How WWE takes care of their superstars according to John Oliver #SDLive

[VIDEO] On the heels of my recent post regarding the Montreal screwjob and we're less than a week away from WrestleMania here's an hilarious segment from the HBO talk show Last Week Tonight. I got wind of it from a coworker recently and had been hearing about it online as of late through my usual pro-wrestling sources especially on YouTube and finally decided to check it out.

My response to my coworkers were harsh as I often assumed they were talking about not very well known talent. Then I see Jake "the Snake" Roberts depending upon the kindness of his fans for a needed surgery. Though it does underscore my point that these wrestlers as athletes and entertainers have to work very hard to take care of themselves. But then easy said...

Pro wrestlers especially the world famous superstars of the WWE are considered independent contractors. I'm not going to get into the legality of this, however, this distinction allows WWE and other promotions to avoid having to provide their performers benefits. Benefits that even I as a worker take for granted such as health insurance, 401K, even paid time off. Wrestlers seem to perform 365 with few breaks, of course that's not to say they don't take time off and hopefully it won't be because of injury.

A lot of these wrestlers once they retire die young. They noted a few high profile wrestlers who died such as Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, King Kong Bundy whom all died in their 50s or 60s. You will see in the above clip that Piper predicted accurately that he wouldn't make it to 65.

WWE is a company that made close to $1 billion as you see in the above clip. And aside from their regular pay per their contracts no other guarantees other than the dates they work. The performers as Piper states do get a wonderful entrance plan however not an exit plan. I would expect the wrestlers who truly plan for their futures outside of the business will often find a way.

Then again could a publicly traded corporation as WWE do a better job of taking care of their past and present performers? It's noted that some progress has been made to better protect the wrestlers from chairshots to the head and more concerns about concussions. However, perhaps WWE could allow their perfomers some benefits, especially as far as their health care.

BTW, I'm glad to be one of many passionate fans of the WWE Universe. I'm glad the fans stepped up to the plate when wrestlers request a little help for their own medical expenses. It just goes to show we appreciate their efforts to entertain us and we hope that companies like WWE will better take care of them in the future.

Finally, I've generally avoided late night comedy in recent years especially during the Trump era. I want to be entertained not subjected to diatribes with regards to a politician they're opposed to. A good job directed towards anyone in the political establishment goes a long way. However this piece is refreshing and at times had me rolling. It was serious but we're still talking about a comedy show, perhaps there are times when current events and humor can sometimes converge. This is one of them and consider the outrageous activies on Raw or SmackDown which lends itself to the humor of this segment.

Ask A Manager: how should students pick a college major?

When I was in school, if only someone could've counseled me on what I should've studied. And at that what I should've studied to set myself up for success in the long run. Well it's that and it's something that I should've sought for myself.

If only young people were reading this blog. Some are smart enough to do what I wish I did. And then you had some like me - while I was still in high school - who are still trying to figure that out. Indeed you need not figure it out in high school lots of students have changed majors, however, the sooner you figure it out the sooner you're done with college.

I wrote this comment in the post at Ask A Manager:

I have no regret about majoring in political science. Before I finally got a BA I also attended a community college and I should’ve taken some business classes although it likely would’ve affected what I’d have majored in before I transferred to a university. I didn’t entirely plan at all what I would do when I graduate, but sometimes I wish I had hit the ground running as far as jobs before I crossed that stage. Perhaps I’d be in a better position today.

Also the classes I took were great, but as far as my political science curriculum I wished there were more “governing” classes. Perhaps classes that would translate into a job in the real world and not more or less academic courses.

What I've had to learn is that college is too expensive these days to flip, flop, and flounder. Have a game plan and things will come up so make some adjustments. Of course while you're in school get some work experience especially internships in the field of your choice.

To be honest I was up for some internships but either the grades weren't right or there were some complications to ensure that it was good for college credit. Just some missed opportunities.

The main thing is, college is what you make of it if it's what you want to do. Get what you will out of it, especially learning and certainly preparing you for a career in the field of your choice.

Also, part of me still wouldn't mind going back to school and get a master's. Not sure in what yet, but when I first filed papers to take a major of political science one thing I certainly entertained doing was teach. Still wouldn't mind although I recognize that a college professor doesn't just teach. Of course that still depends on the school.

Megan McArdle: Part-Time Workers Deserve the Shift, Not the Shaft

To start this piece from Bloomberg's Megan McArdle isn't dismissive of low-wage retail jobs. Indeed the argument here is that right now it's difficult to find a full-time job to make a decent income. Another argument is mandating how much a business should pay their employees could cause more harm than good.

Conclusion: "Ultimately, this comes back to the weak job market. As long as the demand for low-skilled labor significantly lags the supply, workers will continue to struggle. Unfortunately, legislators can’t mandate a strong labor market. So we’re apt to end up mandating more labor market rigidity instead."

Via Instapundit!

These jobs are going away...

According to this article. It includes newspaper reporters, mail carriers, print workers, and even travel agents. I don't understand why farmers and flight attendants are going away. I would imagine they're always necessary in some capacity, food isn't going to grow and care for itself and passengers on a flight need attention the pilots can't get to them. Hopefully all these predictions won't come to fruition.

