Dirty secret about an industry that you have worked in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

LOL, yup. It's also so freaking hard to get fired. Same for state government.

Yup. I worked at one government agency where they touted how we new hires were "the best and the brightest". Amusing because first, they had no idea that David Halberstam did not use that wording in a complementary matter (irony lost) and second, no way in hell were the best minds in America waiting 12 months for a start date - they had long since joined Goldman or McKinsey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to work in a press office. Despite his reputation as "beloved" and a genius and all around wonderful, the time I had to work with Bill Cunningham (former style writer at the NY Times, now deceased) was the nastiest, most unpleasant interaction of my life to date (in my 40s). I couldn't believe the horrible stuff he said to me (and about me) when he didn't get his way (access to a famous person after the time slot said famous person had agreed to for photos).

No! Nonononono. I can't hear youuuuuuuuu...

[Anonymous]

I did bookkeeping for a small NOVA firm. Certain state governments would often inadvertently pay an invoice twice. The firm would just kept the extra money. And some of these were 20k+ invoices. Made me sick to first hand see stupid mismanagement of our tax dollars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I win (or lose) this game.

I worked for an "at risk youth travel abroad / exchange" program.

Turned out to be a front for pedophiles who would meet these at risk youths in countries where the age of consent differed, or the laws were such that prosecution would be hard. Truth be told the warning signs were there before I even started, but i was a bit niave.

Reported to the FBI. Sadly, the organization still exists today.

You may win. That is just awful that the FBI did nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Corporate attorney.

Most lawyers with billable hour quotas defraud their clients by billing for time not worked.

Sometimes it's minor "rounding" or "estimating", but it many cases it's intentional and deliberate.

1+. I used to get in trouble for billing less time than other attorneys for the same joint activities/work. Fairly certain I was not the inaccurate one. No longer in private practice.

In-house counsel is on to you. It has become routine practice for me to get on the phone with the partner and 'negotiate' a substantial percentage of our recent bills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

LOL, yup. It's also so freaking hard to get fired. Same for state government.

Yup. I worked at one government agency where they touted how we new hires were "the best and the brightest". Amusing because first, they had no idea that David Halberstam did not use that wording in a complementary matter (irony lost) and second, no way in hell were the best minds in America waiting 12 months for a start date - they had long since joined Goldman or McKinsey.

You have not participated in the recruitment of honors attorneys. I cannot believe the resumes that come across my desk. These kids could work anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Government agency client had my consulting firm handmake office decorations for her office.

[Anonymous]

All the big environmental / conservation nonprofits are a complete scam . But, I'm not sure this is a secret .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Television production is just about the worst, nastiest industry out there. Pay is all over the place with no backup for who makes what, nepotism is huge, no one cares about anything but ratings – people are literally killing themselves on TV and producers are sitting there watching and cheering because it makes for a good show. Companies work hard not to give benefits or hire people longer than they need to.

Luckily this industry is going down the tubes. Ask anyone who worked at Discovery or in any form of television in NYC and they can back this stuff up.

I worked in production in NYC for a major entertainment company. I wouldn't back you up. Yes, the entertainment industry can be nasty but like most gigs it's what you make of it, and the thousands of pleasant work experiences don't get repeated. BTW the industry isn't going down the tubes. The Big Three networks maybe but other than that biz is booming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with the PP about childcare. I was the lead teacher in a kindergarten classroom. It was a daycare as well. I was there during the academic part of the day. Basically 8:30 until 12:30. I also worked with licensing for several years and did inspections. I'm not going to share stories because I would just be accused of being a troll. But I swore I would never put my child in a daycare center after seeing what goes on even in the very best.

It gets better when kids become more verbal. At least then they can tell you what happens.

Yep. I've worked in NAEYC accredited, reputable programs, and I still have horror stories.

Let's just say I spent A LOT of time picking my child's center, and then I basically lived there his first month, and still keep his days very short.

I kept him home as long as possible (8 mos.) and then I actually quit my ft job to work pt when it was time for him to start child care.

What would be some horror story type incidents? Are the kids hurt?

Sometimes. I've had to report staff to DSS on more than one occasion.
One teacher used to pop kids' knuckles because it scared them but didn't leave marks.
Dislocating a shoulder by pulling on kids' arms.
Leaving kids in dirty diapers all day until just before pick-up time.
Laughing at children who are fighting.
Encouraging children to hurt each other.
Keeping the heat off except at drop off and pick up.
Teachers physically fighting in the classroom.
Teachers passing out drunk on the playground.
Teachers eating most of the kids' lunches.
Children leaving the classroom and nobody noticing.
Holding kids down at nap time...

Good lord. I could not go back to that type of work, that's for sure. It's just... well... the pay is super low, and there are few entry requirements, so let's start there. I always suggest parents find out about teacher pay & benefits before choosing a center. It's often used a proxy for quality in research.

Before I was born, my mom got work at a daycare (she was in school for a master's in education). Apparently she left on her lunch hour and didn't go back - when my dad got home he found her in bed crying. She said the other teachers hit the babies that pooped and wouldn't change their diapers, and screamed in their faces, and she was told not to pick up any of the "bad" babies (ones who cried).

And we wonder why our society is so f****ed up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the big environmental / conservation nonprofits are a complete scam . But, I'm not sure this is a secret .

What do you mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked in PR for 10 years and we wrote a kid's college entrance essays. I also billed at $150 an hour as a 21 yr old right out of college. The clients thought I was a seasoned professional.

Wait so as a professional you acted like a kid and as a kid you acted like a seasoned professional? Sounds like Hollywood.

[Anonymous]

College professors are some of the least talented ego-inflated hacks around, administrators are evil, & HR is stupid.

But I don't think that's a dirty secret.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Television production is just about the worst, nastiest industry out there. Pay is all over the place with no backup for who makes what, nepotism is huge, no one cares about anything but ratings – people are literally killing themselves on TV and producers are sitting there watching and cheering because it makes for a good show. Companies work hard not to give benefits or hire people longer than they need to.

Luckily this industry is going down the tubes. Ask anyone who worked at Discovery or in any form of television in NYC and they can back this stuff up.

I worked in production in NYC for a major entertainment company. I wouldn't back you up. Yes, the entertainment industry can be nasty but like most gigs it's what you make of it, and the thousands of pleasant work experiences don't get repeated. BTW the industry isn't going down the tubes. The Big Three networks maybe but other than that biz is booming.

TV production is booming? Umm, OK.
Sincerely, everyone who can see the future of media

[Anonymous]

I spent a decade on and off working in long term care canters. As a direct care nurse, staff development, trainer, etc.


Keep your parents at home. Pay for in home care and make sure staff knows there are nanny cams everywhere. Random drug tests.