in detail and can give you the reasoning behind her answers. Look for someone who lights up when she talks about development.

Also, "you get what you pay for" is true about 50% of the time. There are high priced nannies who aren't great at their job but know how to market themselves and there are amazing nannies who are bad at interviewing or just look bad on paper for one reason or another. If you need a bargain nanny, take a chance on someone with 3-ish years experience with only one or two jobs under her belt as that is looking to make nannying a career, or hire a nanny with an infant who has worked with multiple kids before. Jobs that will let you bring your kid are rare and those women often will be incredibly loyal and reliable because they know how lucky they are.

Just out of curiosity, why is it rare that a nanny can bring her kid to the job? My 2yo is an only and I'd live if a nanny brought her kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nanny here. There is a huge range in the quality of nannies and people rely too much on references. Most parents don't have much frame of reference for what makes a good nanny, so if her old bosses loved her that could mean that she's great or it could mean that she didn't complain when they were late and was willing to clean their bathtub during naptime. If you want a great nanny, look for someone who can clearly and articulately respond to specific questions in detail and can give you the reasoning behind her answers. Look for someone who lights up when she talks about development.

Also, "you get what you pay for" is true about 50% of the time. There are high priced nannies who aren't great at their job but know how to market themselves and there are amazing nannies who are bad at interviewing or just look bad on paper for one reason or another. If you need a bargain nanny, take a chance on someone with 3-ish years experience with only one or two jobs under her belt as that is looking to make nannying a career, or hire a nanny with an infant who has worked with multiple kids before. Jobs that will let you bring your kid are rare and those women often will be incredibly loyal and reliable because they know how lucky they are.

Just out of curiosity, why is it rare that a nanny can bring her kid to the job? My 2yo is an only and I'd live if a nanny brought her kid.

Lots of reasons. Parents worry about liability or worry that her kid will break something in thwir house. Or they worry that the nanny will favor her own kid and not take good care of her charge, or they just want a more distant/professional relationship and think it's too emotionally messy, or they can barely manage their own kid and can't envision a nanny caring for two successfully, etc.

[Anonymous]

I was a zookeeper in many zoos, and you would not believe the amount of animal mistreatment and neglect. I finally had to quit when animals were being euthanized for reasons like "it's the end of our shift and we don't want to deal with this, just put it down and lets go home". A lot of people who works in zoos really don't like their animals all that much, and they HATE the public.

Zoos also don't do nearly as much for wildlife conservation as they lead you to believe. 99+% of animals bred in zoos go live in other zoos. Only a handful of facilities actually release animals back into the wild. But they make it appear like they are saving all these endangered species to raise $$.