Ask a Manager: How do I know if I did well in an interview?

Question #2 over at Ask a Manager. A person wants to know how they know if they did well in an interview. Of course the blogger's answer over there is there no way to truly know and that if you think you did well you may still not get the job or you might do bad and still get the job. It's best to read her answer to that question.

I did use to have an easy answer to this question. Again I've had interviews such as this one I wrote about earlier this year where I thought the interview went great but still didn't get the job. Although in that case it was still a dodged bullet.

Still, I think it's easy to gauge from interviewers whether or not they like you. Unfortunately it's still hard to say whether or not they'll offer you the job. It seems in some of the comments over at Ask a Manager you may get an offer and the employer could always change their mind.

These days, however, only speaking from my experience it seems I'm wary of the statement that they're continuing to interview other candidates. Now again this probably isn't something you should consider too much of because it's only fair if there are other candidates lined up. Besides the odds may still be in your favor or it may not.

BTW, for additional reading another link was offered with Ask a Manager's response. If you can't help but consider your chances for getting the job this post should help you keep things in perspective. One answer to that is even if you're sure you got the job continue applying until someone gives you a solid job offer.

You Should Quit Your Soul-Sucking Miserable Job

Heh, I can sure relate to this article. If you don't like where you are perhaps it's time to let go of that job that isn't working out and go where you are appreciated. See what's out there and hopefully evaluate whether or not they're right for you. That is where I am now.

Asking the interviewer questions

Lately most of my interviewers opened the interview up to questions. Often it's uncharted territory for me, however, I've grown most comfortable doing so with thinking of the right questions. For the most part it's really not my style to ask a lot of questions.

Lately I changed strategy on asking questions. That is focusing my questions on the role that I would have as opposed to just asking questions. Perhaps asking about routine, expectations, and my usual question that I've developed which is to ask about the background of the interviewer - for example asking them what brought them to the job.

One should always ask about the role for which they're interviewing or applied. Whatever your qualifications were that got you the call for an interview you should always consider the role for which you applied.

In some of my interviews thinking I was showing some ambition I often asked about moving up. Some are willing to answer that question, but at times it seems the interviewer shut down on me anyway. However, if I knew a higher-level position that I was either interested or qualified for perhaps there is a way to inquire about how to get that position but without taking myself out of consideration for the position that I applied for.

At times my questions to interviewers were often random. While it's OK to ask questions about the company for which you want to be employed again show your interest in the position you applied for.

So far though I feel great asking about the role for which I applied and if the interviewer asks for questions it's what you should do. Now the next step to figure is whether or not you should ask about salary during the interview. Besides many of us have been told this is a no-no before you've been offered the job.

WSJ: Job Hunting? Dig Up Those Old SAT Scores

It sometimes threw me off when you apply for a job and there's space for GPA. Although in some respects I understand, if there's barely any job experience shown seen then you need something. Not that GPA is an indication of future success at work.

Still, it would throw me off even more that hiring managers would be interested in SAT or ACT scores. When I was in high school - Go Falcons - my ACT score wasn't that good so I wouldn't be entirely happy if I go for a job, get interviewed, and then my scores were requested. Even if it had been a decade out of high school, even if I had already gotten my degree, and even if I should've established a decent work record.

All the same, this aspect of this Wall Street Journal article concerns me:

Putting too much stock in standardized tests can put minority candidates at a disadvantage. In 2013, SAT test-takers in the "Black or African-American" category scored an average 431 on the exam's critical reading section, 429 on math and 418 on writing. White test-takers, meanwhile, scored nearly 100 points higher on average in every section. There is a racial divide for ACT score reports as well.

In any case, that article explores all aspects of this practice. Even notes companies that stopped this practice. Unfortunately this "fad" may not go away any time soon, however, it's good to know it's being evaluated and some just choose to go another direction.

It's like many ways that employers seek to screen out candidates. It's often unfair, but it's what they use and especially frustrating in an economy with high unemployment.

As far as "fads" perhaps one day employers won't even bother with these pre-employment assessments anymore in the future. Are those an indicator of future success?

Hat-tip for my new favorite blog - Ask a Manager - where a commenter on her blog pointed readers to that Wall Street Journal article. There was a question about whether or not an applicant for an office manager position should provide old SAT scores.

The Atlantic: Ex-journalist's life as a retail worker...

I tweeted this story earlier today about a ex-journalist who was forced to take a retail job after having a long prosperous career. Then unfortunately he made one bad move and he was out of a job. In some respects I sympathise with him because I'm sort of in the same boat as he is.

My situation is slightly different than his in his case he got off to a great start until one event caused his career to unravel. In my case, I'm still looking for mine and illustrated one example recently where unfortunately it didn't work in my favor.

Every now and then we hear stories about how x-amount of jobs were added to the economy, but seemingly not enough to offset the number of unemployed right now. Thankfully I do have a job, but at the same time you got your start now it's time to move ahead to something better. The question that keeps hitting my mind is what does it take?

We got to keep moving and we got to keep plugging away. Best wishes to those out there looking.

Hat-tip Woodlawn Wonder!

The Atlantic: What College Graduates Regret

This makes sense, I wish I had been more serious about finding work whether a part-time job or an internship before finally getting my sheepskin. Who knows I'd have been a lot more focused if it has worked out that way.

A recent Pew study complicates this picture a little bit. It found that, yes, a third of college graduates who majored in social science, liberal arts or education regretted their decision. (In comparison, 24 percent of people with science and engineering degrees wish they'd studied something else.) But overall, when asked what they wish they'd done differently in college, "choosing a different major" wasn't the top answer. The most popular answer, given by half of all respondents, was "gaining more work experience." Choosing a different major was the fourth most popular response, after "studying harder" and "looking for work sooner."

A possible lesson here: Picking a major with a real-world application might be overrated, at least as college graduates themselves see it. What students really need is experience putting their knowledge to practical use while they're still in school.

I majored in political science, there certainly was a way to use my degree in that particular field surely. Only really used it once having worked polls doing exit polling during a research project. I wrote about it here.

In any case, it's not enough to say if you major in art history who's fault is that? Yeah you might have a better shot if you majored in business, a science or engineering. At the same time work experience counts, find a job in your field while you're still in school or if nothing else just find a job period.

It won't matter in the long run if you got the right degree because just coming out of college it will be about your work experience. Why not come out of school armed with it!

Via Instapundit another sign of the "higher education bubble"!

Law school grad writes about losing his last shred of dignity

Well you know I just see this as a sign of the times. You have debt and you have to find a job wherever you can find one. In this case, if you've got student loan debt and there's not a job as a lawyer available then you may be forced into retail.

This article is hilarious:

The funny parts often involve his coworkers assuming he can answer every law-related question they have. His coworker Shaina grills him after it's discovered that another coworker named Julian is apparently "robbing the stock room blind." Here's the exchange:

"LawGrad, you a lawyer," Shaina began, "can Julian sue the store?"

"For what?"

"You know, accusing him of stealing because he’s Mexican."

"But he was stealing."

"So he can’t sue?"

"No."

Well, it goes from there. This makes me want to read this blog some more.

Then it makes me wonder if it's worth going to law school to incur more debt only to be at square one. At this point it would bother me much more than my current situation.

BTW, found this via Instapundit who says there's nothing undignified about honest work - here, here - and he further adds: "Check your class privilege, dude."

While I can't say that I saw that in the article, well let me take that back in some respects as far as his law degree he may well see working as a cologne salesman as beneath him. He shouldn't feel too bad that classmates may spot him at the store. If he could look at the big picture an opportunity may arise for him!

How does the economy work now?

There are two items from The 312 blog posting courtesy of Chicago Mag. The one that caught my attention the most was how temporary workers were being screwed by the system. The linking article noted how temp workers can find themselves being paid below the minimum wage in Illinois. One way that happens, when you finally connect with a gig, you will somehow still get charged for transportation fees.

Alas in America it's reported that a temp agency is the second largest employer in America. Walmart is still no. 1 although the also use temp workers.

Of course it's that just under another brief write-up on how Doctors determine how to charge for their various services.

Those two combined is how the economy works right now!

Time: 3 Ways to Handle a Colleague You Dislike

To be honest I feel the same way myself about some of the people whom either I have worked with or who currently work with me now. This option well would be very difficult for me:

Work together. It’s counterintuitive, but by spending more time together you may develop empathy for your colleague. You might discover reasons for his behavior: stress at home, pressure from his boss, etc.

Even at that it would have to depend on if they even work. If they have the tendency to not do anything then no I don't want to know what their problem is! Some things on the other hand provided they can do the job and well can be overlooked.

Of course there are two other points to look at in this article. Check it out!

The Atlantic: Why the U.S. Economy Is Biased Against Men

Oh I wonder how so?

The 77-cents-on-the-dollars statistic is calculated in a way that is biased against men. For example, while among all physicians, men earn more than women, men are more likely to be in specialties requiring longer training, high-stress, and irregular hours, for example, surgery and cardiology. In contrast, women are more likely to be pediatricians. Despite that bias, across all careers, surveys report that childless women under 30 make more than men. More than 90 percent of workplace deaths, military deaths, and severe workplace injuries (e.g., amputations, black lung disease) occur to men. Such dangerous work justify higher pay for men.

Visit American workplaces, especially major corporations, and you'll find that anti-men practices are not only tolerated but routinely imposed by employers. Women but not men are encouraged to form committees and caucuses to advance their sex's causes in the workplace, often at men's expense. Examples:

• Mentor programs for women only

• Special training for women only

• Fast-track-to-executive position for women only

In honest conversation, most people will agree that, on average, men are more often willing to do the things it takes to get promoted, for example, to make time to take advanced technical courses by forgoing recreation such as sports or shopping. Men are more likely to be willing to move to a God-forsaken place (Montgomery, Alabama, anyone?) for a promotion, and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to work longer hours.

Hmmm, I wish I had an excuse to move to Alabama and that's not the only place I would like to go. There are other places in the south or even in the west I would like to live.

That being said you should read the whole thing! This is looking like a good article.

Hat-tip Newsalert!